Breech baby at 36+6, planned section at 39w and going into labour beforehand

[purpleviolet1]

Hi, I'm 36+6 with number 1 and am awaiting a date for c section to be as close to 39w as possible. I've been having lots of period like aches in my lower tummy and back, radiating into my thighs. Started over a week ago but the episodes are more frequent now. I'm not sure if these count as contractions as the ache comes on, and then the pain peaks and troughs within that ache. I've had the 'ache' most of the day today.

Phoned EPU and they just said that if it gets worse to phone again, it could be the start of labour or it might not be.

As to not drop feed, I have gestational diabetes and the fluid levels have been dropping over the last few weeks (either diabetes related or leaking fluid, cause not determined).

They didn't recommend an ECV as I have heavy scarring from a previous operation.

Has anyone experienced going into labour before elcs? When did you go into Hosp? How far do they let you progress before taking you for emcs?

I've not had a 'show' but have had a lot of discharge , unsure if this is part of the mucus plus. I don't believe my waters have completely gone either.

The pain is bad enough for me to be pacing around now.

Hi purpleviolet1 - If the pain is not going off, is worsening, and is making you pace around, that sounds very much like labour and I think you need to ring labour ward and be quite insistent that you want to go in for an assessment.

There is no degree to which they deliberately let you progress, it is just "if you are definitely labouring", and any cervical dilation means you are labouring. If you're clearly getting strong regular contractions, they may not even pay too much attention to the cervix.

If they're busy with other emergencies, they will get to you ASAP but yes, some people have started dilating by then. The more you dilate, the higher on their priority list you will be!
If they really feel you are not doing much, they may suggest keeping you overnight to observe and giving you some painkillers, as caesarean during the day is always that bit safer due to more staff being around.

But bottom line - get checked out.

Thank you for replying, the pain has eased now as I am using a heat pad on my back and I'm hoping I'll be able to nod off. It's just that when the pain is full force it's really sore/ feel sweaty with it and pacing around but right now it feels more manageable. I'm not sure I will manage to nod off but I'll see how the night goes...

I just hope it doesn't stand still like this for days on end, it either stops completely or it progresses as it's really quite exhausting.

Thanks for your explanation though, it's exactly what I was looking to understand.

Hi, I managed to get some sleep albeit broken. The pains felt they were bearable but every 5-6 mins this morning when I monitored for half an hour. Lasting around 30 seconds. Now they have stopped again. Will continue to monitor. Don't want to go in and they hook me on the machine which monitors contractions and nothing happens!

Can anyone share their experiences of going into labour/ Hosp and explain at which point they agreed to do emcs?

I had an elective booked for breech at 39 plus 6 because I wanted to give the baby as much time as possible to turn. My waters broke at 38 plus 2 at 6am and I was in theatre by 10.45am having arrived at hospital to be checked by about 7am. I wasn't dilated at all. They felt the baby would have to come in the next 24-48 hours due to waters having broken so gave me the option of immediate c section. They did a scan first. Important to insist on the scan because babies can turn last minute.

Thank you xx

Sorry forgot to say the doctors took comfort in my waters going naturally because they said that probably meant the baby was ready to be born and lungs more likely to be mature. At just 37 weeks they might want to delay for as long as possible with you due to lung maturity if you haven't dilated much - I think if you are nervous though about breech position you could insist on staying in should labour ramp up quickly. Always insist for things to go into your notes in writing if they for example try and send you home and baby is still breech on scan.

That's really helpful thank you. The pains have been much better than yesterday so wondering if it was just a false alarm but it's good to know what would happen anyway.

My first was breech and my waters broke a few days before I had been booked in for my section. I just went straight to hospital and was given a section after being monitored for a while. Just insist that you are having labour signs and want to be monitored.

My waters broke at 37.5 weeks and I therefore couldn't have my planned section from breech baby. They wanted to wait until morning but after 3 hours I was 6cm so they had to crack on. I think it depends on time of day as well. I admitted in the night and they prefer to do sections in the day I was told. If you can hang on they'd probably do it for the day time. Otherwise they'll do it as soon as they can. Good luck

I was 37+3 when my waters went at 3am, I called the maternity unit and they asked me to come in. They checked if I was dilated which I wasn't so I went for my CS at 11ish as an emergency but not urgent section and DD arrived safely. They did check a few times that she was still breech.

Just updating for anyone reading thread in the future

I continued to get period like cramps and on the evening of 14th, my waters broke. I phoned triage and they said to come in with my hospital bag. Arrived at Hosp at around 9pm. Contractions had started and was taken to theatre just after midnight where they are performed an emcs. They would've taken me up earlier but I had eaten at 7pm. They said the earliest they could safely take me was 10.30pm but then there was a delay as an emergency came in. We had a baby boy!

Congratulations purple !

Congratulations xx