To not want this procedure...

[Figuringitout]

I'm currently 36 weeks pregnant with a breech baby. The hospital have kind of assumed that I will have an ECV (where they try to turn the baby manually) this week in order to try and avoid a c-section.
This is my second baby, although my third pregnancy as I had a tfmr last year (baby was given a 4% chance of surviving pregnancy and no possible known outcome for birth or life expectancy). I feel I need to explain that as obviously it impacts on my anxiety levels with this baby. Please don't feel the need to comment on that decision as it is still incredibly raw and painful.
I would love another water birth, but obviously this is only possible if the baby turns.
WIBU to wait and see if it turns itself, therefore avoiding potential stress for myself and the baby? I am aware that this may well result in needing a section.
Any opinion and advice welcome!

I had an ECV with my DD nearly 2 years ago. It didn't work and I found it very uncomfortable even painful.
I had an ELCS three weeks later which was very calm despite a slightly complex anaesthetic situation. I wouldn't have ECV again. That said I know people who have had successful ECV (still painful though). You can just say no. If your midwife/hospital/consultant make you feel under pressure to do so you can complain through the PALS service.

It doesn't sound as if you want an ECV and that is your right. Personally I wouldn't. Healthy baby is the end hope and if that means a section it's not the end of the world. I was breech and delivered vaginally and me my poor mum have had a lifetime of hip/back issues. We both wish I'd been a section! Best wishes to you OP

I wouldn't have an ECV. I looked at all the evidence and deemed it too dangerous. I did try some of the inversions on the spinning babies website and was lucky enough that she turned naturally. Would have had a go at acupuncture.

Would otherwise have had an elective section. Cold day in hell before I'd have had an ECV.

I didn't have an ECV as I looked into it and thought it too harsh and risky.
I tried Moxibustion - go to your local Chinese herbalist, it's basically two charcoal type sticks that you burn near your little toes! And I also tried encouraging him to move by crouching on all fours but with my bum higher than my head.
He turned within 10 days I think, and stayed there.
Try the alternatives, they can't do any harm and they certainly worked for me. Good luck! X

I declined ECV at 38 weeks, just went with my gut instinct that I didn't want it done. They really tried to push me into having it though & told me they had already spoken to the consultant who would do it the following day without even waiting for me to make a decision. I felt very pressurised but did speak up & say I didn't feel comfortable with it. I was offered an elective c section at 40 weeks but went into labour a week early. So technically an emergency c section but it all went well & my recovery was absolutely fine. Although in an ideal world I wouldn't have chosen to have a c section, my experience was still amazing & all I wanted was for my baby to be safe. For me, it was the right decision to decline the ECV and I'm glad I didn't let them talk me into it.

YANBU. At All.

Are you familiar with a Spinning Babies?

YANBU. I had an ECV which failed. It was a horrible experience & definitely not something I would do again or recommend.

Spinning Babies - here is what they say about breech.

V best of luck, whatever you decide

My second turned at 37 weeks. Stayed back to back though. I had a late scan and they confirmed this. Turned at transition.

Thank you for the advice. I have looked at the Spinning Babies site and have been using a birth ball to try and get into positions which will encourage the baby to turn.
I will also look into acupuncture.
I have a positioning scan tomorrow and they want to do the ECV on Tuesday... I will see how I feel after talking things through with the midwife tomorrow.
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to reply.

I had a breech baby and was booked for a planned section. Had a PROM at 37 weeks and they offered me the option of induction for vaginal delivery. I've never turned down anything so fast in my LIFE but if you're dead set on it it might be worth a go. My section was so straightforward though.

I'm 30 weeks atm and if it wasn't for having a very heavy 2.5 year old that likes to jump all over Mummy I'd be having another planned section.

My DD was a footling breech and I was "offered" an ECV by the hospital consultant. When I asked about the success rates, who would be performing it and likelihood of needing an EMCS nothing I heard gave me confidence in the hospital or procedure. I declined the "offer" and went on to have an ELCS which was absolutely fine.

