Baby is in Breech!

Things have been so hectic the last couple weeks that I have been negligent in posting. At my appointment last Wednesday, Dr. Riley informed me that the baby is in breech and I pretty much had two choices: schedule an external version or a c-section. I had one day to think about it. Naturally, irrational and hormonally overcharged pregnant women (Julie) hears the words "painful" and "possibly stressful to baby" regarding external version and immediately dismisses the procedure. Enter the perfectly rational actor ala Economics 101 (Aaron) who, in his adorable ways, makes this a perfect opportunity to create a decision tree (pictured left). He first starts with a wonderful depiction of the predicament - me and the position of the baby. As you can see, he assigned all these percentages based on the data we knew about success rates and risk rates, and voalla, he convinced me that I should schedule the external version. I rather took offense to the alternative option he placed (pray) because I have been doing quite a lot to get the baby to turn! Here's the list (hope it makes you laugh!):
- Placing ice packs on top of my belly hoping the baby won't like it and will turn away. All this accomplished was his head moved slightly out of the way.
- Lying inverted on an ironing board resting on a chair while playing The Beatles Abbey Road and flashing lights on my lower abdomen to encourage him to move toward the sound and light. Apparently he does not like The Beatles, which is going to be extremely disappointing.
- Going to a chiropractor to see if he could help me relax my pelvis so baby would find it easier to turn. Well, this was a fiasco due to the fact that I told my parents I was going to a chiropractor and, thinking he was going to try to push the baby around, they made about 20 phone calls to me while I was in the appointment to plead with me not to go. I guess parents never stop being parents. All he did was massage my lower back and adjust my neck - apparently it didn't relax me enough.
- Good thing we have a pool because I hear swimming relaxes the pelvis and can help the baby turn. So I have been swimming every day as well as doing somersaults, dolphin dives, and handstands to try to confuse the baby so he will turn. The handstands are particularly entertaining because I can't seem to do them like I used to as a kid. I had Aaron help me hold my feet up yesterday and I think all we accomplished was that I got a lot of water up my nose and Aaron had a good laugh.
- Aaron has been talking to the baby and rubbing my belly to get him to turn. The baby is defiant and won't listen to Dad - hope it's not an indication of what's to come.
- I have tried several Yoga positions to no avail.
- Today we are going to Berzerkeley to the Traditional Ways Healing Center to see if an accupuncturist and chinese herbalist can help me out. I hear they stick needles in my ears and wave some incense around. It should be pretty entertaining.
I think that is about it. So maybe I do have to resort to praying and hoping that he will turn before my external version appointment on Tuesday! Wish me luck!