To expect midwives to be able to tell an arse from a head?

[RedFraggle]

I am 32 weeks pregnant with second baby, went into hospital on Sunday due to lots of pain and midwife put in my notes that baby was head down. She didn't say anything to me at the time or I would have queried this.
Saw another midwife yesterday for general checkup and she agreed with me that baby is definitely breech. I can feel it's head at the top of my uterus and it feels exactly the same as when I had my daughter.
I had exactly this situation with my first baby, kept being told she was definitely head down and then when I insisted on a scan she was found to be breech.

So... am I being unreasonable to expect midwives who have had years of training and experience to be able to spot the difference between a head and an arse!!!

My DD was breech from 28 weeks onward (confirmed by scan and palpation).

When I went into labour at 36 weeks nobody could tell by palpation if she was head down (including 3 midwives and 2 obstetricians).

Only when I was 6cms dilated and they could have a good feel did they decide she was definitely head down.

So not always that easy to tell IMO.

Hi RedFraggle

Thanks for coming back and letting me know what happened, I felt like I'd read a great book and someone had ripped out the last few pages!

As I said in my initial post it is sometimes impossible to be certain of presentation in some situatons. In your case it obviously was.

Please can I ask if you feel delivery was a more positive experience, and has it in any way helped to dispel some of the trauma you had been left with following your previous delivery?

I hope you are fully recovered and enjoying a wonderful time with your baby.

Hi Nonametoday,

Having the elective section definitely helped me to feel better about my first birth. It was all so calm and everyone was lovely. The operation was very quick and the ODP took lots of lovely photos of my son while they stitched me up. Recovery was faster this time and I have had no nightmares or flash backs since.
It was definitly the right decision for me. I could not have gone through another experience even just half as bad as DD's birth.
My little ones are great - my son is 3 and a half months now and he rolled for the first time yesterday! I am a happy mummy