Planned vaginal birth with breech baby

[JollyMarie79]

Has anyone refused the c-section for a confirmed breech baby and had a natural vaginal birth. If so please could you share your story with me.

Please no bashing about safety of section vs vaginal birth in breech presentation. I am merely looking at my options so as to draw my own conclusion and make a decision.
Any signposting to POSITIVE experiences and research would be great too.

No Negative stories please. I've already researched that side and am now wanting to hear the positive.

Many thanks in advance

Rachel in Friends did fine as did my auntie in 1967. Don't know of any others who've risked it though.

No bashing as you've requested but please bear in mind that as there are so few breech vaginal births in this country, professionals have de-skilled and it may be hard to find midwives with sufficient practical experience of breech delivery.

Thanks,
I'm looking for anyone who has a genuine birth story to share and can signpost but cheers for your comments anyway.

I had a vaginal breech birth with dc1. It wasn't planned however as I wasn't aware that he was breech and arrived at hospital fully dilated. Midwife who did initial examination was very surprised and consultant advised to try vaginal birth. Was very straightforward - pushed for about 10 mins No pain control, no interventions, no tears. I was up and about straight away. Ds1 was also fine apart from some very swollen little boy bits which got squished on the way out. It can be done!

I had vaginal birth with my dd in 1998. Had to fight for it quite hard and wasn't sure I'd be allowed one but I went into labour on a quiet Saturday and I think that helped! It was during the 6 Nations rugby and the consultant and anaesthetist were pretty chilled and happy to leave things for the midwives until the last minute. I had an epidural incase an emergency section was needed and the labour progressed very gently and calmly. She was actually a footling breech which meant that one (purple!) foot appeared first, at which point we were swiftly whisked into theatre and I had the sense of everyone being on high alert. I knew I didn't have long to get her out and the consultant had his scissors poised for an episiotomy, but luckily she was born with the next almighty push.

It was a great, positive experience - I'm not sure I was really aware of any risk until I saw a breech delivery on Call the Midwife a few years ago!

Thank you for these positive experiences.

THere are some nice vaginal breech birth stories on homebirth.org.uk e.g. www.homebirth.org.uk/kathryn.htm.

I wish I had had the courage to stand up to the consultant and try for a VB with DS1

I felt that I was given no choice and railroaded into a CS.

Good luck, I hope you have the birth you want, whichever way you decide in the end.

Thank you xxx

Hi. I found out my first dc was breech at 38 weeks 2 years ago. I immediately switched to consultant led care and the consultant presented the options as elcs or vb. He talked me through the two and we spent a couple of days considering it and decided to go with a vb but with a elcs booked for if i went too late as they won't induce breech. There were some constraints - labour had to proceed normally, and any problems it would go to emcs sooner than a normal birth, but i was happy with these. Dd delivered at 40+2, bottom first. No problems during delivery or after, gas and air only and a small episiotomy.
Just had second dc two days ago - head first this time - totally different experience but i actually found this time round more painful. Send me a message if you want more chat. I'm heading to feed the world for advice on breast feeding!

I was a breech vb...in the 70s. My dm insisted on it because there is a small age gap between me & my sibling & she wanted to be up and about as soon as possible after birth. It was fine, apparently.

Google Ina May Gaskin Breech.

Some great stories.

Good luck either way!

I was breech. Mum was booked in for a CS initially but went into labour. The consultant had done scans that showed I was in a 'good' breech position and they said she had 'good hips' so they went ahead. She remembers there being lots of people there, but was a bit off her face on gas and air. Poor Dad had been asked to step outside room at one point, then a bell rang and lots of people ran in to watch, and he was forgotten about, he was so worried something had gone wrong. But I'm fine.

My own daughter was breech too, but only diagnosed when I arrived at hospital in labour. I had an EMCS. I suspect that she wasn't putting enough pressure on my cervix though, as I wasn't that far dilated but had 2-3 minute contractions.

