DESAIJENIT90, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Acupuncture and Moxibustion are supportive holistic treatments which encourage the optimal position of baby for healthy labour, whether baby is in a breech, posterior or transverse position. Acupuncture is a safe treatment during pregnancy commonly used for many other pregnancy related conditions and symptoms. Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body to treat pain and facilitate well-being. Moxibustion is a particular warming therapy used in Chinese medicine alongside acupuncture to add warmth and movement to the body.
Moxibustion for breech babies is supported by early research from a randomised controlled study published in the JAMA, which found that moxabustion from 33 weeks helped to turn breech babies in 75 percent of those in the group receiving moxibustion (Cardini, 1998). A recent meta-analysis found that when compared to usual care alone, moxabustion plus usual care reduces the chance of breech presentation at birth (Coyle, 2023).
What is Moxibustion?
Moxabustion, or ‘Moxa’ as it is often known, is a Chinese Medicine warming therapy which involves the burning of the medicinal plant Artemisia vulgaris (known as Mugwort or Ài yè in Chinese). It is a medicinal plant that is a member of the daisy family and is used in Chinese, European and Ayurvedic herbal medicine. The plant can be burnt in its raw leaf form, or it can be burnt in a stick form, known as a ‘moxa stick’. Moxibustion adds warmth to the body at certain acupuncture points to stimulate physiological responses which create movement and activity. For breech and posterior babies moxabustion is often applied to an acupuncture point on the bladder channel (BL.67) at the tip of the little toe. The name of this point in Chinese is called Zhì yīn, which translates as ‘Reaching Yin’. It is a point that is used to help provide additional stimulus and warmth to the Kidney energy in the body, which in turn can help baby to raise its bottom up and somersault into a head down position.
Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Moxa leaf and Moxa stick - Photography by Rose Skerten
Treatment from 33 wks supports best treatment outcomes
In our Tauranga Acupuncture Clinic, we recommend acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for breech babies starts from 33 – 34 week and weekly treatment continues until baby has turned. The reason for this is that between 33 - 36 weeks of pregnancy, this is the time of the pregnancy when the Kidney channel in the body is the focus of developmental growth for the baby. It is during this time when there is greater potential for the Kidney energy to be treated and for the baby to successfully respond to treatment by naturally moving into an optimal head down position. If treatment is started at 36-37 weeks baby is growing larger and there is a natural shift in the body and mind to a focus on preparing for labour and planning for medical intervention, these factors can sometimes make it harder for baby to have the motivation and room to turn in the later stages of pregnancy. During an acupuncture treatment we also focus on providing relief for any pain, anxiety or other symptoms that you may have.
If you would like to chat about a treatment or book an acupuncture appointment at our Tauranga acupuncture clinic you can get in touch with Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner Rose Skerten
