Breech confusion form midwives

[Sneezy86]

Hoping someone can put my mind at ease more than anything I guess.

Basically- midwives are all convinced baby is head down until they see it on USS and then they look baffled.

Timeline of events:
Saw doc- said breech

2 days later saw midwife- said head down (I questioned her but she was sure)

week later- 32 week scan- breech (made me assume midwife got it wrong)
week and a half later saw consultant- said head down. I questioned this as was breech a week before and she said she was sure but looked and a scan room was free so scanned me- breech!! She was baffled and said if she hadn't seen it she wouldn't have believed it.

2 days later saw different midwife- said head down. I told her the story about being breech 2 days earlier and baffling the consultant and she said she was convinced but as I have a 36 week scan booked it didn't matter. (She was lovely about it).

I have a scan booked for 36 weeks to check but the way I see it there are 4 possible outcomes, 2 of which I don't like!

1- baby ends up right way and all is fine
2- baby gets seen breech at 36 they give me c-section (although not ideal this is fine)
3- baby has always been breech and will stay that way and will show at 36 week scan but midwife at next appointment will think head down and I will go into labour breech :( can this even happen or if she is breech at 36 will they definitely scan again?
4- baby turns a lot and at 36 week scan is head down but then goes breech again and no one knows as they can't seem to tell and I go into labour :(

Sorry for silly question but what is ECV please?

So glad to hear you've got your c-sec booked sneezy - just caught up on thread.

When I had ds 3yrs ago, everyone was convinced he was head down. I went 11 days overdue, got induced and to 4cms after a few hrs...and turns out he was breech! I was scanned quickly then whizzed in for an emcs.

Looking back, he was frank breech the whole time (both scans, didn't move much, very hard lump on top of bump where hiccups would be felt most nights).

As I wanted to avoid all that this time (and I can't trust the medical professionals in terms of where they think baby is) I'm booked in for an elcs on 14th

Best of luck with everything

Thanks for the reassurance. So glad I have a date but everyone going back to work after xmas means days are going soooo slowly.

firstimer30s an ECV is an external cephalic version. Basically where they try to turn baby by literally pushing your bump around. My hospital were actually really good about me saying no. When I had the final scan last week the consultant said 'right there are a few options- we can do an ECV' and I just shook my head before she even explained what it meant and so she continued 'or we can go straight for a c-section' and I said 'that will be fine' so she said she needed to go through the risks of that with me and then booked it up :)

Thanks Sneezy! Why are people not into having ECV generally? Is it basically discomfort and unlikelihood of success? Am 34wks next week so starting this whole exploration soon too!

My personal reasons for not having it done are the following:

Success rates aren't fantastic and those that do turn can turn back.

Success rates are even worse for first time mums. I am one.

Success rates are even worse for 'active' mums and you need a really relaxed abdomen for it to work. I think they even give you drugs to relax you. I have always had a very toned stomach and can even now stand up from the sofa without using my hands and I'm 37.5 weeks.

There is a (albeit small) chance of baby needing to be born immediately as it can go wrong. This terrifies me.

I am also terrified that if they did turn her and it worked they won't realise something is wrong (with the chord for example) and then send me home and then something goes wrong after. I would spend the whole time between ECV and delivery panicking and stressing.

The way I see it- my chance of success given her positioning (which is really weird) is not very good. I feel my baby is safer being born by c-section. The only person more at risk from section is me and my baby's well-being comes before mine. I have put this poor little baby through enough stress during this pregnancy with HG (still being sick now) and numerous episodes of renal colic from kidney stones- I can't stress her out with doctors trying to turn her too.

My midwife didn't pick up that DD might be breech until 38 weeks, and that was at the end of the appointment after I'd already been told she was head down! I suspect she'd missed it at every check as i only ever felt movement low down (I had an anterior placenta so didn't feel much and I assumed it must be her hands) and I never felt her turn. She thought that the head was a bony bum! I was sent for a scan which confirmed it and had a c-section at 39 weeks! I refused ECV for the reasons above; the chance of success at this stage was low and the risks weren't worth it. My c-section was an amazing experience.

Our hospital will only deliver breech babies by c-section. If you go into labour and then they discover the baby is breech you have to have an EMCS.

Best wishes.

Thanks a lot for explaining it Sneezy! Let us ow how it goes and best of luck

Totally not the same I know, but I was recommended this website to turn my ROP baby, by my midwife.