If your baby was breech at term please could you tell me about your DC now?

[TurnbabyTurn]

Bit of time for mine to turn but I don't think they will. I happened to know breech babies have a slightly higher chance of being born with birth defects or developmental conditions, including autism, although correlation obviously isn't causation. Unfortunately anecdotally the only child I know who was breech at term does have significant SEN.

Of course, rationally I know there will be millions of breech at term babies who went on to be very happy, healthy children at adults. Please could you reassure me with your stories?

For context, we have a wonderful DC born with a rare condition and we don't know the origin so have been carefully monitored in this pregnancy and can't help jumping to conclusions!

Thank you

Complete breech baby, now aged 4 and just started school. Absolutely fine, no problems at all.

You can have the baby turned, (I was offered the procedure) but I know there are risks.

I was a breech baby - pushing 50 now. Graduate with professional qualification. I'm as normal as the next person.

I was turned by a consultant btw.

Me. No issues at all.

My son is autistic and wasn’t breech.

I have a strapping 16 year old, who was breech. NT. No physical issues.

Born via C Section as feet first.

My 4 year old was breech. I had her at 41 weeks and had a natural birth. There were no issues at her birth or now.

I was a breech baby born via csection and so was my eldest son who is nearly two.

Intelligence and achievement wise I have done well and my son is a bright and happy boy, very chatty and potentially advanced for his age. I do have autoimmune arthritis though that could be linked to the csection apparently as autoimmune disorders are more likely to develop in csection babies 🤷‍♀️

There is no evidence that a breech presentation causes autism (which is present at the time of conception or during the development of brain tissue), or birth defects(again these are present in utero).

There is evidence that babies born in beeech presentation are smaller, have lower apgar scores and are at higher risk of cord compression leading to asphyxia which can cause developmental difficulties and/or brain injury.

As the parent of an autistic child I find your post ignorant.

I think you’ve made a good point about breech presentation making vaginal birth more risky / increased risk of hypoxia, etc @PinkyU

That would be the issue, not the baby’s position in the womb.

I’ve heard all manner of stuff about autism, but I have to say, breech presentation is a new one on me!

Yes, there is no reason being breech would cause autism. DD was breech, born at 39 weeks by planned c section. She's asthmatic but then so am I and DH so that would seem to be genetic. She's a very bright, active, perfectly normal 5 year old.

My autistic child is the one that was born head down. I've also never heard of breech delivery causing autism.

Thank you for all these very helpful posts, I really appreciate it. I know anecdata isn't that scientific but it's just reassuring to hear

@PinkyU I am not ignorant. I've clearly stated that correlation is not causation. I'm concerned about the full picture implicated in breech presentation which includes, as you mention, conditions during the birth itself.

Autism has a strong genetic component but is generally accepted among the scientific community that it's likely some environmental factors may sway the risk. We also have autism in the family, and have been involved in research.

I'm also very clear on birth defects and when they occur because my daughter has two - but there is possibly a slightly increased risk of a breech baby being found to be born with defects (which I suppose may influence the position they later lie in). As I say correlation not causation as at that stage in her development breech or not would have been irrelevant and her position at birth would not have influenced it, but a possible increase in the chance of finding that there is a problem previously not seen is still a worry (albeit I agree a small one in the wider scheme of things that could be wrong!)

Our consultant brought this to our attention.

I also have two daughters both were breech and born by c section. One is 6 the other 4 and neither have SEN or any defects.

Son fluctuated between oblique and breech. Footling breech until night before (induced) birth. Had waters ruptured and normal vaginal delivery although he was difficult to birth as facing upwards.

He's developmentally fine. Really really fucking stubborn though, much like he was when I was pregnant with him.

Good luck OP

Just re autism specifically though, as far as I remember some studies have suggested a small increased risk, and some did not find it at all, so it wasn't really my main concern. Some studies have found a slight increased risk of a child developing autism after c section, which may influence that since breech babies are more likely to be born by c section.

I was more worried about other conditions that may result. Our consultant did point out it's a very small increased risk though - as I say we are being monitored closely due to my daughter's condition.

I appreciate in the grand scheme breech presentation itself is a very small increased risk, but in context of the whole situation I just feel a little nervous. I know it's not good to rely on external reassurance, but this thread has made me feel a lot better and I hope others too should they come across it with same concerns

He does have birth marks though - unconnected to Labour, pregnancy etc in my mind. Strawberry mark on chest and significant hemangioma with strawberry mark on his forehead. Had propranolol from 4months to 18 months to shrink. Worked well apart.from side effects of night terrors and lack of sleep.

Bottom presenting breach.
Discovered during active labour at 10cm dilated.
Emergency c section with a general anaesthetic.
37 weeks due to IUGR & pre eclampsia.

17 years old, as tall as a wardrobe head wedged in the fridge constantly.
No developmental problems, in fact was walking at 10 months.
Has a fantastic job & having driving lessons.
All good for my breach boy.

@PinkyU just read that back and hope it didn't sound too defensive, just wanted to convey that I do understand the complexities of all of this but to explain my concern was coming from a place of the overall picture.

Both of mine were breech at birth. Dd is currently doing the third year of a degree and ds is doing an apprenticeship.

No long term issues. (Dd had to keep having her hips checked until she was 2 but all is good now).

I have two dc who were breech at term. No special needs or anything.

My baby got stuck in the breech position at around 20 weeks and never turned. Had a C section and it turned out he's managed to tie a knot in his umbilical cord at some point swimming around in there so that may have been why. He did bum shuffle rather than crawl which may have been to so with where his hips were but was soon walking and he's now very active chatty 2 1/2 year old and I have no concerns about him at all.

One breech baby here. No problems, in fact she is annoyingly clever at age 10.

She had to have a hip scan a few weeks after birth but that’s standard procedure and there were no problems.

I’ve never heard of the breech / learning disabilities correlation before.

One of my DC was breech at birth and is bright as a button , totally NT. In top reading groups at school.
Sporty , great communicator , lots of friends.

My breech baby has just graduated with a First from Exeter University.