What's the latest that a baby might "settle down" into the head down position?

[emkana]

I'm 34 weeks now and baby is still bobbing around all over the place, breech one minute, head down the next. There's lots of room for him to do so, as I have too much amniotic fluid.

Will it stay this way until the end or is there still a chance that he'll settle down, hopefully head down?

Am worried that this might mean I'll need a c-section.

[PiccadillyCircus]

DS was moving all over the place until at least 35 weeks if not longer. He then settled down head down and was a natural birth.

[emkana]

thank you, that's good to know.

Anybody else?

[Mercy]

Emkana, ds was transverse, then breech, then footling breech until 38 weeks before he finally turned!

[colinandcaitlinsmommy]

My dr. said if it isn't your first, that they can pop in and out of the birth canal and if they have enough room go all over the place up until the last (have been reading your saga, so I know it isn't your first). Due to a rash of babies being born, I didn't get my 38 week visit until 2 days before my 39 week visit. At the 38 week visit, DD was sideways, 2 days later at my 39 week visit, she was head down, and so far down in the birth canal, the dr. had to only put her finger partway in to feel her head. So I did a lot of worrying in those 2 days for nothing. So hopefully this helps, because I don't think you need to worry about a c-section on top of everything else. (And BTW, DD was born in the middle of the night that night in a nice easy birth with 5 pushes) Thinking of you.

[pupuce]

Emkana... even if he does not engage that doesn't mean you necessarily need a section. I think by 36 weeks the MW or doc will assess what's happening with his position. The "danger" is cord prolapse where your waters would break and the cord would come down first (you wou'd need the knee / chest position - bottom in the air and call an ambulane..... just typing this ..... just in case).
Babies who are not "well" IYKWIM are not always easily head down/engaged. Breech babies have a higher rate of abnormalities but you already know that your baby is different.
Not sure if this helps... again though.... nothing you can do but wait. Try and relax

[emkana]

I've read this about bottom in the air before, but I don't quite understand it.

So if my waters break I should stick my bottom in the air, while still standing? So head on knees while standing?
Or on all fours?
Just want to get it right!

[Angeliz]

I looked into this with dd2 as she was breech for a while. She turned in plenty of time and lovely consultant scanned me at 38 weeks just to reassure me.
I read about them turning the baby (manually, can't think of the words, you know when they push from the outside on your belly) that scared me silly and DP and i agreed we'd rather have a casearean(sp) than let them do that.
Also read something interesting not so long ago about some babies being breech for a good reason . Also if they do turn, i read that they could still flip back to breech at the last minute so i guess you'll not know for sure till it's time.

Soryy that sounded so negative and yyou have loads on your plate it's just what i remember from dd2!

[pupuce]

On all fours bottom in the air, head low.... get pressure off the cervix. But this is not going to happen!

[emkana]

I hope not anyway!

Do you think there are women with stronger amniotic sacs than others?
With dd1 waters broke at the very, very end, just before she came out.
With dd2 they broke them when I was being induced.

So I'm telling myself that I have strong amniotic sacs...

[pupuce]

There are women who always need their sac broken so possibly!
babies born in their sac are lucky.......

[sniff]

my waters have to be broken to and my baby isnt in any position yet either at 36+ weeks infact she was transverse this morning and I am not sure which way up now the advice I have had is they might admit me so I cant have cord prolapse and they have booked me a consultants appointment for thursday

[mears]

Hi Emkana, it is not unusual for subsquent babies not to engage until actual labour. If though, he is not anywhere near the pelvis by 38 weeks then you might need to be observed more closely in hospital. Depends how far away baby is. Some babies can lie right across(transverse) and those are the ones that tend to be admitted for observation.