A big breech baby - what happens next?

[Cakehead]

My baby has been breech for the last 3 months or so. I'm nearly 36 weeks into my pregnancy. Yesterday I had an ultra sound to see the position and it was still breech, but was also measuring very big - on the 97% line. I've got an appointment with a consultant in 10 days time to talk about turning it, but have also heard that they don't like to turn big babies. Does anyone know what happens from here? I'm not under the care of my local midwife anymore, as the hospital said they'd take over from here, but they're not telling me much.

no advice but bump!

you should speak to someone at AIMs

AIMS Helpline - 0870 765 1433

(www.aims.org.uk/)

they will be able to advise you about your choices and what your hospital should be offering you...

Mary Cronk is a midwife very experienced in breech birth...

www.marycronkmidwiferyservices.co.uk/

i have heard she will give advice, even if you can't afford her full services

Just remember - babies can turn right up to and during labour, and that an ElCS is NOT your only option. If it were me, i would employ an independent midwife (like mary cronk) to make sure i had the best chance possible of a natural birth ( rather than an unnecessary CS) but that's just me!

Maybe you could phone your consultant and ask what their policy is? Maybe you could call your midwife and ask her to see you again (you have a right to refuse consultant care! it is YOUR choice!)

hope that helps, and hope it all goes well for you

Hannah x

bump

Lissie, I had a baby that was breech just like you right up until the end, I had an elective c section, mainly because I had been born breech and my mum didn't have any more children because of the experience , and also they did not offer to try to turn my baby, but I wasn't going to allow them to do that anyway because my Aunty had a baby turned in Australia (almost 40 years ago, so I'm sure that things have changed) and her baby was very unfortunately strangled by the cord and born still born. My c-section was absolutely fine, I was up within 6 hours and in the bath and I went home after 2 nights in hospital, I was absolutely fine, could do everything and was a lot more mobile than a lot of the poor ladies with stitches!

funkyhan has some great advice there

I think a baby being still born due to ECV, would be rare, and certainly it is a risk, but on the whole, i imagine it is small.....also, ECV is done with scanning before, during and after, hopefully, any such issues with the cord becoming entangled around the baby could be picked up on?

also, it is worth bearing in mind

a) growth scans can be inaccurate

b) women tend to grown the size of baby they can birth

c) success rates of ECV vary, so check with your hospital

d) there is time for baby to turn, you could try moxibustion or pulsatilla ( acupuncture and homeopathy ) and tips to turn a breech on here www.gentlebirth.org

this happened to me too with DD.I was told she would be over 10 lb. The plan was to book me in for a turn and induce me 3 days early because of the size. I went into labour that morning which made it difficult for them to turn her as the contrations were obviously making my tummy go stiff ect. They tried for only about 20 mins and then we went for a section instead. Completly fine in the end . DD was only 9lb 5 in the end anyway. Try not to worry xxxx good luck

Advice I was told though in your position at 36 weeks was that if my waters broke go in straight away

Thanks everyone for the advice - really useful, and helpful to have those links. I just feel a bit left in the dark at the moment, but I suppose there's time for things to right themselves naturally. Fingers crossed. DD was a very easy natural birth, so I'd been anticipating the same again. Silly me...