Transverse Lie at 37 weeks- any advice please?

[julesmb]

Hi all,

I am new to mums net - actually joined so that I could get advice from all you experienced people out there!

I am 37 weeks with my first baby and she's lying transverse - has been since about wk 30. Having read into the position today there are several things I am newly concerned about...

1. I haven't been told anything about it by the midwife and nobody has suggested an ultrasound to rule out placenta previa or find out why she might be in transverse lie - is this usual?
   
2. I am already booked in for c section at 38.5 weeks due to spinal problems, but have read that if my waters break I would have to call an ambulance as its potentially dangerous to baby - this has not been mentioned by my midwife either - is it true?
   
3. It seems that transverse lie can cause problems for the baby like hip displacement or squashed head etc - does anybody have experience of their baby lying this way and did they come out healthy? I know I sound like I'm panicking but you know what its like.. could just do with some reassurance.
   
   Any advice really greatly appreciated and best of luck to everyone with their pregnancies!!

[Trolleydolly71]

Message withdrawn

[taczilla]

hello julesmb

my dd no.2 child was tranverse and oblique. I had a c-sec and it was heaven, Richard Hawley playing, an excited atmosphere and a lovely team in theatre who got to deliver a baby professionally but relaxed. My dd is lovely and perfect albeit flatulent but at 5 mths healthy so no affects of her position.

If your waters break early apparently you need to get on to all fours and if that happens just do that as in no time at all you will be in theatre and all will be well..

enjoy and by the way there is no reason you have to wait till the recovery room for skin to skin. I had my dd tucked into my gown on the table which was fab

[PearTart]

Placenta Previa would have been picked up on previous scans . As the placenta will move up as the uterus grows, not downwards, it won't occur later in pregnancy and would not be a problem in C-section delivery.
Don't know about problems due to compression but imagine that this would happen right towards the end of a pregnancy and with a bigger baby. Also squashed head more likely with a long and difficult vaginal birth, which you'll be avoiding.
To encourage baby to move position you could try "walking" around on all fours like a cat- well known in yoga to help good position for birth.
But most of all don't worry! Try to get some facts rather than opinions from your midwife team.

[julesmb]

Wow - thanks everyone for the quick responses!! I wasn't expecting to hear anything so fast.. just sitting here browsing away whilst my other half is enjoying his last moments of freedom down the pub!
taczilla - Richard Hawley - you are my kind of lady! I have my cds all ready to go and was really looking forward to the whole experience until I started worrying today. Guess its natural eh? Just really want my baby to be healthy. Its really uncomfortable having her feet sticking out my side all the time and now I'm worried that she's really uncomfortable too but cant move.
Problem with waters breaking is that my hospital isnt the nearest one and the mw warned me not to call an ambulance as they take you to nearest place - which in my case has a baaad reputation. Hopefully unlikely to happen though!
Pear - thanks for your advice on placenta issues, its put my mind at ease quite a bit.

cheers ladies...

[Flibbertyjibbet]

My baby was only discovered to be transverse the Friday before my due date on the Monday.
I would have tried that manipulation thing they can do to turn it but consultant said it was a big baby and after 36 weeks they don't attempt to manipulate as lack of space in there brings risk of placental abruption.
I was immediately booked in for elective c-sect on the monday and told that if I had even one contraction or waters broke at the weekend to ring hosp, say I was booked in for e-c-sect, come in at once (only 5 mins drive from hosp so no ambulance necessary on weekend traffic) and would have emergency section on arrival.

I would rather have had another vaginal birth but a 9lb transverse baby, well we were both much safer with a section.

One advantage though was that after my first long and traumatic (ventouse in the end) delivery on the pics I looked like I had been in a washing machine cycle.
For my section I arrived at hosp at 8am with hair freshly washed, and had nothing else to do all morning but read magazines and touch up my lippy - I look like a sleb in the post baby pics!

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Oh sorry I woffled on and didn't answer 2 of your questions!

Transverse is just another way for a baby to lie, not indicative of placenta previa or anything. There is no 'reason' why baby is transverse - probably just because she is comfy that way!Its quite normal just not as common as breech or head down.

My baby was classed as breech even though he was transverse and its standard at our hosp to go back for check at 6 weeks to have hips checked by consultant with ultrasound. They do that whether the baby is actually born bottom first or taken out via c section.
Hope this helps and don't worry about it!

