Unstable lie/transverse baby position

[Zarara]

Hi I posted in pregnancy but didn’t get any responses so thought I would try chat.

Does anyone have any experience with a transverse baby or a baby with an unstable lie. I had a 36 week scan last week that showed that baby was still turning. Baby turned from head down to transverse to breech during the scan, and I have now been referred to the breech clinic on Monday I’ll be 37+5. After googling a bit more it seems that having a baby in an unstable lie can be quite dangerous if your waters break as there is the potential for a cord relapse. So now I’m really worried and feel really uneasy. Does anyone have any experience? Should I contact my midwife and ask about what should be happening? The lady that referred me to the breech clinic was the ultrasound person so not a midwife, I haven’t spoken to anyone else about what an unstable lie means for the baby, unfortunately only google.

Yes, do get some advice on what to do if something happens between now and Monday. If you can't get hold of your community midwife, ring maternity triage or labour ward for advice. It's completely reasonable to want support and advice about this.

As a GP my understanding of transverse lie is that if your waters break, you should get on all fours, head down, bum in the air, and ring 999. But check with a midwife if that is still current advice.

My youngest DC was transverse at 36 weeks, she was lying sideways but high with her head at one side of my lower ribs and her bottom at the other side - I was so uncomfortable!

I was admitted to hospital, as was there policy, and was supposed to stay until she was delivered by caesarean at 38 weeks but they let me go home after a week so I could see my other DC. That was only because I lived literally five minutes from the hospital, had no signs labour may be imminent, and had no history of labour starting before 40wks. I was on bedrest at home, told not to do anything that might induce labour, and if I suspected I was in labour or my waters broke I had to ring 999 and get on all fours with my head on the floor and my bottom up as high as I could get it to try prevent cord prolapse.

If you need reassurance then call your midwife, she will be able to advise you, but it sounds like they're getting you through quite quickly if you're at the clinic this Monday. Be prepared that you may have to stay in hospital, they might offer you an ECV if baby is breech (where they turn the baby from the outside) which I personally wouldn't take, and if you do need a caesarean it's okay. Out of four deliveries, my two planned sections were my absolute favourites.

They can attempt to turn baby, but there is the possibility of them turning back again. If baby is transverse, the best option is elective c section.

We didn't know baby was transverse/unstable lie. He'd been head down for weeks, they attempted to induce me, I was in hospital for a week and nobody picked up that he was no longer head down, despite me saying repeatedly that the pressure wasn't the same as before. They attempted to break my waters but couldn't, so sent me home again after a week. They called me back the next day for monitoring and to see if they had space on labour ward to attempt to break my waters again, and the midwife said he didn't feel like he was in the right place. She mentioned possibility of trying to turn him, but they needed to check the position and where the cord was laying. Within 5 minutes, I was being scanned by a consultant who said that he was transverse, the cord was underneath him, and my waters were bulging. They wouldn't even let me stand up as they said it was too dangerous due to the absolute certainty of cord prolapse.

Long story short, I was in surgery within the hour. The panic and stress of everything has left me still struggling with the trauma of it all over a year later. I firmly believe that if I had been prepared for it all, and had elected for a C section, I would've dealt with it much better. As it was, I struggled with the idea that they had allowed me to go home, with my waters on the verge of breaking, and had they broken whilst at home, I wouldn't have my baby boy here with me now.

I really hope everything goes well for you and baby. There is still time for baby to move into place don't forget!

I would call your maternity triage this morning. I had this and was in hospital at the time and was told that I’d need an immediate c section if my cervix started dilating. I don’t know at what point it becomes really dangerous though so it’s important you know.

DD (first baby) was transverse until 27 weeks, turned to head down and then breech at 37 weeks. I had a c section at 38 weeks exactly as they didnt want to turn her and she had been transverse previously. It was fine. My incision is slightly longer and recovery was slightly harder as a result but it all worked out in the end.

I was 10 days overdue when they finally clocked my baby was sideways, tummy down. I was scheduled for a section the following morning, stayed overnight in the hospital, but my waters broke in the middle of the night and the cord prolapsed. I was rushed to theatre immediately, put under GA.

It was quite traumatic and it took a number of years to fully recover. I'd have preferred a calm, scheduled c-section, but they didn't know in time. Ah well.

Definitely get some advice, it's good they know early enough to arrange things in advance.

My baby is a strapping lad of 15 now, no health issues. He was over 10lbs at birth as well!

I had transverse twins. Midwife called it 'bunk beds'. Would have been risky to go for natural birth so I had an elective caesarean, which went really well. This is a fairly safe option, if you want to consider it.

I had an unstable lie discovered at just before 38 weeks. Midwife sent me for a scan as she wasn’t 100% which position the baby was in. Sonographer said unstable lie and I had to wait to see the doctor.
Doctor wanted to admit me there and then - I argued as I needed to sort out the oldest and as there was no signs of labour I was allowed home and told to come back on Monday and was offered an elective C-section at 39 weeks.
Was in for the week before and told that if I went into labour get onto all fours, backside in the air and buzzer and shout for help. (Felt like a fraud as I felt fine but thankfully they let me go off the ward to Costa.)

Thanks for the comments I’m off to see the midwife now. She didn’t seem overly concerned on the phone but she’s going to check me over for my peace of mind. She kept saying that hopefully baby will turn. I think it just worries me because I know that baby can get in the head down position but then just turns a little while after.

How are you getting on, @Zarara? Did your midwife admit you to hospital?