Do you feel like you have tried absolutely EVERYTHING to get your little breech baby to get head down and ready for delivery?
I know I did when I was in your place!
You haven’t tried ABSOLUTELY everything until you’ve held a burning moxa stick up to your little toe!
If that sounds funny, but not so funny that you wouldn’t be willing to try it, then you are just as desperate as I was to get your baby turning in right direction!
My Experience With Moxibustion
My husband and I found the most wonderful acupuncturist by calling every single one that I saw in my local yellow pages. Joanna and I were fast friends and still have an easy time of picking up where we left off more than one year later.
After I told her about our “breech” situation, she explained the technique of moxibustion. I was willing to try anything so I made an appointment. On the afternoon of the appointment, my husband and I walked into her treatment room and I got to sit on the most comfortable bed I have ever had the pleasure of relaxing in!
Joanna sat at my feet and asked my husband to watch her because he would be taking over in a moment. She lit the moxa herb and let it burn down a bit so that it was a red glow, not a flare. Then, she showed my husband exactly where on the outside of the little toe for which to aim. She would bring the hot herbs close to that spot for a few seconds, then take it away for a few seconds and then back again. The longer you hold the herbs close to the spot, the better it works. After my husband watched for a few minutes, she let him take over. At first, he was a little nervous to burn me, but after he got the hang of it, he did it like an old pro!
I have to say, although I was more skeptical about this technique than almost any of the others, I could feel my little girl really moving as the treatment was happening! I thought for sure she was going to flip at any moment. It didn’t feel at all like a traumatic movement, just like she was happy.
We did this treatment on each foot for about 10 minutes each. Joanna then sent us home with the rest of the stick to do the treatments at home. My husband faithfully did this treatment on my feet for seven days in a row to help get our little stubborn baby to turn. Every time we did the treatment, that baby would just start moving about and I would try to gently guide her to turn with my hands. It was a fun experience because I so enjoy the feeling of my little one moving in the womb.
What Is Moxibustion And How Does It Work
Moxibustion is, essentially, an ancient form of heat therapy using burning dried herbs as the heat source. Typically, mugwort is the herb that is used.
In other cultures, the heat is applied directly to the skin. Since that can cause scarring, those employing the therapy in the states usually just hover the heat close to the skin. The heat from the burning herb is said to influence bloodflow and help relieve certain ailments. A better explanation of this technique and the science behind it can be found at Acupuncture Today.
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