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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Breech at 38 weeks, did u have a natural birth or c section?

39 replies

yumeymummy · 03/07/2007 21:06

I saw my mw today and was told that at 38+2 my baby is breech. I have to have a scan and then theyll go from there. They said theyd probably try turning it if not then itd b mostly likely c section.
Has anyone been in similar situation?
What happened?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

pendulum · 03/07/2007 21:48

hi, I knew my DD was breech from earlier on (34-ish IIRC). I declined turning and had a planned c-section. It was a positive, calm experience.

What are your thoughts on mode of delivery? is this your first?

maisym · 03/07/2007 21:52

for me turning didn't work so had a c/s as footling breech. Was happy about this & a good experience.

bambi06 · 03/07/2007 21:55

my dd didnt turn until right near the end and had so many scans to keep checking but she turned in the end.i used various positions plus homeopathy but theres also acupuncture and reflexology too..

Original poster

yumeymummy · 03/07/2007 22:06

This is my 2nd baby. Had a normal natural delivery with him.
So this was a shock.
Im in 2 minds what i feel about it really. The idea of having it turned isnt wonderful as heard it can b painful but a c section isnt appealling either!!
Im unsure what will happen and how ill feel about either option.

OP posts:

pendulum · 03/07/2007 22:20

You have a better chance of naturally delivering a breech if it is not your first. a lot depends on baby's position as well (nicely folded up but upside down is easier to get out than one with legs and arms all over the place like my DD.)

3 years on the only reason I am at all bothered about having had a section is that it is more difficult to deliver subsequent babies naturally. I will be opting for another section with my next baby, due in september. If you are keen to have more that may give you a reason to try to do it naturally.

Annie75 · 04/07/2007 10:05

I'm a few weeks behind you and have been looking into this too as I'm currently breech.

Other previous breech MNetters say that their babies often didn't turn until the end of the 38th week, so there is still time for you.

ECV (turning) is meant to have a good success rate (between 60-70%). You should make sure you ask which consultant will be doing it and see how their success rate measures up against this, as success seems to be based on skill and experience.

I'm keen to avoid a c-section (major op with associated recovery time and scarred uterus - but also v successful process) and have always wanted to give birth naturally and at home. Saw my midwife yesterday and she said that, although they wouldn't 'let' me labour a breech at home, it doesn't necessarily mean a c-section because as long as I'm in hospital and the baby is in an okay breech position (think it's the footling breech that they get twitchy about because of the risk of cord prolapse) they'd be game for me to have a vaginal birth.

Remember too, that you can try and labour vaginally and if it's not looking great, you can go for a c-section from there. That's my preferred option, although many people hate the idea of leaving it all to chance.

Disappointing, isn't it? Especially when you think the stats are about 3-4% for a breech, it feels dead unlucky! I'll have my fingers crossed for you for a late turn!

Klaw · 04/07/2007 10:41

Keep your hands off the Breech by Mary Cronk. Mary Cronk is a very well respected Independent Midwife who's views on Breech birth I think are totally sound. I'm also posting the links I have on a resource post on another board. HTHs.

If baby is Breech:
www.radmid.demon.co.uk/Skills.htm
www.breechbabies.com/contents.htm
www.birthinternational.com/articles/andrea13.html
www.mother-care.ca/breech.htm
www.moondragon.org/obgyn/pregnancy/breech.html

So baby's not in the best position:
www.spinningbabies.com/
www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm
www.gentlebirth.org/archives/position.html

myjobismum · 04/07/2007 10:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

perpetuaphoenixfire · 04/07/2007 11:04

ds4 was breech, all others totally normal so imagine the shock i had if you think no 2 is a surprise! add on to that i planned a homebirth and only got to hospital because of meconium in water, we discovered he was breech when i was 5cm dilated and going quickly so i didnt have time to discuss options, i just had em cs under ga. it does take longer to get over cs but i did almost nothing for 2 weeks, then had to start school run again as dh was back at work and i was tired but fine. am actually really pleased i didnt know before had as i didnt have the stress you are going through now and the section wasnt as awful as i thought it would be, was v uncomfortable for first few days but take all the painkillers they give you and you will be fine if you go for that option. good luck

Mumpbump · 04/07/2007 11:05

My baby was in breech at the 22 week scan so I've been swotting up on this a bit. There was similar thread wihin the last couple of weeks - I'll see if I can find and link it for you. I think someone on there said that the hospital arranged for their more experienced midwives to be on duty when her breech baby was expected. Mary Cronk article is good to read...

