When Babies Breech

By week 36 or 37 of pregnancy, your baby should be in the head-down position, ready for delivery. So, what if she's not? Although some doctors schedule a c-section when a baby is breech, you may be a candidate for an external cephalic version if you're set on a vaginal birth, says Michelle Sang, M.D., associate clinical professor at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. In this sometimes painful procedure, the doctor places her hands on your abdomen, then pushes or lifts to move the baby into position. Rarely, it triggers complications, so it's done in a hospital where an emergency c-section can be performed, if needed.