If you?ve had vaginal deliveries before it seems a shame not to even try the Ecv . It would seem such a shame to end up with no 4 as a section, esp if you were hoping for a home birth. An you have a toddler too, don?t you?
I looked at the Royal College Guidelines and the NICE guidelines which give lots of medical information about the management of breech babies at term and ECVs. I think there are links in a post a have earlier down this page. As I recall they said there was about a 0.4 ? 1 % risk of having to rush you to theatre for an emergency CS. There is a risk of transient bradycharida with the baby but they monitor you for that. We thought it was worth the small risk as otherwise it would def be a CS anyway (unless you are prepared to argue for a breech vaginal delivery, which I wasn?t. Also they is no way they would let you deliver breech at home). I wasn?t prepared for theatre in any way ? they didn?t get me to fast or take blood etc.
Basically I was in the hospital for about 3 hours. Though as usual a lot of that is waiting about. I went into Daycare. First I had a quick scan to check baby still breech. They also check the position of the placenta ? I think they can?t do it if it?s anterior. I guess they also check the position of the cord so they don?t loop the baby around it or on case it?s too short or there is some physical reason why the baby is breech.
Then they put me on a monitor for about 20mins to get a baseline reading of the baby. Then a MW came in and explained the procedure and got me to sign a consent form. Then back to the scan room with the consultant and MW. MW did the scan while consultant tried to turn baby.
They put the bed tipped back so your head is down. Dr pressed really hard under my bump digging her fingers in, trying to lift up baby?s bum out the pelvis. You know when they check how for the head is engaged and they say, ? take a deep breath and let it out slowly? and press hard. Well just like that only harder and longer. Yes it hurts but not as bad as a big contraction IYSWIM. And they will just stop it if it?s too sore. She tried this for a bit but couldn?t get baby to move.
Then she gave me a muscle-relaxing drug into vein in my arm. Just small needle, no worse than getting bloods taken. This is to relax uterus but it gives you palpitations and makes you shake. Was unpleasant but only lasted about 20 mins. This enables Dr to get baby transverse, then to do a front somersault into cephalic. I think the whole thing in the scan room took about 15 mins. But I?ve read that some babies turn really easily within a minute or so.
Then back to day care where they monitor the baby for another 20-30 minutes. I felt a bit shaky from the drugs bit otherwise ok. Was just so relieved that it has worked & baby was fine.
The next day I felt a bit tender. Two days after the ECV the baby?s head engaged and I was REALLY tender, as I was all bruised and this big hard head was pressing on it!!!. Dh said I was bruised externally but I couldn?t see under bump of course. Felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. Couldn?t stand up straight and sore to walk up stairs. Fortunately it was a Saturday and Dh was at home so could watch kids. I just rested and took a couple of paracetemol. Was ok as long as I was lying down. Plus kept telling myself that at least with head engaged baby probably couldn?t move back!!! The next day I was fine. So it was basically one day of feeling a bit tender but I figure this cant be half as bad as you feel after a Cs and that goes on for weeks!!!
So far I am really glad I went for it. Just hope I get a normal delivery and not too many stitches [ouch emoticon]