Unstable lie/transverse/oblique baby

[sarahc336]

Hey guys, I posted a couple of weeks ago as my baby was transverse. I'm now 37 weeks tomorrow and the situation has slightly improved in that now sometimes they're head down and will engage somewhat but sometimes, at least once a day for maybe 20 mins or so their head will pop out of being engaged and then sit more on my left hip so they are more diagonal or oblique as they call it.
I've been told it's as this is my second baby and my muscles are quite badly seperated so I guess they're loose enough for the baby to engage and then shift it's head back out again and this can be quite common in second/third pregnancies etc 😬
I'm just wondering if anyone's had something similar or an unstable lie? Am I just defined for an early c section or do babies suddenly start behaving and just stay put?
It's starting to get me a bit down as my midwife has told me I have to monitor it's movements and do what I can to keep it head down but unless I stand up all the time I can't do that and I don't want to be admitted as I already have a 3 year old and very limited child care 😏 just getting fed up now from a pregnancy which has been stressful as it is from covid etc
Ps sorry for the moan 😊 xx

[Hatepickinganame]

Hi! No advice as such, but didn't want to just read and run. I'm in a similar situation, although I'm only 33 +3. My stubborn one is transverse footling breech, and I have polyhydramnios so they think she will struggle to turn or stay turned. I have an appointment at 34+4 and a scan at 36+4 when I'm guessing they will want to make certain decisions. Same as you my consultant wanted to admit me to hospital last week, I was 32+4 and have other kids at home so wasn't an option!

[sarahc336]

Hi @Hatepickinganame 32 weeks seems a bit keen to want to admit you doesn't it. So I guess you just refused to be admitted? There's no way I'm going to accept being admitted to wait for labour as I could go 10 days over so if they're admitting me it'll only be to await n early c section, I can't think of anything worse than sitting in hospital now with covid and probably no chance for visitors 😫
I hope yours turns and stays out, you've got plenty of time yet!! Xx

[Hatepickinganame]

@sarahc336 yep, 7 weeks in hospital with no visitors really didn't sound like fun. He asked me twice if I wanted to stay, instead I'm seeing someone once a week and they've said any signs or worries go straight in, don't wait. I had polyhydramnios in my last pregnancy, but he was head down although not engaged. I think assuming she hasn't moved I'll be admitted after my scan, and I probably won't argue since the chances of her turning after that will be too small. I don't think I want the ECV procedure so will opt for a planned section if she doesn't move. Little bit gutted but trying to resign myself to that plan so I'm not disappointed when it happens!

[sarahc336]

Yeah I've been told to go in and get checked if I think I'm in labour too. My midwife said she thinks they'll probably scan me too, I'm having an extra appointment with her at 37 weeks (my trust normally only aww you at 36 and then 38 weeks) to see the position etc. With my first I never even paid attention to her position as I didn't even realise it was important apart from not being breech 😂 I didn't even know oblique/transverse was a thing. Keep me posted anyway xx

[Hatepickinganame]

Let me know what they say for you, its 3 weeks till my scan so I think you'll have a plan before I do and I'm interested to know what they suggest! Googling just brings up horror stories, and despite knowing about the risk of cord prolapse from last time I didn't realise the implications of transverse and excess fluid x

[physicskate]

Had similar on last pregnancy.

My last growth scan was at 38 and she was head at my hip. Nothing said or done. She'd been transverse till 37 weeks.

She was born totally fine at 40+5. I've read lots that second (or later) babies often don't engage till labour.

Not a doctor, but all sounds fine as there's still loads of time to fully head down - sounds like baby's well on the way op!!

[elliejjtiny]

Yes. Polyhydramnios and oblique lie. Then my waters broke at 35 weeks so I had a c-section 2 days later.

[MindyStClaire]

I had a large, transverse baby this summer. She was transverse at 34 weeks and oblique at 36 weeks, but really I think she was transverse all along. No one seemed concerned as I was already planning on a section after an EMCS on DC1. I was just told to head straight in if I had any signs of labour, but I never did.

It did actually cause some complications on the day - because in their words "she's very big and you're not". They couldn't get her out with the usual incision and so had to do an extra incision in my uterus. I lost a fair bit of blood and DD needed a few breaths to get going (written down that all sounds very dramatic, it wasn't at all). I was expecting a difficult recovery but I don't think it was any harder than my first and both were very positive experiences overall.

