Presentation scan...

[FlirtyThirty]

Can someone explain why this isn't standard towards the end of pregnancy or in labur? Straight cost??

I am seriously considering having a private one this time, after DS1 was a horrendous back to back birth. Also for some reason I'm utterly terrified about cord rund neck problems this time...

A good midwife can tell by touch which way a baby is lying so why bother with a scan? Supposing they find that it's breech, there's still not that much they can do.

Midwives can generally tell by touch (not always).

What would you expect them to do if they scan you and find your baby is OP?

Babies change position during labour. You could start OA and go OP, during the course of things.

What's the point? You sound stressed Maybe you need www.spinningbabies.com

Soz can't link properly. On phone.

Usually MWs can tell by touch. Not sure what you would want them to do if baby was back to back. It's just another position, yes can make labour longer and more painful, but, it isn't something they are going to be able to do much about.
As other posters have said; babies turn in labour too. Best way to avoid B2B is to spend plenty of time on all fours and sitting very upright not slouching in a chair (damn our comfy sofas). that said some babies won't budge - DS1 was back to back and my knees were sore from leaning aginst chairs/sofas while kneeling and nothing moved him

Oh you poor thing.

I wouldn't bother with a scan either. I think it's unusual to do them because babies can change position right till the finish line.

If it is your second baby then they don't even engage till labour starts, as you probably know...my second was in the right position when my labour began, apparently - LOA or ROA? Can't remember which way round it is - then half way through labour he was moving round and ended up coming out back to back. (cheers, son)

It was only a three hour labour as well. He was just awkward I think.

As a midwife, I request a presentation scan if I am not sure the baby is coming headfirst. Otherwise not.

I don't give any different advice or care prelabour even if I suspect OP. I encourage all women to be upright and active. This is why
: I haven't observed any marked difference between those who do specific exercises and those who don't
: of babies that are OP at the end of first stage, 40% turned that way DURING labour (study done using ultrasound in labour)
: most OP babies turn without help in labour and the midwife and mother don't observe any difference from other labours
: in 2nd or 3rd labours, the contractions are more powerful and effective at pushing the baby to touch the pelvic floor which encourages them to pivot into OA
:2nd and 3rd labours are also usually shorter, so the woman has the energy to be upright, which helps and is less likely to ask for an epidural which does not (although very good for pain relief).

I agree I think alot of time and energy etc would be saved if generally more people could scan in hospitals and there were more machines...

Towards the end of labour is it easier to tell which way the baby is presented.

I only ask because at 31 weeks my MW thought baby was head down, but she had a scan machine and had a quick look and it was breech?

Flirty

If i were you I would simply have a scan to have a look and reassure yourself.

Thank you so much for replies!
Sorry if I sounded melodramatic...I'm not really!

I understand OP is nothing in particular to worry about. I do wish that I had been made aware that DC1 was OP prior to being in labour though - I know I may not have been able to turn him, but I would at least have tried.

Secondly, I have a very experienced midwife friend (sadly Overseas) who had a good feel of my tummy and said this baby is currently OP too...which makes sense given the movements I get. This has not been mentioned by my hospital midwife in what can best be described as a cursory poke at my midriff in my last appointment. I understand baby could move ...am 38wks and 3/5 engaged... but would have liked her comments anyway.

I am particularly interested that the midwives n here don't think a scan a start of labour would be useful to them. I am utterly impressed at their ability to assess baby's position but surprised that a general check on how things are wouldn't be useful.

Thanks for replying...will just see what comes I guess.

Maybe I'm missing something Flirty but I still don't see what benefit a scan at the start of labour would provide. What would this general check tell you/me? One of the principles I work by is before I perform a procedure consider how the result would change my management. If nothing would change there is no benefit to performing it, as is often the case with VE's for example. Optimal fetal positioning is something I encourage for all women not just the ones who have an OP positioned baby.

I suppose my midwife felt where the baby was at the start - well when she arrived which was when I was about 3-4cm dilated.

And that was about an hour after it began.
And then, during the next 2 hours he still turned OP. It didn't make my labour much longer than it would have been otherwise - but they said that had he been another way round, the pushing stage would have been half as long probably (it was half an hour-ish).

There was nothing anyone could have done.

My ds was in the perfect position at the start of labour, he was born 72 hours later having done a complete 360! Mostly OP but turned again as I pushed him out.
My point is, they can turn right up until the very last push and no amount of scans could prepare for that!