Breech babies - is a CS inevitable?

[PenelopeChipShop]

Has anyone given birth naturally to a breech baby? I would love to hear positive stories if there any out there. I've just had my 36 week appointment and found out my baby is in a frank breech position. Midwife doesn't think it will turn, either on its own or with help from a doctor (I forget the technical name for that).

Am seeing a consultant on Monday but I got the distinct impression from the midwife that a planned CS will be advised. She seemed very unsure when I asked if I could still have a vaginal birth, generally her response was that it does happen but is unusual and not advisable.

Does anyone know any different?

Do have a look at the Spinning Babies site as babies can turn later than people think, though I'm sure that yours won't. :D

ClaireBunting
Actually, if you look up the stats, they are very favourable for spontaneous breech birth"

But that's not a fair comparison is it? The spontaneous ones do do well - it is the ones who get in distress and need forceps or cras c/s that die.

NICE recommends that women who have breech babies are OFFERED c/s but they have every right to decline so it is entirely your choice. You can't be forced to have c/s equally it is worth doing the research because the risks aren't equal. Good luck whatever you decide

That's the same for cephalic presentations too.

Thanks MarsLady am having a look at Spinning Babies and I'm definitely going to give those techniques a go, I've got nothing to lose after all and other people have said their babies turned so why not mine!

The reasons the midwife gave me were that I don't have a huge amount of amniotic fluid and I have an anterior placenta, I'm not sure how much of a problem that presents but will try anyway!

Have you had a look at the Mary Cronk website yet?

I found that really useful and empowering when I was expecting my breech baby.

The bottom line basically, the labour should be spontaneous and natural - absolutely no kind of induction (incl sweep) or augmentation. If the labour progresses steadily (ie contractions getting progressively stronger), then there is a very good change that the baby will be born without any problems at all.

If the labour stops or never really progresses, then chances are the baby is in a position where she cannot be born naturally (eg footling). In that case, it is straight to c-section. The worst thing is to manage the labour using syntocinon and medical positions. If the baby cannot be born naturally, no amount of syntocinon is going to change things, and will only ram her head into your pubic bone.

If you have an ultrasound beforehand, you should know what kind of breech you have and whether it is favourable for labour (ie a frank breech).

I know this is a little off topic, but I don't want to start a thread about a thread...

"The bottom line basically, the labour should be spontaneous and natural - absolutely no kind of induction (incl sweep) or augmentation. If the labour progresses steadily (ie contractions getting progressively stronger), then there is a very good change that the baby will be born without any problems at all.

If the labour stops or never really progresses, then chances are the baby is in a position where she cannot be born naturally (eg footling). In that case, it is straight to c-section. The worst thing is to manage the labour using syntocinon and medical positions. If the baby cannot be born naturally, no amount of syntocinon is going to change things, and will only ram her head into your pubic bone."

If you edit out of the above quote the bits that relate specifically to breech, and baby being physically unable to be born, then this is basically my philosophy for my births fullstop . I think it's roughly what Michel Odent advocates too?

Mine too, Pesto.

Totally natural or C-section are the only choices IMO.

Hi Claire, I have indeed and your post is a pretty accurate summary of her pov as I understand it! I've printed one of her talks off the Internet to take to my appointment and am going to find out owners supportive they would be of a breech birth in my situation, I hope they would be although obviously i'll take advice.

Thanks to the spinning babies site I have spent most of the weekend with my bum in the air!

I had a really straightforward vaginal breech birth at 40 weeks but think i'd have been bullied into a c section if I hadnt presented fully dilated. I'd been sent home from hosptial earlier on in labour having been told baby was head down and no problem. The hospital clearly didnt have much experience of vaginal breech births and they could do with practising their poker faces as seemed to be sheer blind panic when they realised. Thankfully turned out fine - popped out no problem no stitches and no pain control. Looking back was pleased I had a vaginal birth however if i'd have known he was breech and i'd been given a choice beforehand I dont know that i'd have chosen that route

I also had a straightforward vaginal breech birth at 40 weeks. We only found out she was breech at 38+5, they had a go at turning her, but it was quickly obvious that the lady was not for turning. Anyway, consultant talked us through the options - ECS or attempting vaginal delivery, and we decided to go for the latter - assuming she came within a week of the due date - they won't induce breech babies. The consultant essentially said what the Mary Cronk website says - no intervention, and if things don't progress then it goes to CS. He also explained the flaws in the study that a lot of the literature quotes, and gave me the references to that study, and some smaller ones that have been carried out since (unfortunately, I left this in with my notes not realising that i didn't get to keep these after the birth).

I think however the advice very much depends on your consultant. Even within the hospital department i was at there was obviously a difference of opinion - the consultant wrote on my notes that they had to ring him as soon as i was admitted so that it would definitely be him that delivered her, and he said he wouldn't drink til we'd had the baby. He came to see me the day after her birth and said it's a shame that more women won't try for a breech delivery, and that when he was first training they'd deliver a lot of babies that way up with no problems. However, the study that has now been discredited made people move away from breech deliveries, so midwives and doctors have been losing the 'art' to delivering them.

Good luck with whatever you go for.