The day before I spoke to the consultant I had read a thread on here about a woman who's ECV ended up with disastrous consequences and I decided from that there was no way I was going to risk my baby's safety. The consultant really wasn't happy with my decision but I held firm and 100% do not regret my decision.

A midwife suggested moxibustion to me but TBH I was focused on the ELCS at that point.

I say if you have any doubt about a procedure you don't have to agree to it.

Oh, yes, I only saw the mention of moxibustion after I had linked

What I like about the advice on Spinning Babies is the positioning suggestions i.e. anything that allows as much space in the pelvis/uterus as possible, using gravity to encourage the baby to turn.

I think that there is good evidence that all things being equal a baby will turn head-down because that is the most effective use of space.

I'd go straight for the CS too unless you found one of the very rare MWs who are experienced in breech deliveries (they have virtually died out as the vast majority of breech presentations are managed operatively now).

My second turned at 38 weeks (I'd had an extra scan the week before where he was still breech) - now I ended up with an EMCS (just like his older brother), but no-one had even mentioned an ECV - perhaps it depends on the consultant at the hospital.

Before I had my first EMCS I was dead against C-sections - scared and worried about the thought of the operation, but they really are just fine, nothing to worry about.

YANBU I would also decline the ECV and dc1 turned at 38 weeks - what a feeling that was, I spent a lot of times on my hands and knees from that last scan to check for breech baby.

If she hadn't turned then I would have without question had a c-section, in fact had a consultation for one but by that time she'd turned.

My third child was transverse at 38 weeks and I was strongly advised to have a CS, which I was against for very complicated reasons, although it would have been necessary if he had remained transverse. However, he turned a few days later and was born head first at 39+5.

The main thing is to make the decision yourself and not let anyone pressure you.

I'd go straight for the CS too unless you found one of the very rare MWs who are experienced in breech deliveries (they have virtually died out as the vast majority of breech presentations are managed operatively now).

I was a breech baby and my DM had a vaginal birth, but even then they insisted she be in the operating theatre throughout so they could do an EMCS if necessary. I'm fairly sure she also tried an ECV first which obviously didn't work. I think if any of my future children follow in my footsteps I would have an elective CS!

Ds1 was breech. 'Discovered' after an 18 hour labour - nowt to do with a new midwife coming on shift and realising the previous one has fucked up... Anyway, I had ecs. It was fine.

Elected for ds2, even easier.

Just to add to my earlier post. Someone up thread said about acupuncture being mumbo jumbo. All I will say is that it's not invasive, and carries no risk, so what have you got to lose? Apart from £30 approx.

I had tried everything to get my breach baby to turn; everything on the spinning babies site, frozen peas on the top of my bump, failed ECV, and then the moxibustion as a last ditch attempt. I must admit I was sceptical, nothing happened immediately, but he turned a few days later, at 39 weeks on the dot. He was 9lb 4oz at birth, and I'm convinced it was the moxibustion which made the difference.

Also, I'm shocked at the negativity around ECV, that wasn't my experience at all, and I had 2, for 2 separate pregnancies, one successful, one unsuccessful. Maybe it depends on the hospital, or the consultant performing it.

My DD was transverse. I live on a Scottish island so was sent to the mainland 6 weeks before her due date, just in case I had an early delivery. She was nearly 2 weeks over. I had a consultant that thought having three children and a CS was a bit much, so when I started contracting he turned her head down and held her like that (an hour maybe) until she engaged, then I had my planned birth. All went well, easy birth and she's mid twenties now.

Good luck x

YANBU. If your uncomfortable hold your ground & don't do it, it's your body.

I had an ECV with a very experienced consultant & it didn't work so I had a planned section. I wouldn't be suitable for an ECV now due to scar, but it's not something I would choose to do again. I chose it as I was terrified of a section, which was not scary I. The end

I would decline it and try and turn him yourself. There's a few gentle bending exercises you can do which worked a treat for me
A relative of my cousin posted her story recently of this procedure ending in her healthy baby being still born, the doctor was too rough Still crying about it. I know this is rare but I wouldn't take the risk.