C-Section for Transverse Baby - Support Needed

[AKP79]

Hi ladies

I just wanted to drop a line to get some tips and advice. I?m 35 weeks pregnant and my little one is transverse. He/she has been transverse since 24 weeks, so I get the impression there?s not much hope for him/her turning. I?m being booked in for a scan next week so they can get a better understanding of the situation, but I am so stressed and worried about it all.

The reason I?m worried is because of the thought of a C-Section. I?m not scared of the operation or anything like that I just have a real block in my mind about someone deciding the day my baby is going to be born and then just removing it from me. I really want to have the opportunity to experience going into labour and giving birth. Obviously the most important thing is that me and the baby are safe and I would never consider doing anything other than following the medical advice that is given to me, but I am having real anxiety around the fact that it all feels so clinical and unnatural to me.

I?m just wondering if anyone else felt like me and had to have a C-Section and how they dealt with it? Was it better than they were expecting? Did they still feel like they missed out on the whole giving birth experience?

I?m getting really screwed up about it so would love to hear other thoughts.

Thanks

My baby was tranverse and I cried buckets initially at not being able to have a vaginal birth - wierdly it was because I had got used to the idea that it was going to hurt a lot and didn't like the idea that I would have to deal with a new situation, more than actually wanting the vaginal birth. I was booked into the hospital at 38 weeks to see if they could massage baby into the right position. If so, I was to go from there and be induced, if not they would keep me in hospital until 39 weeks and proceed to c section. I decided that I should just get on board with the way it was going to happen and packed my bag, checked into the hospital, the doctor came round to check me, only to discover baby had turned. (this happened to another friend of mine at 38 weeks too)
As it turns out, I was in labour for 5 days before giving birth by emergency c section. Just because you have a c section it doesn't necessarily mean you won't experience labour. A few friends of mine still went into labour when they were booked in for c sections. What I have learned is that it happens the way it happens. Out of our whole NCT group, no-one got what they were prepared for. The absolute joy of birth is when you finally get to meet your little one and you hold him or her for the first time is in no way diminished by the way in which you give birth. All I'm saying is try not to stress yourself out about your current situation. It may change a number of times before you finally give birth. Rather enjoy these last few weeks :)

My DD was transverse and I too was very anxious about a possible C-section (she was no 2 and the thought of coping with my 2.5yo DS afterwards was not good!) However, at about 37 weeks I had an appointment to try getting her turned and it worked. She was still in the right position when she was finally born at 40+12 weeks. Don't give up hope yet. Good luck!

I'm 34 weeks with a transverse baby, but am having a CS for other reasons in any event. Uncomfortable, isn't it!

However, I was also transverse with DS1 until he turned head down at about 36/37 weeks and I had a normal vaginal delivery with him. I wouldn't give up on your natural birth just yet - have a look at the spinning babies website too, for ideas for good positions to get your little one to turn.

I had a c-section for a breech baby (trying to turn her failed), and beforehand I felt just like you, with added fear of anything medical (I'd planned on a water birth and a fast escape from hospital!). In the event it was better than I expected, both physically and emotionally. I do sometimes feel sad that I missed out on going into labour - if I don't have another baby I'll never know what that's like - but it's balanced by gratitude that my baby was born safe and healthy. I kind of reason that very few people get the kind of birth they want, there were people on the same ward quite traumatised by e.g. forceps delivery or who had babies in special care who made me feel really quite lucky in comparison. Yes a cs is somewhat surreal but it's a means to an end and once the baby's here if you're anything like me you won't mind that much how they got here. If I could go back in time I'd do some things differently. Through most of pregnancy I used to talk to my baby, but in the days leading up to delivery I was just full of panic and adrenaline, and I kind of wish I'd talked to my baby about what was to come and been calmer for her sake - does that sound weird?! Good luck and I hope all goes well however the birth happens.

Thanks so much ladies for posting your experiences, it's made me feel really emotional that what I've been feeling is quite normal! I was worried my feelings were really unreasonable, but they are really upsetting me. It's been so nice to hear positive experiences of C-Sections and also of babies turning at the last minute! I will keep my fingers crossed that baby turns and will try to view a C-Section in a more positive light! xx

Bad news ladies, had to go to hospital last night as I was experiencing some strong abdominal and lower back pains, turns out they think I've got a kidney infection. Anyway while I was in there I asked the midwife to check if the baby had turned at all as I'd had a lot of shifting early evening and was hopeful it had. Great news was it had turned, bad news is it's now breech!! I couldn't believe it... I went from feeling so optimistic and hopeful to absolutely gutted again!!