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Pregnancy

37+1 with a breech baby, booked in for an ECV but not sure if it's the right thing to do

19 replies

SweetTea · 07/04/2008 12:19

Hi everyone.
I'm 37 weeks & had a scan last Thursday to confirm baby is still in the breech position.
It has been like this for some time now and my midwife says it is unlikely to turn without assistance.
I've got an appointment this week for an ECV, but i'm really not sure if i want to go ahead with it or not. My feelings are that baby is in this position for a reason and why force it to turn around if it's happy up the wrong way. I know it means a possible Caesarean but I've plenty of help on hand should this happen.
I've left it too late for holistic therapies but have been trying various positions and manoeuvres to get baby to budge but no luck so far.

Is anyone else out there in a similar scenario? I'd love some opinions or experiences on this as i'm in a real quandary as to what to do!

OP posts:

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vicky11 · 07/04/2008 12:53

I had the same problem with my dd. The consultant was trying to persuade me to have a ecv but I refused as I thought the same as you! I was dead worried the head might be large and it would get stuck!
So I was booked in for a c-section at 38+3.
This was a great experience - very relaxing, all planned and organised. It basically took an hour from going into theatre to having our baby.
I recovered very quickly and was up walking 16 hours later. home 3 days later.

But now looking back I had a few problems and I'm now convinced it was because she wasn't 'ready' to come out!! She cried constantly for 2/3 days. My milk took ages to come through, dd lost over 10% of birth weight.
Me -I have a terrible 'overhang' where my very neat scar is (i'm only a size 10). Nobody ever tells you about this!!
I'm due to have a natural birth for ds2 who is due in 6 days (c-section only 16 mths ago) and I wish I had now tried for the ecv and a natural birth!!

This is my experience but you have to take into account all these things which nobody points out!!! You must decide though what you feel comfortable with and go with your instincts!! Good luck!!

Blocky · 07/04/2008 12:57

My baby was breech up until 38 wks, was petrified as didn't want a c-section - was scanned at 39 wks and he had turned of own accord. Was born by VB at 40+3. I suppose it was sheer luck that mine had turned - I know it's not always the case. Can they give you a scan in couple weeks to see if baby has turned without the need for intervention?

Homebird8 · 07/04/2008 13:00

I had an ECV at 37 weeks to turn DS1. It went fine and I was told that only 5% turn back. He always has been a little ... He turned back. And then proceeded to rotate at least once a day until 40+5. He then settled down and was born at 41+1 head down at home with no complications.

I don't think it's ever too late to turn them. Some hospitals will even try it as you go into labour if they have the trained person there.

By the way - I'm not a big person myself (6st2lb and 5'2") and baby still managed to turn ok. He was 7lb7oz at birth.

reikizen · 07/04/2008 13:06

ECV is recommended by the Royal College of Obs & Gynae to be offered to all women with a baby presenting by the breech, but that it should be carried out by a skilled person. The baby may turn by themselves, it depends on how they are lying, how much amniotic fluid there is and how lax or otherwise the abdominal and uterine muscles are (hence a higher number of breech presentations in first time mums). I'd give ECV a try first, followed by vaginal breech birth and c-section as my least favourite option tbh. Good luck!

SweetTea · 07/04/2008 14:29

Vivky11, i'm told babies do lose weight when they are born, & i suppose the crying is something i'm expecting!
I'm also a size 10, i've a sister who is the same size as me and after 2 C-sections has never mentioned an 'overhang'! What happened in your case?

A vaginal breech birth seems to be out of the question at my hospital as there just aren't the midwives with the experience to deliver a baby breech. They will book me in for a caesarean if i don't have the ECV, i think either way a planned c-section or a natural birth are both a little scary being it's my first baby!

OP posts:

NotABanana · 07/04/2008 14:30

15 minutes on your hands and knees four times a day, might help.

I have had a section and a baby turned and both were awful but I would go for the turning as it is awful for a shorter time and once it is done you are back to normal.

Squiffy · 07/04/2008 14:52

Am sure I was about this stage when I had reflex and it turned my DS (and I didn't even believe in reflex at the time).

reikizen · 07/04/2008 15:15

If you were desperate for a vaginal breech birth I'm sure you could press the point. All midwives are taught the theory of breech birth and I bet there are some consultants in your hospital who remember when it wasn't such an unusual event. The biggest thing to consider with c-section I guess is that 44% of women who have one go on to have another and they are not completely without risk to you or baby (just like vaginal birth!)
Good luck whatever you choose.

SweetTea · 07/04/2008 17:33

Thanks reikizen, some good advice there.
I'm not desperate for a vaginal breech birth as this is not without it's own complications and unpleasantries!I just want whatever happens to be safe for baby and me. I'm sure all midwives are taught the theory of this type of birth, but i'd like them to have plenty of hands on experience too! I wish this was all as easy as Mary Cronk seems to make out but not all of us have the money for an independent midwife!
I guess the one good thing if i have a c-section is DH will be around for 6 weeks afterwards to help out!