[julesmb]

thankyou!

not sure I'll be looking too celeb tastic - but I have to admit I love having a set date when she's coming out (unless of course she decides to make an early appearance)....

I've got to stop googling medical stuff on the internet - come to the decision it is not actually helpful!

[Flibbertyjibbet]

No, googling medical stuff is terrible. I convinced myself I had gall bladder probs but it was just stretched ligaments under my ribs and went away a few months after the birth when my massive bump was deflated!

[debwoo]

hi my last baby was transverse they admitted me at 36 weeks just in case i went in to labour before the gave me my c sec at 37 and half week the day of my c sec the baby had turned head down but the cord was aall at the bottom of his head my baby im carring now is transverse im 36 weeks but they dont seem to be to bothered about it this time told to go consultant again in 2 week if u have idea that labour is about to start go straight to labour suite just to be on safe side the baby may turn by then but best safe than sorry if you need to talk more dont hesitate

[julesmb]

Hi Debwoo,

thanks very much for sharing your experience with me - yeah they don't seem that bothered at all actually, nobody's even told me about making sure I come straight in or anything!! I've only got a week to go anyway until c sect day so I think the chances of my waters breaking with no advance warning are low.. Its uncomfortable though isn't it?! Babys feet sticking out one side all the time - can't see how its comfy for them...

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy x

[debwoo]

no it cant be very nice bet they very relieved to have that first stretch, i feel sorry for mine they told me its 8 pound nearly already, poor little thing must be right squashed, cant do them any harm my last bab came out perfectly fine and healthy, hope all goes well for you x

[marina]

julesmb, welcome to Mn!
My first baby was frank transverse, ie, right across my tummy.
Is this the case for your dd too?
If so, I would raise the question of a further scan to check the location of the placenta, because mine wasn't picked up, and it turned out I did have asyptomatic PP.
Everything was fine at my elective, please don't worry, but I did wonder at the time why the rather miserable surgeon yelled, "Shit!" at one point, and that was him finding out.
Ds has always been the picture of health and transverse lie for him was no problem at all. Or me - I was singing in a choir at the time and still had a full head of steam at 38 weeks with little pressure up or down!
The main thing is that the issue of transverse lie has been spotted and is being dealt with. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy

[julesmb]

debwoo - when is your baba due? Cant be long now if its 8 pounds??!

Hi Marina - thanks for the welcome..

sounds like mine is frank too - right across my middle, head sticking out left hand side and feet? bum? right out my right side.
When I called the maternity helpline on saturday the midwife said they would have picked up Placenta previa on 20 week scan and not to worry. She also said no need to call ambulance if my waters break, just get taxi to the hospital?

They really dont seem very fussed at all. I feel like she may have moved this morning actually, but I really cant work out in what direction - theres just a bit sticking out the other side now!! I'm due to see the registrar at the hospital for a check up on wednesday so will raise the subject then.

Does it cause a problem in theatre if you have low lying placenta then?

thanks v much for advice you are v kind x

[poppynic]

Hi there, mine was breach and I found on a website advice to get the dad to talk to the baby at the place where the head should be! I made Dad do it - well it can't hurt can it? My ds also got in on the act. Anyway, at the next scan I told them I had done this, the scan person said, "Oh, you believe in that do you?" Next comment, "Well she listened to Dad"!!! Hee heee.

[julesmb]

Hiya,

thats SO weird!! And so funny - will def try it though, got to be good for a laugh if nothing else.. have tried resting on all fours etc but that just hurt my back and the little beggar didnt move a muscle..

[marina]

julesmb, there is a hypothetical risk which the grumpy surgeon told me about afterwards (with the clear implication that I left my placenta there on purpose to aggravate him, what a charmer he was) that if PP is not anticipated, he might have nicked the placenta as he made the incision into the uterus, turning a calm elective into an emergency situation as the baby would have to be delivered immediately
Now my PP was not picked up at the 20 week scan either, nor at a "is the baby still frank transverse" special at 34 weeks. Presumably the lack of symptoms meant it was nowhere near the os but it was clearly anterior and low-lying enough to be the first thing he came across when opening the womb.
I don't think you need to be worried, tbh, but I would ask them outright where they DO think your placenta is, and can they confirm that from a scan? And if they can't, ask them if they will record that fact on your notes. And if you get to meet the surgical team before the op, mention it to them.
I suggest this because apparently it is very unusual for a first baby to lie frank transverse without there being some physical reason for it to be unable to go breech or head down.
Hindsight is a splendid thing. My frank transverse baby is eight now and still spends as much time as possible horizontal!

