Had ECV for a breech today and thought I'd update you all

[MrsCog]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to write down my experience of ECV today (I'm 37 weeks with DC1 - some of you might have seen my thread a couple of weeks ago thread.

I went in for around 11am and was monitored for around 40 mins, I then had an injection of salbutamol (or something similar), which made me a bit shaky and hot but nothing too bad. This had to work for 30 mins, and then the consultant came to do the ECV. They lowered the bed so I was leaning back (a bit like the breech tilt on spinning babies if you've seen it), and then performed the version.

I can't lie, it was very very uncomfortable (although I'd say unfomfortable rather than pain), but... for the time being... it's worked! I felt a bit shaky for a while afterwards, but I think this was the combination of both the drugs, the procedure and also not having eaten for 16 hours (you have to be prepared for CS in the unlikely event that the baby is distressed), and I was monitored for another 40 mins after the procedure. I felt well enough after to go in to town for a massive lunch with DH.

I just wanted to give my experience, as having it was a difficult decision, and I was worried I was going against nature etc. It was uncomfortable, but I wouldn't hesitate to give it another go in the future if it was needed. Also, when I was researching, I found a lot of stories where it was sucessful for DC2 and beyond but not DC1 so hopefully this might give people some hope that it can work for DC1's from time to time as well!

Anyway, now coming to terms with giving birth again, rather than the calm of an ELCS! Overall though, the whole experience has been good as it's taught me nice and early to expect the unexpected, and not to get my expectations about birth etc. too high, as who knows what's going to happen, and the most important thing is DC1 here safe and sound.

Thanks to everyone who's offered kind words and advice on my other threads :)

Good to read your experience MrsCog, I'm glas it went well :) I might be facing htis in the next couple of weeks too and am getting (hopefully needlessly) worried about it.

I worried a lot about it too, but was quite relaxed today which was a relief. At the end of the day you can always ask them to stop, and it really was very quick. Make sure you've got someone supportive with you in case you feel wobbly afterwards - I think the combination of the relaxants and being v low blood sugar = TLC after is well deserved!

I expected I'd feel the baby turning, but I didn't, so I didn't think it had worked, but it had - it just felt like a lot of pressure and chinese burning over the whole of my stomach, but as soon as the procedure was over the discomfort stopped almost immediately. I was a bit stunned for a few mins but after that it was fine.

I'm glad to have made my peace with potential CS at this stage though - feel much better prepared for whatever happens now as a result of all the breech uncertainty!

Delighted to hear it worked MrsC and thanks for the update.

I saw your earlier thread (baby was breech then) and my midwife today confirmed baby is still breech (35 weeks tomorrow). I have a hospital app tomorrow anyway, which will involve a scan to confirm presentation and i'm also planning to accept an ECV at 37 weeks as I want to do everything I can to have a vbac...just spent ages tonight with an ice pack on top of my bump, and a heat pack at the bottom, while watching telly doing a tilt...it's madness but I so want baby to turn! Though am getting a little sick of hanging off the sofa doing inversions and burning moxa...so hearing a positive ECV story was just what I needed tonight

Well, I had some good news at my scan this morning as baby's actually head down!

This was after the midwife yesterday (very experienced, been a midwife for 30+ years) confirmed yesterday the baby was breech. The senior registrar this morning also confirmed it was breech (and I then let a medical student also confirm it was breech!). It turns out my hospital doesn't routinely offer an ECV to women who's have a previous section, but I insisted and was brought through to the consultant for a chat about ECV and a scan. And baby has saved me from it all! Am massively relieved to be back on track with aiming for a vbac...

I actually thought I had felt the baby turn last Sat night - woke up with the discomfort and bump felt different the next morning - but I didn't want to get my hopes up (and this bum under my ribs really does feel quite head like ).

The baby was definitely breech 2 weeks ago today (also had a scan then) despite a consultant saying s/he was transverse then. And then today was a textbook case of how various experienced HCPs can palpate and still be proved wrong by a scan.

