A breech personality: risk, stress, & Teen magazines

This is part of a series of posts on Breech as a Symptom of Exposure. Those of us with breech babies know the nagging feeling that we did something to cause the malposition of our babies. Clinically, we’re told that breech babies are an enigma, that there’s precious little we can do to influence the baby to turn and virtually nothing we can do to prevent it from sitting breech in the first place. In the vast encyclopedic manual of the internet, however, we are exposed to every imaginable possibility. Among the theories and discussions on the causality of breech exists the possibility that some breech is a symptom of exposure to some malignant force in our modern world.
Other posts in the series: Pregnancy Posture

I’d like to discuss something today that gives me a little anxiety. Breech as an anxious woman’s problem. OK, so it’s bigger than that. In it’s largest sense, we get a lot of talk about breech position being at least in part due to a woman’s stress levels. More stress, more tension, more breech. But one researcher did a dissertation on the particular problem of psycho-social-cultural factors in the mothers of breech babies. She found that women who are idealistic, analytical, polished, overextended, or fearful are much more likely to have upside-down babies at term. In addition, a lack of ability to adapt to unexpected situations or bear up in the face of unresolvable circumstances contributes heavily to your likelihood of a firmly planted butt-down baby. So I have developed a quiz, teen magazine style, to tell you if you have a higher likelihood of having a breech at term.

Do I believe this mumbo-jumbo? Hmm. Does it matter? I’ve read a lot about breech, and I’m a little woo-woo, so I do think there might be something to it. Even her eminence Christiane Northrup says she can see how babies with stressed and anxious mothers stay head up to stay closer to mom’s heart. If your focus stays in your head and doesn’t move down, maybe your baby is just following your cues. But what matters is do YOU believe it? I think you have to look at each particular pregnancy. If your baby is breech right now, ask your baby if it’s true for her. (See, I told you. Woo-woo.) Or just take this extremely scientific quiz I made up between episodes of Breaking Bad.

Though these things don’t often change too dramatically, please take the quiz based on how you were at the time of your breech baby (or last pregnancy if you haven’t had a breech). Sadly, nerd husband has not yet created my quiz platform and you must jot down on a piece of paper each letter you choose.

1. Rate your resting stress level.

a. I can’t remember the last time I felt truly at ease.
b. Middling to low with gales up to freak out.
c. I think it’s pretty average-some things set it off.
d. Stress is rarely a problem for me.

2. How important is personal growth to you?

a. Isn’t that the purpose of life?
b. I do read books about self-betterment.
c. I enjoy reading advice columnists.
d. Personal growth? Like, getting fat?

3. Would you like romance to be a significant part of your life?

a. It’s embarrassing, but I still think about Mr. Darcy.
b. It would be nice to get the occasional love letter.
c. I’m more of a realist, but I don’t mind a special night out and flowers.
d. I’m good with a book or a movie now and again.

4. Do you consider attaining wisdom to be part of your life’s purpose?

a. Definitely
b. It’s part of it.
c. In a small way.
d. I try not to make the same mistakes twice.

5. What’s the worst thing someone could think about you?

a. She’s mean, cold-hearted and selfish.
b. She’s disorganized and sloppy.
c. She’s unintelligent.
d. She’s high-strung and serious.

6. I admit to living in my head. I have a lot of ideas and dreams.

a. Yes, it’s true.
b. Yeah, sometimes.
c. Partly true.
d. Not me at all.

7. How do you handle stress?

a. Power through.
b. Freak out.
c. Retreat.
d. Slow down and seek help.

8. The dreaded in-laws show up unannounced and intend to stay “a couple weeks.” You…

a. Put on a good face and inwardly f-r-e-a-k o-u-t.
b. Try to make the best of things and call your friend to complain every night.
c. Go bonkers and say things you immediately regret.
d. Discuss with your husband that they would be more comfortable at a hotel or to establish some boundaries.

9. You like to be involved with a lot of things.

a. Oh yes.
b. It depends on the thing.
c. I don’t let myself get overextended.
d. If “things” include Game of Thrones, Jane Austen novels, or bagels, yes.

10. You are put-together and organized.

a. A place for everything and it better be there, in its place.
b. I plan outfits ahead of time and prepare for important meetings.
c. I often leave the house in sweats. Nor do I mind if they see me sweat.
d. No, but occasionally I wish I had an outfit that matched or I could find a pen.

11. You have a big decision to make. You…

a. Seek massive amounts of information and begin assembling pros and cons charts.
b. Ask people what they think and meditate/pray/sleep on it.
c. Go with my gut.
d. Usually the path of least resistance.

12. When something doesn’t go as you planned, you…

a. go over and over what could have gone wrong.
b. cry a lot and write in my journal.
c. get upset for a while and resolve that it will go better next time.
d. let it go.

Add up your ‘score.’ You get:

4 breech points for each a
3 breech points for each b
2 breech points for each c
1 breech point for each d

If your score is 42-48
Your personality is quite breechy. According to some, you probably want to intentionally tone it down during pregnancy. Relax, take things slower and easier, and take on fewer things. Hang out with your most annoyingly zen friends and listen to John Lennon more often, but only do extra yoga if it’s not a stresser to get there.

If your score is 30-41
Well, you don’t fall into the category of ‘breech personalities,’ but there are some indicators that could factor into your body’s workings. Keep cool, Mama.

If your score is 12-29
You have a few slightly breechy tendencies, but without other factors, Dr. Woo-woo says you’re unlikely to have a butt-down baby.