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hotpotmama · 07/04/2008 17:42

SweetTea, I may be in the same boat as you. Got mw appointment on Wednesday (am 36 weeks) so will find out if its still breech then. hen hopefully should get scan soon after to confirm and possible ECV.

Like you, am not sure I want an ECV, but also don't want a c/s or a breech delivery. Is horrible situation to be in and has made me quite stressed not knowing what is going to happen.

The only bonus I can see from a c/s is that the baby will be born a few weeks earlier but not looking forward to the recovery/ not driving/ higher risk factors/ husband having about 1 week off if that.

Am gutted as this was not part of my plans! Keep hoping for a miracle and that it has turned when I go on Wednesday.

Suppose things could be a lot worse and just feeling sorry for myself at the mo.

Good luck, hope your baby turns!

expatinscotland · 07/04/2008 17:48

At the end of the day, it is your choice.

You don't HAVE to have ECV if it's not what you want for you, regardless of anyone's recommendations.

Go with what you feel is right for you.

SweetTea · 07/04/2008 18:13

Good luck to you too hotpotmama, hope it all works out in your favour!

You are absolutely right expatinscotland, it's just so difficult to make a decision!

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Tangle · 07/04/2008 20:54

SweetTea - it's a very difficult decision to make and, in my experience, not helped by the information provided by the NHS. I felt I got a far more balanced account from two books: "Breech Birth" by Benna Waites, and "Breech Birth: What are my options" by Jane Evans.

DD was my first and breech. I declined an ECV for various reasons, including that she might be breech for a reason and we suspected it wouldn't be successful (large baby, straight legs, supportive and experienced midwives). She was born at home, as a breech, at 41+3 weighing 9lb 12 with IM's. I know it's different for everyone, but for me it WAS pretty well as easy as Mary Cronk makes out, even though DD was a footling breech in the end.

I know you say money is an issue, but if you want to look into it you loose nothing by talking to some IMs local to you - a lot of them can be flexible on payment to some degree (installments, payment in services, etc), especially where the mother is looking for an option not easily available on the NHS (breech or twin vaginal birth, for example). The worst they can do is say no. Even if they can't take you on as a client for whatever reason (money, skills, spaces), most are very happy to provide information and talk about the general pros and cons of different options.

You could also push the issue with the NHS. To start with, get clear in your mind the different between a midwife led vaginal breech birth and a consultant led vaginal breech delivery (which I wouldn't have if you payed me), then talk to your head of midwifery rather than the consultants. I did hear of one lady that got her PCT to pay for an IM as they did not have breech birth skills - I don't think it was easy, but if you feel strongly enough and try hard enough it might be possible. The training of their staff is not your problem. (sorry - I know its probably not what you want to be doing at 37 weeks, but it IS an option that you have).

Fingers crossed for you that your baby turns themselves .

vicky11 · 08/04/2008 08:40

sweetTea this was just my experience, like i said. I just feel like my dd wasn't ready to come out at 38 wks and it caused her some distress. Especially as all the midwives on the ward were calling her a 'little madam'!
I'm sure if you go for a cs everything will be fine. If I was in the same situation again I would probably ask to have a cs at 39/40 wks. Good luck!

ScienceTeacher · 08/04/2008 08:47

My last baby was breech, and I did a lot of reading up about it. I did not like the idea of an ECV. I decided to go with a breech birth a la Mary Cronk - ie completely hands off. If progress stopped, I would have gone sraight to CS. I did not think that an obstetric vaginal breech birth was a safe option, and this was confirmed by the Term Breech study that came out around the same time.

kiskideesameanoldmother · 08/04/2008 08:48

a friend of mine had an ecv on saturday. she said it was uncomfortable but not painful.

kiskideesameanoldmother · 08/04/2008 08:51

website with positions that can help to turn a baby.

SweetTea · 10/04/2008 10:41

Well after much deliberation I decided to go for the ECV and it worked! Baby turned without too much trouble at all, the whole process took 2 hours from my arrival at the hospital.

For anyone else considering this procedure i'd just like to share a couple of feelings on my experience:

I found that the 'turning' was nowhere near as bad as i thought it would be.

The drug they inject you with to relax the muscles didn't really make me feel that different which was a relief as i had read it can make your heart race.

The one down side is that the after effects are worse than i thought. I read and was told by the midwife that i would be sore afterwards but i seem to have been in a fair bit of what i would call pain in the lower abdomen since i returned home. I have found it quite uncomfortable walking about so i've had to sit down to ease the discomfort. I wasn't prepared for feeling like this so be aware.

I don't regret having the ECV, and i hope it will remain head down until the big day arrives! (now 37+4)

Oh, and you'll find that the movements of the baby feel different too as those little legs and arms are now able to kick & punch much more freely!

Good luck to those in this thread who are considering it!

OP posts:

Tangle · 10/04/2008 14:50

Really pleased it was successful for you and the experience wasn't too bad . Fingers crossed your LO stays put for you now .

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