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Childbirth

Anyone had a frank breech birth??

26 replies

MrsAlanPartridge · 02/07/2017 23:58

I'm 37+4 weeks with baby number 5. Had a scan last Friday which showed baby to be frank breech. I've had 4 normal deliveries at home, so this is all new.
Due for an ECV at hospital tomorrow, in the hope they manage to turn baby head down.
Consultant is recommending a vaginal delivery, as opposed to a section, in hospital, if ECV unsuccessful. She seems to think that I will be fine.. 6 years has passed since my last birth!
Anyone amy experience of delivering a breech? I am getting a bit nervous. TIA

OP posts:

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TIALEIGHANNE31 · 03/07/2017 00:02

Sorry I'm no help but my baby is also breech! The thought of c section makes me feel sad so I hope she turns!! Hope everything goes okay for you tomorrow!

MrsAlanPartridge · 03/07/2017 00:04

Thanks, TIA! How many weeks are you? Are they not encouraging a vaginal birth?

OP posts:

sodabreadjam · 03/07/2017 00:06

DS1 was in frank breech position at 38 weeks. I was set to try for a breech delivery but he turned himself somewhere between 38 and 39 weeks. Hope the same happens for you. He was on the small side - 6lb 11ozs born at 40+4.

TIALEIGHANNE31 · 03/07/2017 00:11

Only 31 weeks so I have time for her to move but I've been going for growth scans since 22 weeks and she hasn't moved position in all them weeks so I'm not holding out much hope! They are concerned about q vaginal birth as my dc1 was 9lb 8! I don't like the idea of this baby getting stuck! I

Dontlaugh · 03/07/2017 00:20

My info is out of date a bit but I do recall that Ecv has a 5% success rate. Frank breech would have me demanding an elective section tbh (I've had 2 home births and one normal hospital delivery).
Why risk your pelvic floor to that extent with so many variables?

Out2pasture · 03/07/2017 00:27

my best friends daughter a primip (first baby) was a frank breech and she delivered naturally!!
not sure why it was missed. her planned hospital to deliver was full, she was transferred an hour away.
everyone was shocked to learn the baby was breech, lucky for her the doctor on call was very familiar with breech deliveries and "talked her through it".
I presume she must have been close to fully dilated and coping really well when they discovered the position.

Dontlaugh · 03/07/2017 00:48

Isn't that a huge issue though? The skills to deliver a breech are no longer guaranteed at any hospital, many doctors are vaguely prepped on forceps delivery of same but don't have the hands on experience they used to get?
Same for midwives, even diagnosing breech is a skill on palpation, so there's a few that escape the net and hence surprise in the delivery room. I honestly feel I would request a section, given the lack of knowledge and skills these days with breech, and be happy that baby and myself were given the best chance of recovery.

newbian · 03/07/2017 05:26

I had a breech baby via c-section and was so miserable about the section beforehand. But I did a lot of research in academic journals and all the evidence says caesarean is the safest delivery method for breech presentation. If ECV doesn't work honestly I would not risk a vaginal delivery.

Bue · 03/07/2017 05:46

Seeing as it's baby number 5 and you've had 4 previous vaginal births, I would see no reason to have a section. You should be absolutely fine to have a frank breech birth. (Midwife opinion here) I'm impressed that the consultant has recommended it!

SuperBeagle · 03/07/2017 05:51

I wouldn't advise having a frank breech birth naturally. There are times when C-sections are the best option, and I think this is one of those times.

Side note: I always think of the serial killer Aileen Wuornos when frank breech births are mentioned, because her mother blamed her birth for the way her daughter turned out.

ThatsNotEvenAWord · 03/07/2017 05:52

I had a surprise breech baby, somehow they missed it and only found out when I showed up at hospital 5cm dilated. The dr asked me if I wanted a section but I chose to attempt a vaginal birth, I ended up having an epidural as they wanted to be able to to a section at short notice if necessary but in the end I was able to have him vaginally. The dr said it was more likely to be successful as it was my second birth so everything was already stretched or whatever 😑

I'd declined a stretch and sweep a few days before I went into labour, if I'd had one and they'd found out he was breech I think I'd have been sent for a section straight away. As I had a toddler already I'm grateful I didn't have to recover from a major operation.

Bue · 03/07/2017 05:53

Ps the evidence does not say that Caesarean section is safer. It was subsequently shown that there were a lot of problems with the Term Breech Trial, which originally seemed to show that CS was safer. Now it's recognized that this was a flawed study.

ThatsNotEvenAWord · 03/07/2017 05:53

Oh and good luck with your labour whatever you decide :)

iamreginaphalange · 03/07/2017 05:58

Me!
Only found out last Thursday at 36+5 that its in frank breech.
First I've been told baby has been in breech since 32 weeks.
Then after emergency visit to hospital this weekend was told it's been like it well before 32 weeks...
Was offered ECV which I was willing to to go for but after seeing consultant she examined me and looked into my notes and previous scans offered to do a section.
Amnio fluids too low which could make it that much more difficult to try and turn the baby.

iamreginaphalange · 03/07/2017 06:01

Posted too soon!
So Iam booked for a section this Friday.
Not how I imagined this to go but baby is priority here. Now just trying to get my head around it really quickly.
Hope it goes well for you xx

newbian · 03/07/2017 06:03

Bue you have to take into account physician/midwife skill and experience though. Breech vaginal births have become more rare and apparently they don't even really train younger OBs and midwives about how to perform them.

For the safety of my child (especially as it seems for OP probably the last one?!) I would not risk it.

DD was frank breech and her legs were malpositioned for the first month of her life, she needed ultrasounds to determine there was no permanent deformity to her hips and legs. I cannot imagine how a natural birth from that position could have exacerbated the issue.

TeamEponine · 03/07/2017 06:14

I had a frank breech and went for an elcs for two reasons... 1: I read that they have quite a high proportion that end up in emcs. I'm a control freak and decided that I'd rather plan it. 2: With a frank breech vaginal delivery it can put more strain on baby's hips. I had hip dysplasia, so on the chance that DD would too, I didn't want to exacerbate that potential problem.

DD was my first though.

Good luck!

Bue · 03/07/2017 06:15

AlanPartridge I'd say we have breech births reasonably regularly where I work. I mean it's perhaps not a monthly occurrence but we have several a year so I wouldn't say it's as vanishingly rare as people often think. And everyone is still trained to do it, but you're right that you want an experienced practitioner around and that is harder these days. But a fifth baby who is at term is a very good candidate for a breech birth.

paddlenorapaddle · 03/07/2017 11:31

Have a look at spinning babies it may help

TIALEIGHANNE31 · 03/07/2017 15:36

Hope all went okay for you today OP??

Tchoutchou · 03/07/2017 15:47

Consultant is recommending a vaginal delivery, as opposed to a section, in hospital, if ECV unsuccessful.

Has she/he gone through the risks of EACH option? Risks for baby AND yourself for each scenario?

They are obliged to do so following ruling of Supreme Court:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-31831591

Hope EVC went well and wasn't too painful.

MrsAlanPartridge · 03/07/2017 22:10

Thanks for all your input. After a horrendous night of mental movements that made me squeal and leap off the bed until about 4am, I got to the hospital and lo! Baby had indeed untucked legs, used me as a springboard and turned head down!!!
So no ECV but have to get checked again by MW by end of week to check position maintained.
The relief is immense!

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ThatsNotEvenAWord · 03/07/2017 22:43

Clever baby! Wishing you all the best

TeamEponine · 04/07/2017 06:56

Yay! Well done baby

sodabreadjam · 04/07/2017 08:20

Great news. Well done baby Partridge!

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