Nervous about having breech baby turned

[Fisha]

Have just had breech confirmed at 37 weeks, baby's head been wedged under ribs since 32 weeks! Booked in next week to try and have baby turned. This is my second baby, (DD was natural delivery 3 weeks early) and would like to avoid c section so can get home quicker. That said am really nervous about this despite small chance of anything going wrong. Does anyone have positive experience of this they can share?
thxs
Fisha

I had an ECV with DS1. It didn't work, but I'm glad I tried it.

That being said, it really hurt. My hospital didn't give any sort of drug to help make it easier, and I only got gas and air near the end.

I'm told that if it goes well, it happens quickly and doesn't hurt.

Are you doing any of the OFP type things to turn the baby?

My experience was exactly the same as NQCs, but I would have a search of the archives- the vast majority of people who have had them on here have had successful painless ECVs (I suspect the two are linked!). Good luck

I had a successful ECV two years ago for dd2 (3rd baby).

At our hospital they used a drip with a drug to relax the uterine muscles which, frankly, was the worst bit. They monitored all the time the drip was running (an hour or so). The actual turning took no more than about 30 seconds, with two people working together. There was a lot of pushing, uncomfortable rather than painful. It was briefly v. uncomfortable at the point where the baby was crosswise, but only for a second, and by no means agony. I was just gearing up to make a bit more fuss when they told me it was over, and had been successful!

I then had to to stay in bed with a monitor running for another hour or so to make sure the baby was okay, and that was it. At my hospital (central London teaching hospital) they were doing a couple of ECVs a week, and reckoned the last time they'd had to do an emergency caesarian had been 4 or 5 years ago. Which seemed like pretty good odds to me. Apparently it's v. rare for the baby to turn back after a successful ECV, despite all the old wives tales. Also, the overall success rate is 50%, but a lot lower in first pregnancies, and consequently higher in subsequent pregnancies (presumably cos all your muscle tone upped and went with baby no. 1).

So your odds are really v. good indeed. Def. worth a try before either vaginal breech birth or caesarian.

Goodness, tamum, I hope not! When we were on our way out of the hospital, I got a call from my SIL about the Twin Towers thing happening. It was a bit of a shock, although I guess it did put our disappointment about the ECV failure in perspective ...

(somewhat) Seriously, if anyone suggests to you, in the near future, that I think you are covered in warts, please don't take them seriously. I am being quoted out of context!

I am very very confused What I meant about the two being linked was that people whose ECVs didn't work tend to find them very painful, and the ones where the baby sails round are pain-free. Does that make sense or am I going completely mad?

tamum, I've read that, too. It makes sense, if the baby can be easily turned, then they'll turn on the first attempt and all is fine. If the baby can't be easily turned, they give it a few tries (carefully) and it gets painful.

I wouldn't describe my ECV as pain-free, exactly, but def. preferable to having a caesarean.

Thanks guys will give it a go. Hospital says I can wimp out at any time so we'll see. In the meantime will keep wondering around on hands and knees which DD1 (18 months) thinks is hilarious!

My friend had here breech baby turned last week and she didn't realise it had happened, it was so painless. The obstetrician said, we'll just give baby a little tickle, and "walked her fingers round the bump" and before she know it, baby had turned. I think it felt like a big kick / movement from the baby, but definitely not painful, and baby remains head down. hth