Breech baby - attempt ECV or book a section?

[Isean]

I'm looking for anyone with any experience or advice to offer on ECV in particular.

I'm 36 weeks & baby has been breech for at least the last 8 weeks.
I have obstetric cholestasis so consultant advised that baby be delivered around 38 weeks. However I have just spent the last 6 days in hospital due to raised blood pressure. I was carefully monitored & my BP has been stable & normal the last few days so they discharged me this morning.
I will be seen twice a week at the day case unit as I had been since the OC diagnosis.
The consultant wants to see me at 37 weeks and if baby has turned I'll be given an induction date, if baby is still breech I have the option of an ECV and if it works I'll be induced, or if I choose not to try the ECV I'll be given a date for an elective section.

I'm anxious because when my BP was raised they told me a section was the only option as anything else was too risky. As my BP is stable again they are happy.

Can anyone offer me any advice or experience?

My second was breech for a bout 6 weeks prior to the due date, but turned about two days before I gave birth, naturally. I had no idea he had turned, didn't feel a thing. They talked to me about ECV but I had told them no sodding way, I was huge and very uncomfortable and hated anyone touching my bump.

Just goes to show you have no idea what can happen. But if they say a CS is the only option I'd go with it. Try not to worry about what might happen. You are allowed to say no to something you don't want or feel is right, however you have to balance this up with C-section V natural birth that could be trickier if your blood pressure is high.

Induction can be a very lengthy stop start process, or can be super quick. What you need is the less stressfull option for you and your baby.

I would recommend an ECV as the risks are much less compared with a C-section. Recovery is generally easier after a vaginal birth than a C-Section. Best wishes

I've declined the ECV but that's because my baby is very big and transverse rather than breech. After research and talking to midwife, registrar etc I thought the likelihood of success was too low for me to take the (albeit small) risk and don't want yet another uncomfortable procedure (I've had a difficult pregnancy).

I'm now booked for an ELCS at 39 weeks bit have been told I'll need EMCS if I go into labour or waters break before then.

Check the Birth Choice website for the ECV success rates for your particular hospital.

I couldn't have the ECV when I was pregnant with my DS as I had low amniotic fluid. The CS was fine, recovery was ok and I have had less problems than some friends who had vaginal births.

The main downside for me though is I am now pregnant again and being treated as higher risk due to the CS. I can't go to the local Midwife Led unit which is annoying and they will want to do CFM during my labour.

I've heard ECVs are a bit horrible but if you are thinking of more DC I would think of the implications of having a CS. Apart from that it was great though!

I had an unsuccessful ECV and wouldn't recommend them to anyone. I was only given a 30% chance of success, and it was so painful I only had one out of the three chances I was offered. This baby is also breech and I'll be refusing again and booking an ELCS, my first was a totally positive experience.

Thanks for your feedback everyone. I am off to day case this morning for monitoring for the cholestasis & hope to see the consultant then.
I am armed with questions about success rates at my hospital, anterior placenta, possible risks & injury to baby, etc.
I am still reluctant about this procedure, but I am trying other natural methods to try to turn baby as ideally I would like a vaginal birth. Hopefully baby will turn of it's own accord in the next week!
36 + 2

Look for an osteopath experienced in treating pregnant women. If you're anywhere in the south of London, PM me for details of mine (also a good friend), who treated me (baby had been Breech for a couple of months) - a week later she had turned. It's natural, non-invasive, gentle - definitely worth trying before an ECV or a section. Good luck!

good luck with the turning. my baby is breech and it wasn't picked up at 36 weeks so we decided to go for elcs. I didn't want to try ecv because of the low success rate and we want to keep the stress down to a min so not going for vac as we really wanted originally. I'm going in on Monday at 38+4. terrified but excited - this is my first. I'll try and check back in later and let you know.