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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

36 weeks - Baby flipping from head down to transverse at 36 weeks

19 replies

bamalamlam · 04/01/2017 12:00

Anyone got any experience of a baby that flips between head down and transverse? At 28 weeks baby was transverse, at 32 head down, at 36 transverse again. I can feel him flipping as his kicks move and sometimes there's a big lump (probably a bum?) sticking out at the top of my stomach. It's hard for me to be sure but if I lie on my side for 30 mins the kicks tend to be back at the top of my stomach again so I think that flips him back quite successfully. Also, based on where the kicks r I think baby is head down most of the time. Midwife seemed a little concerned at 36 week app. I have a scan next week to check position and other things. Should I be concerned about this? Is there anything I should be doing to try to get baby in a more stable position? Is it less worrying given that the baby seems to flip back to head down relatively easily if I lay on my side? Any tips? Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

wundringnow · 04/01/2017 14:22

Yes, my third baby was rolling round in there like a sausage in a washing machine until 39-40 weeks. I got quite anxious because when she was transverse at my 36 and 37 week appointments, they started talking about admitting me for 3 weeks of hospital observation which sounded awful. Then she was breech at the next appointment and finally head down.

I made a few half hearted attempts at turning her, from the website spinning babies, but it didn't seem worth it when she kept flipping back to a different position.

No advice really other than to try and relax, since it's most likely baby will engage properly in its own time, and if you do start going into early labour when you suspect a transverse lie, call your midwife or hospital asap as that can be the risk.

Sparrowlegs248 · 04/01/2017 14:25

Pretty sure mine is doing this. Was head down at a scan at 34 weeks. 36 weeks now and certain that it's transverse. Got a consultant appointment tomorrow so will see where it is then!

Anyone knows what happens if it stays transverse?

StopShoutingAtYourBrother · 04/01/2017 15:52

I do. My ds was traverse and stubbornly stayed that way. Due to experience with my first dc and complications with my first birth I had a c section as it was thought highly unlikely he would move to head down. This suited me fine, but if you are keen to deliver vaginally then you could try something like Spinning babies although I have no personal experience with them. Good luck!

McBaby · 04/01/2017 16:55

Dd2 turned transverse at 38 weeks. I was told I wasn't allowed to leave the hospital after that due to risk of cord prolapse.

I had 3 options ecv and induction, c section or stay in till labour started.

I opted for ecv and immediate induction. She was born 36 hours later.

I felt if she had enough room to turn from head down and engaged to transverse they they could put her back!! It was very quick and painless.

Sparrowlegs248 · 04/01/2017 19:09

Bloody hell, didn't realise it was a risk. Maybe good job I've got an appointment tomorrow then. Although I think baby if flipping about quite a bit.

I need to decide re vbac or repeat elcs so this may help!

Sorry to hijack your thread op.

StopShoutingAtYourBrother · 04/01/2017 21:40

My first was back to back and I had tried nearly everything to persuade baby to turn but she was having none of it. Was still back to back when delivered so that's why I went for c section as experience told me my babies were stubborn creatures who were going to stay in the position they wanted to, complications or not!

wundringnow · 04/01/2017 22:29

Nottalotta, if the baby is transverse and you go into labour, it's an emergency Caesar and there's a risk of cord prolapse, which is bad news for the baby.

That small risk is the reason they stress a bit if a baby is lying transverse towards the end with no sign of turning. It's the concern that labour will start, the cervix will dilate and the baby has no way to exit.

SilkThreads · 04/01/2017 22:33

My first was a standing breech and was a medically advised C-Sec.
I was keen on v-bac for 2nd but she was transverse all the way through.
I lived 5m from the Hosp and wanted a home birth but was told no option but C-Sec. She was delivered at 37+4.
The cord prolapse risk is small but real and can cut off oxygen to the baby.

Original poster

bamalamlam · 05/01/2017 08:19

Yikes! Well I guess we'll have to see how this goes over the next few weeks. I'm pretty sure baby is head down again now (I can feel kicks on top of tummy and little wriggly arms down low).ive looked at spinning babies but lying on my side seems very effective so will stick with that. If I lay on my left side he goes head down again within 30 mins so I'm going to do that every time I feel the kicks move so that he doesn't get too comfy lying sideways. I think he has too much room in there as they r saying he's small but my stomach is massive . Maybe when he gets bigger and it's harder to move he will stay put better! Fingers crossed! If I go into labour I'll get the position checked immediately but my babies r normally late so I expect we have quite a few weeks yet!

