Breech baby - ELCS booked

[StephiD3]

Currently 37+2 with DC3.

Baby has been breach on all previous scans.

Booked in for ELCS at 39+5 and terrified!

Can anyone give any tips or things I may need for hospital / recovery.

Thanks

[DoctorMonty]

Hi Stephi,
I'll leave it to others to suggest what you might want to think about re. the caesarean and recovery (other than a favourite CD or Bluetooth speaker if you like for the operating theatre, and plenty of high waisted big comfy knickers that won't dig into your skin incision), but...

Were you offered/informed about the option to try and turn your baby? (ECV) Your womb is likely to be quite soft due to the other children you've had, so depending on other factors it might work?

[PersisFord]

My ELCS was lovely! Really calm, great atmosphere, easy and quick. Nothing hurt at all and the scar healed really quickly.

I would bring lovely high waisted knickers, some soft trousers to wear home (I had some maternity yoga trousers), and I packed a little ziplock bag to bring to the operating theatre with a sleep suit and hat and nappy for the baby.

Congratulations and good luck! I am EVANGELICAL about my section, it was such a beautiful experience. Really healed me after the trauma of the first time!

[NSEA]

I tried turning the baby. Nearly worked! But things got in the way.

Don't be terrified. It is a routine surgerybfor the drs. They do them all the time, trust them to know what they're doing.

You need loose clothes, dresses and big pants. You need to be aware that you can't sit yourself up right without a lot of pain so you need help. You need babys dad (or whover) to help you for at least 7 days. I recommend standing up as soon as they take the catheter out. Get moving. The more you move the easier it becomes. Don't walk long distances for the first month. It took me so long to be able to walk without needed to rest.

Let yourself be looked after!

[Borntoflyinfirst]

Slightly envious of you as I had my breech baby (3rd) turned and she ended up getting stuck and I had to have an emcs. Totally wish I’d booked in for a planned section.

Agree with the big knickers and wish you lots of luck!

[FridayFreddo]

Well, it might be too late, but have you tried to turn baby yourself? Look at Spinning Babies website for ideas - iirc, scrubbing the kitchen floor and using the birth ball featured. That might help the baby turn so you can avoid a CS.

[StephiD3]

Thanks for the replies and advice!

I've been on the spinning babies site. Done the exercises from there and also tried moxibustion. None of this has worked which makes me reluctant to try the ECV. I'm thinking if baby is in this position he (or she!!) is that way for a reason and I'm not comfortable with manual intervention as such.

I am still trying the excercises to be fair and using the ball - they did say baby could turn last minute and 2 weeks a lot could happen!!

I'm happy to have the ELCS booked because my nightmare is to have a vaginal breech birth

[WhiteHairReally]

I was very very scared too before my first baby went and stayed breech and I was booked in for an ELCS at 38 weeks.( it was way back last century)

As PP has said, it was actually a lovely calm experience, helped by a wonderful team.

My DH was 'my side' of the screen but stood up and watched DD's arrival, giving me a running commentary. She arrived to the sound of our choice of music. With the enthusiastic support of the anaesthetist, our baby went straight to breast after she was born.

I was made to get walking much much sooner than I believed I could manage but as another PP has said, that's all good.

I'm not sure what the current line is on driving after a c section. My doctor said I could drive 3 weeks after the birth, because I confirmed that I could do an emergency stop. I think the official line was 6 weeks, but my dear Dr said, by phone, that if she was me, she'd be going up the wall!

I'm still not entirely certain how I managed to get a vaginal infection ( I'm sure C21st hospitals are much cleaner) but sex was off the agenda for a good six months afterwards, but with a new baby, that's not unusual.

In all, the c section was much much scary in prospect than in reality.

I have to admit, I was even more scared about the VBAC I had two years later, because of all the birth stories you're exposed to, once you've had a baby.

Best of luck!

[StephiD3]

Thank you for putting my mind at rest.

Is there anything to recommend for recovery? I read arnica tablets and peppermint for trapped wind?!

[PersisFord]

I found chocolate and cake very helpful. Especially those little bite size ones in tubs - rocky road, brownie, flapjack. Essential for wound healing!

[DateLoaf]

CS is fine. Don't be weird like me and kind of forget to take your pain medication though- or 'save it till you really need it'. Just take it, that's what it's for.
Agree with big pants.
Take it easy at home afterwards and enjoy your baby!

[woundedbutwalking]

Big pants, regular pain killers, cake. You'll still bleed, so maternity pads. Arnica should help with bruising & recovery. My DD was breech & I also had her through ELCS, they had to use forceps to get her out so apparently there was a little more bruising than "normal". Pain subsided to an easily manageable level within a couple of days (I was still in hospital), with a few twinges when I got home. Next to me sleeper was hard to get around...

Hopefully feeding will be a doddle for you, BF was tricky for me, be aware ELCS & forceps can prove a difficult combination.


Good luck & don't be scared- having a date booked made things much easier to plan

[eeanne]

I had the same. Stool softeners and fiber rich foods because the CS causes major constipation.

I had no trouble BF so don't worry too much about that, I'd heard it would be harder with a CS but that wasn't the case for me at all.