Ooo flip that's interesting. I know my baby has actually turned from transverse today, my bump has completely changed shape and I'm getting kicks in my belly button again, which was happening when he was in the right position. Can a breech baby engage? I definately have the 'about to drop a watermelon' feeling, and suddenly need to wee all the time, but I can't tell what's a bum and what's a head. Am seeing a midwife on Monday for another assessment, but it's the first time I've seen this one and apparently she's very young. Can I ask for a presentation scan considering how he's been flipping about?

fuckityfuckfuckfuck (love your name ) that sounds pretty similar to my experience - when my baby was transverse I was getting kicks either side, when breech they were down low in the cervix/bladder area and from last Sunday (when I now think baby shifted to the right position) the kicks moved to the top half of my bump.

When my baby turned from transverse my bump also changed shape - went more egg shaped if that makes sense (rather than ball shaped).

But honestly, the bum at the top of my bump really feels round and definitely fooled not just me and DH but some very senior HCPs.

A breech baby can engage but I don't think the watermelon feeling/need to pee is as pronounced, as the bum is a lot lighter than the head...if I were you'd be definitely asking for a presentation scan (which you'd get anyway before an ECV but better to find out one way or the other). How many weeks are you?

I'm lucky in that my consultant believes in scanning all the way (as she said today, "it's because my fingers don't have eyes" - she's Greek and has a great turn of phrase ). The downside of this approach is that the baby is measuring big (but so did DS so am not at all bothered by that!).

I'm almost 36 weeks. I am just panicking a bit as he does seem to move quite freely around. I'm measuring on the small side and have been told by every midwife who has a feel that it's all baby, ie not a lot of fluid, so I guess that having been stretched out by two relative monster dc before, my stomach just has far too much give in it, and so he really doesn't get 'stuck' in the engaged position like he would if he had less room, or was bigger. My worry is that with such an unstable lie he'll keep moving right up til the birth and I'll have to rely on them guessing which way he's lying on the day. I really really want a waterbirth this time, I had it almsot snatched away a few weeks ago when I was thought to have a blood clot on the lung, had jst about got my head around the possibility of a section, and then it turned out to be nothing. And then he turned breech, and then sideways I do feel very odd the last couple of days, I have been crying for no reason and I am beginning to feel a bit period crampy so I'm worried that rather than in a lovely state of calm and preparedness, I'm going to go into labour wound up incredibly tight and drive myself batty with worry. I need to calm down about the whole thing, I've done it twice before fgs, but this just feels different iyswim. I suddenly feel that anything could go wrong and it's a horrible realisation.

Try not to stress too much, as I think proper unstable lie is something they'd spot.

My baby's head is still free, but I'm not so worried though as I reckon the weight of the head should help keep him/her head down even if not engaged. He/she can engage whenever they want as long as they stay head down!

Have you had a scan recently? I wouldn't rely on guessing about the amount of fluid from palpation alone. My midwife goes on about my roomy womb so thought I would have high fluid levels (honestly, since about 16 weeks...yesterday she said "see, it blew up like a balloon last time and this new baby just has too much space to wriggle around", I replied well, there's absolutely nothing I can do about the roominess ). But every scan shows a big baby (estimated 7.5lbs today at 35 weeks) and normal fluid, which you'd think would make it easier to feel.

But I'm with you on the stress - I feel like the last 6 weeks has been a slog and was just getting my head around an elective because of breech when suddenly a vbac is back on the cards! Am trying to do some hypnobirthing to get back in the zone, so to speak.

Just read your post MrsCog as I'm really dreading having an ECV tomorrow. I've found it quite reassuring and happy to hear it doesn't hurt even if it is rather uncomfortable. It's DC1 for me too so wasn't holding out too much hope that it would work, but it worked for you which is fantastic and feel heaps better reading about your experience. I feel like I know what to expect now. Thank you!

