Though mainstream Korean obstetrics is EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE, with an over 40% c-section rate, there are pockets of natural birthing practitioners. Midwives will do breech and VBAC deliveries. They often deliver at home and may not speak much English, but if you have a Korean speaking doula you can overcome that. Also at Women's hospitals, they are much more natural childbirth friendly.The wome's hospitals will do External Cephaliv Versions as well to try to get the baby from breech to vertex if you want to try that as well. If you are doing a breech or VBAC birth, this is a good option because they will have the emergency c-section option available in case things start to go wrong. Again, the English communication maybe limited, but there are several doulas around who speak both English and Korean.
Doula/childbirth educator, Lisa Fincaryk, is still building her Birthing in Korea website, but if you have questions or want contacts, e-mailing her at birthinginkorea at gmail dot com and she will help you research your options.
You have choices, even in Korea.
6 comments:
Short story: I had my Korean midwife massage my 37-week belly for just a minute and turn my breech baby around--phew!!
Longer story: Sonogram showed my baby with her chin stargazing in a occiput posterior position. I went home and found an inversion on www.spinningbabies.com that if done for just a minute at a time, can help balance uterine ligaments (that could contribute to posterior positions). I didn't heed the WARNING not to do the inversion if you have too much amniotic fluid. I just assumed I was normal. After I did the inversion briefly 3-4 times in two days, I could immediately tell that my baby had turned herself BREECH! I could feel a very big, hard spot on the top and strong kicks deep down and no wiggling hands. I went to my midwife on day 3 and since I had a lot of fluid and she has a lot of experience, she easily turned my baby back around and baby has stayed there where she belongs. I'm not advocating that an ECV without an emergency medical back-up is for everyone but at least for my particular situation, this was the easiest and least complicated solution. Thank goodness for my midwife!!
I had a midwife try to massage the belly to get baby to turn, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't the area of expertise for the midwives in the area,though.
Spinning Babies doesn't work instantly to rebalance the ligaments. They recommend you start early. I did that and chiropractic and it didn't work for me to correct the breech issue. I do think that both helped to get my baby in a good position after the version.
Your midwife will deliver breech as well. I got to meet her yesterday. Caroline may use her as well.
You are getting close! Very exciting!
yes, i think my baby turned so easily because of my high fluid level and because she hadn't been growing and stretching out my uterus into a breech shape over weeks or months.
actually, i didn't go to the meet-up yesterday because i had an appt with my midwife. i switched to the Open Family Birth Center (www.blessbirth.com) in Bucheon. My husband and I feel more comfortable with the midwife and facilities there. Its closer to my home and all services are very afforable. For example, birth at the center is 250,000. Using the large birthing tub, too totals 500,000. Homebirth costs 600,000. You can stay there for a week at a time for post-partum care as well~~
Wow! I thought the homebirth fee was cheap! That is practically free!
Hi Bergenson, Hi Mama Seoul (we met last week at the small playgroup at ST's?! :-)
I just found out my bellybabe has turned upside down, could I gave the name/number of your midwife, am only at 31 weeks but I want to do whatever you can earlier rather than later, and would love to try some massage in Korea...
Hi Yuk, I just e-mailed you the resource/contact list. You will probably need a Korean friend to help you because their English is not the best (they understand more than they speak). Let me know if you have trouble.
Also, I figured out who you met at Hypnobirthing.
Post a Comment