OP posts:

BWatchWatcher · 05/01/2017 08:23

I had two who were transverse right up to 40 weeks but turned.
Do not go for ecv if you are rh-.
They were going to go a for a c-section but an ultrasound on my induction day showed they had turned.
I was told if I had any labour signs then I should go straight to hospital due to the risk of cord prolapse.

Original poster

bamalamlam · 05/01/2017 11:14

I'm so paranoid about the baby's position at the moment. I keep trying to figure out if it's moved but it's not always easy to tell. I wouldnt consent to ecv in my circumstances so it would be a cs but Im trying (and failing) not to worry yet given baby is often head down too.

OP posts:

Sparrowlegs248 · 05/01/2017 11:20

I wouldn't have ecv either, didn't with ds who was breech. I wouldn't be unhappy with elcs but Ds is only 17 months so it's going to be hard looking after him.

Waiting to see consultant.......

Original poster

bamalamlam · 05/01/2017 11:51

Is your baby always transverse or still moving around NottaLotta. If you google 'spinning babies transverse' there are some things you can try. Mine flips back before I had chance to try them though!

OP posts:

Sparrowlegs248 · 05/01/2017 13:42

Flipping like a blummin fish out of water! Looks like I'll be at section again now (currently on assessment unit....) so may not matter too much.

Original poster

bamalamlam · 05/01/2017 16:32

Hope all is okay NottaLotta and your getting good care on the assessment unit.

OP posts:

SerialReJoiner · 05/01/2017 16:41

My ds was transverse but we didn't find out until I was 10 days overdue. Immediately booked in for a section the next day with an overnight hospital stay. That night my waters broke on their own and I did end up with a prolapsed cord and an emcs. It really is very rare, but a definite risk with malpositioned babies. He was totally fine, received excellent care and high apgar scores. Glad I was in hospital that night and it was caught in time - I really didn't notice he was sideways at all.

shatteredstudentmum · 05/01/2017 16:45

My 2nd was the same at 36 weeks, flipping around a few times a day. I had very low iron too and even though I lived literally next door to the hospital I ended up admitted for 6 days until late he had stayed still for a couple of days. Unfortunately he stopped at breech so ended up with a planned cs at 39 weeks after an ecs first time around .

Really didn't want to be admitted but consultant told me if my waters went they had about 7 minutes to get him out before things went wrong which really shocked me.

BaskingTrout · 09/01/2017 11:24

I was hoping for a vbac after an emcs with dd. She was a transverse presentation at delivery, i.e. Head down but back to hip rather than either the "correct" position or back to back.

But ds was flipping around all over the place the whole pregnancy. He was mostly transverse but would flip to diagonal, head down and breech as the mood took him. I was kept a close eye on for the last few weeks of pregnancy in the hope he would go head down but he really never did. I could be watch my tummy move and change shape as he flipped about. I felt like a washing machine.

I was admitted to the ante natal ward at 38 weeks because the risk was too great. The hospital was very supportive of my attempts at vbac. The plan was, if he stayed head down for any length of time, they would break my waters in theatre and try to do a "stabilising induction" which means once the waters have gone and the baby is head dow,n, the risk of cord prolapse reduces.

Unfortunately ds was having none of it. I got examined on the ward, he was head down, went straight to theatre to break my waters. By that point, he was diagonal. We gave up and went for the CS. By the time they sorted me out for the CS and got the spinal in and started, he was breech. During the CS, he flipped to transverse again, got totally stuck and they had to drag him out by a foot!! Awkward boy!!

He was born at 39+2 so I had just over a week on the ward. OP be prepared to be in hospital for a while beforehand, get your bag packed, take it with you to all appointments, get any childcare or other admin sorted. Hopefully you won't need it all but don't get caught out! Best of luck!

BaskingTrout · 09/01/2017 11:29

Sorry, that was really long! And I was told the 7 minute thing as well.

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