Turning Toward Birth: How Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Gentle Movement Support Breech Babies
There is a quiet wisdom in the way babies move toward the world.
They stretch, roll, and rotate—fluid in their dance through the womb. But sometimes, that dance pauses mid-turn. A baby settles head-up instead of head-down, and the countdown to birth grows heavy with questions.
This is breech presentation, and it affects approximately 3–4% of pregnancies at term (Berhan & Haileamlak, 2016). Though breech is common in earlier trimesters, many babies spontaneously turn. For those that don’t, parents are often left navigating decisions about external versions, cesarean birth, and timing.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we believe the body wants to align itself with nature’s rhythm—and sometimes it just needs a little guidance.
The Gentle Power of Moxibustion
Moxibustion, or “moxa,” is a centuries-old therapy using the warmth of burned mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) to stimulate acupuncture points. For breech presentation, we focus on a single, powerful point: BL67 (Zhiyin), located on the pinky toe.
The therapy is gentle and non-invasive. A moxa stick is lit, and its warmth is held over the point in circular motions for about 15–20 minutes per side. This is typically done once or twice a day for 7–10 days, ideally between 34 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
But how does heat on the toe encourage a baby to turn?
In both Eastern and Western paradigms, moxa is believed to stimulate uterine activity and increase fetal movement, helping the baby find a more optimal position.
A 2012 Cochrane review concluded that moxibustion at BL67, particularly when combined with acupuncture, was associated with a significant increase in cephalic version rates (Coyle et al., Cochrane Database, 2012).
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that 75% of breech babies turned following moxibustion compared to 48% in the control group (Cardini & Weixin, 1998).
Acupuncture and the Art of Alignment
Acupuncture is often combined with moxa to support the body’s balance. We may use points to:
Relax the pelvic ligaments and uterus
Improve blood flow to the womb
Encourage parasympathetic (calming) nervous system activity
Address the mother’s constitution and any signs of Qi or Blood stagnation
In clinic, I often observe that turning a breech baby is less about "forcing" change, and more about clearing the path—removing tension, creating space, and inviting nature to resume its course.
At-Home Support: Movements from Spinning Babies®
In addition to acupuncture and moxa, I often recommend gentle, gravity-based exercises from the brilliant educators at Spinning Babies®, who specialize in fetal positioning and body balance.
Here are three of my favorite at-home practices:
Forward-Leaning Inversion
Helps lengthen ligaments and give baby room to rotate
Kneel on a couch or low surface, and slowly lower forearms to the floor, hips high
Hold for 30 seconds, breathe, and come up gently
Best done 1–2x per day, ideally after moxibustion
The Side-Lying Release
A gentle stretch for the hip and pelvis
Lie on your side with one leg off the bed or couch and relaxed downward
A helper supports the upper leg for balance
This helps release tight ligaments and fascia around the uterus
Hold for 3–5 minutes per side
Open-Knee Chest Position
A classic for breech support
Kneel on hands and knees, then lower chest and shoulders to the floor or a pillow
Let your belly hang freely, creating more space in the uterus
Hold for 5–10 minutes, daily if comfortable
These exercises are not just physical; they are invitations—to soften, surrender, and support the natural intelligence of your body and your baby.
For detailed instructions and safety notes, visit: www.spinningbabies.com
Trusting the Wisdom Within
In Chinese medicine, we say that Qi follows intention—and healing follows attention. When we bring warmth, care, and space to the womb, we often find the body responds.
Moxibustion does not work in every case. Neither does any one method. But together—with acupuncture, moxa, mindful movement, and trust—we create conditions that often allow a baby to turn toward birth.
And what a beautiful metaphor that is:
With just enough warmth, enough space, and enough faith—
Things find their way forward.
If you're navigating a breech presentation, you don’t have to do it alone. I’d be honored to walk with you—one warm breath, one gentle point, one moxa stick at a time.
Warmly,
Dr. Alexandria Henriques, DAc
Owner & Founder
Acupunk NYC
Cardini, F., & Weixin, H. (1998). Moxibustion for correction of breech presentation: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 280(18), 1580–1584.
Coyle, M. E., Smith, C. A., & Peat, B. (2012). Cephalic version by moxibustion for breech presentation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 5.
Berhan, Y., & Haileamlak, A. (2016). The incidence of breech presentation and associated factors. Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, 26(1), 1–8.