I had a VB delivery v recently, planned with and supported by the staff on my delivery unit. I really didn't want a CS and they were really happy to go down the VB route: no induction though, or assisted delivery except possibly for the head, CFM and basically any problems or ftp would be straight to section. The staff were amazing, I had a mobile monitor on so could bounce and change position, only gas until 9 cm when I was told I pretty much had to have an epi to stop involuntary premature pushing (danger of head getting stuck). I had a long stage 2 and both emcs and episiotomy were threatened but once he started to come he came v quickly. No stitches and apart from bruised boy bits (healed in days) he's fine, both much better for me not having to recover from a section. My experience was v positive - I always felt the worst that would happen was a cs due to ftp, which was not much different to the other option. I had competent and supportive medical staff though. PM me if you want more details.

I've not birthed a breach baby but live in a country where it is much more common. Breach is just another variation of normal
I came across this site today which might be of help.
Consider hooking up with a local positive birth movement group or liking them on facebook and putting a call out for positive breach stories
Have a good look at spinning babies it has lots of positions for labour when birthing a breach baby.

I have posted about mine before if you do a search.

It does depend on the type of breech and the skill of your healthcare professionals.

Mine was fine

I think a lot depends on the attitude of your hospital and the skills of the staff there. I was very keen on attempting a vaginal breech birth but was told that at my hospital it would mean epidural, flat on my back in stirrups, large episiotomy and forceps for the head. Maybe they were trying to put me off but it worked, and in the end I very very reluctantly had an elcs. Reading some of these stories makes me quite emotional even now 3 years later thinking that with better support I could have had the birth I wanted - I think even now I'm still not fully at peace with the elcs as part of me will always wonder how necessary it was. Good luck whatever you decide.

My friend recently gave birth to her 2nd, did not know he was breech until he was coming out, very fast 3 hour labour with no complications or pain relief!

Dd1 was breech. Had a normal delivery, she and I were both fine. She had her hips checked after her birth and a few weeks later, but they were fine too. I was a lovely birth.

Her dad was born a breech too, on the same day 23 years earlier.

All staff on labour ward have mandatory training in vaginally breech at least once a year, all the senior midwives will have delivered breech babies and I've never met another registrar that hasn't never mind consultant so the staff are trained. As I'm sure you've found out there's research suggesting section is safer in prims but the term breech trial was hugely flawed so there's no great evidence. As others have said they wouldn't induce, would want someone to progress normally and many would suggest an epidural because of the manoeuvres that are sometimes used for the head but actually people often do brilliantly without one so it's whatever you think at the time. I don't think there's any reason you shouldn't give it a go as long as you and baby are healthy. If your consultant isn't keen or helpful then book an appointment with the supervisor of midwives. Good luck!

Thank you for all your comments. I didn't realise it was as common as it was and providing we are both healthy then I shall be pushing for a vaginal birth.
Further research has suggested to me that when you weigh up the risks of c-sec and risks of vaginal breech birth then in second pregnancies such as mine the risks of vb are much lower than a c-sec which makes sense when you think about it. Giving birth whether breech or ceph is a normal process whereas a c-sec is major surger (not disputing anyone who has had a c-sec as it's such a personal choice).
I tend to make my decisions on evidence based research and personal experiences... I think my mind is made up. Thanks ladies xx

I don't know how far along you are, but your baby may move yet: my mam was told to prepare for a emergency c-sect as I was breech at 36 weeks and the risk was considered too great, especially for an older mother. The doctor didn't think there was much chance I'd move as my mam is pretty little and there can't have been much room, but somehow I did and my mam was able to have a 'normal' vaginal delivery.

My cousin had to have one in Japan and said it wasn't pleasant!
( compared to two births after)

Jolly my second birth was breech. Very speedy and pushing stage v quick. I did have a lot of people come in to watch as it is rarer. Certainly easier than my first (head first birth). Hope it all goes well.