[julesmb]

great advice - I'll ask all those things on weds (keep your fingers crossed I don't go into labour before then!)
Also I'm meeting the surgeon the day before, so will mention to them too.. hope mine is as pleasant as yours - he sounds phenomenal

It was more the fact that nobody explained transverse lie to me at any stage, or the potential risks - in fact they have been writing breech on my mat notes even though she clearly isnt.. (the mw explained to me how she was lying)

will give you guys an update after the appointment just in case you are interested!!

thanks again x

[marina]

Good luck with it all and keep us posted

[T2M]

Hello julesmb

Try all you can to encourage baby to move. The best time to do this is when baby is being active, have a look at www.spinningbabies.com for some great ideas.

If you waters should go you must laydown with your bum in the air, even on transfer to the hospital. The concern is due to baby being transverse baby can't act as a plug IYSWIM and this can increase the chance of cord prolapse which is risky to baby.

But lets be positive, drink more fluid as your body is producing amniotic fluid all the time and the more there is the more chance of baby going down.

Other suggestion is when baby is on the move walk up stairs lifting your leg as high as possible almost nudging baby to shift the bum up and the head to drop down. Have they told you which side baby's bottom is - thats the side of the leg you must lift. Hope you understand what I mean.

If you need me to go through this pm me

Please let us know how you get on, sedning positive vibes your way

[julesmb]

Hello T2M,
Thanks so much for this - everyone has been brilliant. I didn't know about the amniotic fluid - will take your advice.
Until today I knew which side her bum was but I just have a feeling today that she has moved somehow - doesnt feel as though she's down though, the kicking is just out the other side. Maybe she's done a 180
I'm going to ask them to scan me on wednesday regardless, hopefully this will provide some answers...

thanks again and cheers for the good karma!

[Chaotica]

Can't add much to the advice already given ("all fours with bum in air if your waters go" being the main one!) but DS who was transverse for most of the pg (born by cs) has turned out to have some head and neck problems as a result. They aren't serious (we hope) but I would have got him treated much earlier if I'd known -- he is 4m and seeing an osteopath (we were sent there by the gp who thought that was the best treatment). (His hips are fine though, thankfully.)

It wasn't obvious when he was tiny that there were problems, just when he didn't start to raise his head but the osteopath is reasonably sure that it is partly to do with his position before birth (he did have other antenatal problems though).

I'm not saying this to frighten you -- your lo will probably be fine, but it might be a good idea to get him/her checked out by an osteopath who specialises in children just to rule out such problems. (Apparently, the earlier they see them the better, which makes sense...)

Good luck!

[debwoo]

hi again im not due till 24th of march, 4 weeks and counting, lol, having lots of pain today in two minds wether to phone midwife. its 8 pound because i also have diabetes hope they sort me out soon had enough now whens urs due

[julesmb]

Thanks for advice Chaotica - will def keep an eye on that..

Hi Deb - poor you, sounds ghastly, I think if you are in pain you should def call the MW, thats what they're there for.
i'm with you today, pretty uncomfortable myself with round ligament pain - bearable though when i know its only a week to go! (and nothing after 5 months of Hyperemesis!!)

Pregnancy eh? Who'd choose it??

[julesmb]

HI again,

just a quick update as promised - little monkey actually turned in the car on the way to the check up and is now head down!! So all worry eliminated and can look forward to the big day on monday..

thanks again for all support and good luck to everybody x

[lalaland1]

My baby was lying that way and would have had to have a C-section instead of nat. birth if she didn't turn. Wanted to avoid that happening so asked my modwife and she said to be on my hands and knees a lot (boyfriend LOVED that idea!)with the bum higher up then head and that way baby would have easier time to turn. Did that whilst painting skirtingboard in nursery and whilst watching tv in eve for weeks-and it WORKED!!!! Baby turned all by himself .Also kept rubbing my tummy clockwise and "willing"/telling him to turn.