Anyone have an experience of vaginal breech birth they'd like to share?

[CrackersandCheese]

I know they're quite rare these days but I'm just interested. I'm 38+5 and have my ecv tomorrow. I'm looking at all options rather than just opting for elcs.

Thanks in advance.

My DS was born vaginally and breech.
I was told by my gynae that I could try for a vaginal birth if I wanted to because my DD had previously been born with no issues.
In the end, he actually came at home because he was born prematurely and very quickly. By the time I actually realised I was having real contractions rather than BH, they were already 3 minutes apart and he was born extremely soon after that.
I had read about breech births and was aware that I was not supposed to push, so I didn't. I lay on the floor and did my best to relax through the contractions and allowed him to slip out naturally in his own time.
I then had to push out his head once his body was out. This was actually harder than birthing DD's head due to having no body inside to push against, but he eventually came out with no problems.
He wasn't breathing when he was born, but the ambulance men managed to get him started and then we headed off to hospital with flashing lights and sirens!!!
If possible, I would go for a vaginal birth. If your baby is in a suitable position and your doctors are prepared to try, it is perfectly possible.

Hiya, I don't know where abouts you are, but it's worth just mentioning, kings mill hospital in Mansfield has the most experienced staff in the country when it comes to breech births. My midwife decided to tell me this AFTER I had had a for breech baby and me being naive enough not to question anything the consultant told me.

Thanks for the replies

I had an evc this morning but the bum is engaged so baby couldn't be turned.

Decided to go for vaginal delivery. Consultant was very positive and didn't see why not.

Fingers crossed

ohh good luck! i hope it all goes well for you.

oh good luck! i dont have experience myself but have 2 friends who have and also saw an amazing home birth video recently of a breech birht, it was amazing! :)

Hi, just to add, my daughter is 5 wks old & was a undiagnosed/misdiagnosed frank breech (feet by her ears!). I ended up having an emcs but was given the option to try for a vb. My reasons for choosing the cs were that I'd already gone through 36 hrs of contractions & a vb (being bed bound on delivery suite, constant monitoring, epidural & high risk of c section at the end of it all) was going to be so far removed from the experience I had wanted (being on mlu, using pool & gas & air) that it just made sense & yet I still felt disappointed. A community midwife (who was pro natural birth) came out the day after I was released from hospital told me she would have made the same decision & that it was in fact much more dangerous to have a small breech baby (she was 6lb 10oz) than a large as their bottoms can drop through the cervix at 9cm dilated and then hang as the head still needs 10cm to pass through. Obviously didn't know this info prior to birth but certainly made me very glad I made the decision I did! Just something worth investigating... Good luck!

Yes, I have a friend who has had 2 breech babies and she said, the bigger they are, the easier it is, and she has had normal presentation births too and she said they weren't that different. The weight of th baby moves it along.

By all means keep an open mind, just hope it all goes well

Good luck - I had a elcs for breech, was v civilised and lower risk - I know you want a vaginal birth, but please be aware it is more risky for the baby. Natural birth IMHO is not a target to aim for at the expense of the best possible outcome. But if you're set, just research the risks.

My baby ended up turning at 39 weeks but I was all set to have a breech vaginal birth.

My consultant said he would only offer them for 2nd and subsequent births.
I also had a MRI/CT scan (not sure of the difference!) just to make sure there was enough room in my pelvis for him to be delivered o.k.

Also my consultant said a breech delivery was safer than a CS in his opinion.

Good luck whatever you decide and also don't let others put you off

Have you googled Mary Cronk and 'hands off the breech'?

I've not had a breech baby myself, but have friends who have. As I understand it there are 3 options: elective section, breech delivery and breech birth. The likely differences between a consultant-led hospital-managed delivery, possibly including use of forceps or manipulation of baby during birth versus a hands-off birth with an experienced midwife in attendance are definitely worth exploring and understanding before making any decision. Midwives experienced in spontaneous vaginal breech birth are sadly getting rarer, so in some areas it is v hard to achieve this option.

OP you've had lots of lovely support on here but I truly urge you to research risks. I had the option of birthing DS vaginally but it would have been horribly risky for him. Yes I missed out on a natural birth but I'd go through the horrors of c-sec recovery again in a heartbeat.

The risk of you sustaining birth injuries is very high with a vaginal birth and consultants notoriously don't give two hoots about birth injury, women tend to deal with it quietly and afterwards. But more to the point, c-sec would be far, far safer for your baby and that has to be the priority?

With c-sec, the chances of your baby sustaining injury are near none, it's just rougher on your body. With vaginal birth, you run the risk of injuring your baby as well as almost certainly sustaining birth injuries yourself.

Again, vaginal birth is great but not the be all and end all.

Great article from the Royal college of Midwives

"The Term Breech Trial's findings (Hannah et al 2000) have been influential for health professionals' attitudes to breech births. And they have imposed a new standard of care for the management of breech deliveries around the world.

The study concluded that, for breech presentations, "the results were clearly in favour of planned caesarean section" over planned vaginal delivery. But after adjustment to exclude women who had had prolonged labour, induction or augmentation, epidural or no skilled/experienced clinician at the birth, the results were similar. "

For some women an elective section will be by far the best and safest option. For others a normal breech birth (not delivery) will be no more risky.

Thanks for the replies.

Pesto- that study has been totally discredited since publication. Even the authors of it have said the findings should be disregarded.

I've done lots of research and have advice from 2 separate consultants and I think it's wrong to generalise and say that breeches are higher risk. It does depend on individual circumstances and I think people should be careful not to scaremonger.

As it happens both consultants are happy for a vaginal and the midwife also felt I've made the right decision based on where things are right now.

Obviously things might change between now and labour or indeed when in labour. I am open to this.

Thanks for the links to Mary Cronk and the difference between a delivery and birth.

Anymore stories and experiences welcome

Whoops- sorry pesto. Misread your post (so used to negative comments already) I agree entirely.

Crackers thanks for not getting defensive, sorry to disagree with you! Fwiw I posted a thread when I was pregnant and umming and ahhing over whether to go for a vaginal birth (under a different name) will see if I can find it. Someone posted a link to stats showing beyond doubt (for me) that c-section would be safer for both mother and baby.

I have an issue with the word 'achieve' when it comes to vaginal birth - the important thing is a healthy baby with minimal damage to mother. If that's a c-section, not a problem IMO and I am confused by some women's desire for a vaginal birth over all.

I totally agree, as long as the baby arrives healthy and safe, it doesn't matter how it gets here. I have had both normal, I hate to use the word normal but don't know how else to put it, birth for normal head down baby, then cs for breech birth. Personally, I would go for vaginal every time, but hits down to my lack of help and support while recovering, but of course, it HAS to be down to how the baby is doing and what is best for her/ him

I just wanted to let you guys know that our little baby boy was born bum first vaginally on Monday morning. It was a fantastic experience. The midwives and doctors knew what they were doing and I'd do it again tomorrow if I could.

We're both doing well.

I'd highly recommend a book by Berna Waites (I think that's the name)- Breech Birth. It separates facts from opinion and goes through all the risks and benefits on breech births, allowing for a more informed discussion with the medical team.

Off to enjoy our lovely boy now...

Such fantastic news.
Congratulations.
Do you mind me asking what hospital you were at? It's just that your medical seem more positive and supportive than most.
ENJOY YOUR BABYMOON.

Congratulations !!

Congrats.

Yay congratulations! Enjoy your baby, makes me feel all fuzzy thinking of a newborn and for you and for your little boy