I had the ECV yesterday and my experience was very much like MrsCog's. The drug they injected made me a bit shaky and the procedure was in no way painful. A bit uncomfortable but it just feels like someone pressing down really hard on your stomach. It really wasn't traumatic and I would have it done again in the future if I need it. It didn't work for me unfortunately but I'm glad I tried. The worst thing about the day was that I was asked to come in in the morning at 9.30am and they didn't do it until around 6pm that evening. I wasn't allowed any food or drink in that entire time in case I needed an EMCS and I felt extremely dehydrated (was about to request some IV fluids when I finally got called in). That was honestly the worst thing about the whole experience. I really don't understand some of the comments in older threads were women describe it as 'more painful than labour'. I would say to anyone, go ahead with it, you have nothing to lose.

Interesting thread, thanks for posting.

I am 39 weeks and was told at last midwife appointment that the baby is head down, but was told that with DD1 and she turned out to be undiagnosed breech after 12 hours of labour.

So, yes, breech babies can engage - I was told with DD1 that she was 3/5 engaged etc.

Have had three scans with this baby, first one confirmed she was breech, second she was transverse, the last one that she is head down. Two weeks later, the mw reckons she's still head down but I just don't trust their judgement after DD1. She says they won't scan again unless at next mw appointment she thinks the baby has moved or I feel significant movement. I'm thinking I might lie and say I think the baby has moved, or just demand another scan due to anxiety. Don't want 12 hours of unnecessary labour again!

Good luck all.

ElmMum, definitely lie and say the baby has moved. I really think they should scan you, it's really not too much hassle for them to do so (I think it should be routine!). I was told by the midwife that the baby was head down and only luckily found out that the baby was breech because I'm also under consultant care and had a scan. I dread to think what would have happened otherwise!

Sorry it didn't work for you EsmeMrsP and I can't believe they let you go all that time in the hospital - I was very lucky in that I had to go in for 11am and they'd finished by 1.30pm, you must have been STARVING!

ElmMum yes, I'd be tempted to lie and say you thought the baby moved - good luck!

Can I just say that although it's rare yes a breech baby can most definitely engage. And by the same token a vaginal breech birth can most definitely be done!

Thank you for this! I'm off for an ECV appointment at 1pm today, and panicking slightly. Am 39w. Wish me luck! I was hoping for hb, not a c-section! (the only breech option here).

I had the ECV yesterday and unfortunately it didn't work, due to a very large baby and no space (39w, 1st time mother, inconveniently placed placenta). Doesn't mean it won't work for other people, though! On on the plus side, all that manipulation seems to have helped my spd! I got out of bed ON MY OWN this morning!

Just read all of the above messages as I'm booked in for ECV on Tuesday... Scary stuff. Thank you for all of your posts as it's quite a bit more information that I've had from the hospital!

I am 38 weeks and i have an ECV for friday (38+2), up untill now baby has been head down untill and has decided to turn the wrong way :S i had the midwife at 36+3 and he was aparently 4/5 engaged but at my last appointment he felt engaged but his heat beat was found up high in the womb, i had a scan yesterday and this confirmed he had turned breech. has anyone else has their baby turn the wrong way in the last few weeks? all i have found is ECV's where the baby has always been breech.

Piglet. Yes my DS2 turned the wrong way. He was transverse until 36 weeks, then he was diagonal (head in left side of ribs, feet on my hip) then at 38 weeks was deemed cephalic and partly engaged.

It wasn't until I was 10cms that they discovered actually he wasn't cephalic at all. They prepped for EMCS, but there was no time & it would have been very difficult to get him out of my pelvis cause he was so far down. So I delivered him breech. In three pushes. With no pain relief.

pig1et, exactly the same has happened to me. 40 weeks today though and midwife decided yesterday that heart beat felt way too high up. Have a scan this afternoon. Don't know if they'll think it's too late to try ECV at 40 weeks?