[theginge]

My baby was transverse unstable lie. It was picked up at 36 weeks. I was admitted to the antinatal ward at 37 weeks for monitoring (beginning of lockdown!). Everytime I was checked, baby had moved into a different position. They were concerned that if my waters broke then the cord would come out first so I needed to be in hospital for when this happened.

Luckily baby turned and firmly engaged at 39 weeks so I was allowed home for a few days before being induced. He was almost 11lb so I still have no idea how he managed to move so freely!! Even the midwives were baffled!

[theginge]

My baby was transverse unstable lie. It was picked up at 36 weeks. I was admitted to the antinatal ward at 37 weeks for monitoring (beginning of lockdown!). Everytime I was checked, baby had moved into a different position. They were concerned that if my waters broke then the cord would come out first so I needed to be in hospital for when this happened.

Luckily baby turned and firmly engaged at 39 weeks so I was allowed home for a few days before being induced. He was almost 11lb so I still have no idea how he managed to move so freely!! Even the midwives were baffled!

[sarahc336]

It's strange that some people get admitted to the ward but some don't.
I think it's quite common for second or third babies etc to have more space to float around in, just hoping this one starts to stay engaged as it's defo popping in and out of engagement 🙄 with my first I simply though that if they were breech all was fine but now I've googled it I realise it's not that simple 😂😂 and @Hatepickingana I'll keep you posted as yes I'll probably know more Friday so can let you know what your situation may end up like x

[sarahc336]

And @MindyStClaire I didn't realise that even with a c section a transverse or oblique baby is harder to get out, dontou mind me asking even though you were planning a c section how many weeks did they do it with the baby being transverse or oblique? Just curious as I'm 37 weeks tomorrow xx

[MindyStClaire]

I didn't either! That's why I mentioned it. But like I say, it wasn't a drama. My section was at 39+3, organised around my childcare. The position didn't seem to come into it at all. They did say on the day that it was because she was sideways and they hadn't known (I don't get that, because I knew), so perhaps if they had known they would've done something different. It was also because she was very big and wedged in there, and back down so when they opened me in the usual way, there was nothing to grip to turn her, hence the vertical incision.

But like i say, it wasn't really an issue.

[sarahc336]

Oh ok I see, well thank you for the info and reassurance that even if I need a c section the recovery will be the same 😊 xx

[theginge]

I should add, I was admitted at 37 weeks because of a previous spontaneous labour at 38 weeks. I'm also an hour from the hospital which they deemed too risky. 2 1/2 weeks in hospital was actually not too bad - no cooking or cleaning or chasing around!! I met my husband and children to walk round the hospital grounds as the weather was OK, which was nice.

[sarahc336]

Thanks, more put off my being admitted at the min due to covid and visiting restrictions etc, don't fancy not being able to see my 3 year old for 1-2 weeks as she can't visit etc. I'm only 20 mins from hospital though so hopefully they'd take that into account xx

[sarahc336]

@Hatepickingana just an update for you, I was back at the midwife again yesterday and baby was head down again, I thinknits had moments of not being but I think it's spending more time head down as I'm nearly 38 weeks now. Back at midwife on Friday again to keep checking its position, so really there's a high chance yours will turn too just give it w bit more time. I have been trying to sit on my ball a lot and avoid slouching backwards so if I'm sat on the sofa I'm propped up with cushions etc.they're back to back though so that's my next mission to change 😂😂 xx

[Hatepickinganame]

@sarahc336 I was in hospital on Wednesday and they said she was head down, by Friday at midwife she had flipped back to fully transverse! I'm only 34 weeks so there's still time but the midwife didn't seem hopeful due to the amount of fluid surrounding her. Fingers crossed yours stays head down though!!

[sarahc336]

Mmm well mine seemed to flip back and forth a lot probably up until the last week so around 37 weeks but I think I've got an average amount of fluid so having excess fluid could alter things. Is this your first baby or second/third etc? This is my second and inthink they e just had more room in there from it being stretched by my dd 😂😂 fingers crossed yours settles down in the next couple of weeks xx

[Hatepickinganame]

Its my 4th, I had polyhydramnios diagnosed in my 3rd pregnancy too, and probably my first two but undiagnosed, every time my waters break its literally like a tidal wave. All the midwives have made comments lol but apparently that's a factor in making it harder for her to turn and stay put. I have a scan in 2 weeks so will go from there, but we've already decided to decline an ecv if its offered. My midwife was hopeful that they might got for induction/controlled rupture of the waters if she's head down but anything else position wise and it'll be a planned section with a hospital stay beforehand. Which will be super fun in lockdown part 2!