Mumpbump · 04/07/2007 11:06

Here you go - turns out I'm still watching it so that was easy!

risks of breech birth

castlesintheair · 04/07/2007 11:10

DS1 was breech throughout pg, tried turning him, didn't work, had a c-section.
DD1 was transverse throughout pg, had a c-section during which (or just before) she turned to breech.
DD2 was transverse/breech throughout the pg and she turned to head down when I went into labour at 38 weeks. Still had to have a c-section.

evenhope · 04/07/2007 11:13

This happened to me with number 5 (all the others normal delivery). Midwife came for final chat about home birth and realised baby was breech- cue panic! Tried ECV but it didn't work and was incredibly painful (success rate is actually more like 50%) so booked a planned CS.

As a needle phobic I was worried sick but I must say it was a really positive experience and nowhere near as painful as hours of normal labour. No wonder the slebs go for it

castlesintheair · 04/07/2007 11:16

Yes, I agree, having a c-section's not that bad especially if it's not an emergency, though after the 3rd one I felt quite feeble for a while but that could just be having 3 dcs!

Annie75 · 04/07/2007 11:56

Klaw - that radical midwives link is really interesting and raises some new ideas for me around breech births. I hasn't considered that there might be a physiological reason for the baby choosing a breech position (short cord, small pelvis). It's so useful to be able to get this info - makes me feel much better prepared for conversations with medical staff.

flibbertyjibbet · 04/07/2007 12:15

I had a consultant appt day before my due date. Midwives had been telling me for 7 weeks that it was a small baby, head down. Consultand thought it was breech and scan confirmed it. At that stage they don't try to turn as there is a risk of placental abruption due to their being less room for manouvre. it was a Friday lunchtime, 'have you had anything to eat today?' er well yes I'm 40 wks pg and permenantly ravenous. Was booked in for elective section on the Monday and told to try not to go into labour over the weekend! Was my 2nd too. I was really upset as Iknew csection is not trivial, I would have a 16m old to cope with as well, and after a first traumatic labour I had spent 9 months shitting myself and trying to convince myself that the 2nd one would not be the same.
They scan you immediately before going into theatre, just to check again that it hasn't turned.
My baby was 9lb so I often think that if I hadn't had a section I'd still be there grunting and pushing (and he's 13m ).
I think I took my mind off it that weekend by sorting out 5 little piles of clothes for DS1 for each day I'd be in hosp as DP is rubbish at dressing them!

flibbertyjibbet · 04/07/2007 12:17

And the person who won the works 'sweep' on baby's arrival got his money 3 days before baby came!
Just remember you are too posh to push

Original poster

yumeymummy · 04/07/2007 16:40

I had my scan today and theyve said that baby is def breech and theres no way i could deliver naturally at the mo. So we had to choose between a planned c section enxt wk or let them try turning baby.
So after alot of talking theyre going to try turning baby on friday (2 days time) and hopefully thatll work.
If it doesnt then its a c section next week a few days b4 my due date.
Im really scared and now worried that our decision to try to turn baby is the right one after reading stories.

OP posts:

Mumpbump · 04/07/2007 16:44

Yumey - I think they will check before they try to turn the baby. My sister was breech, but when they went to turn her, they found out she had turned so it might still happen. Best of luck with it, if not!

Loopymumsy · 04/07/2007 18:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Klaw · 04/07/2007 20:31

Baby's head is it's heaviest part. Get your ironing board out, rest it securely against a sofa or some such and then lie, head down, on it with your bum and legs pointing to ceiling. For a good while, need to go find the recommended time, hopefully baby will 'fall' down a bit in the uterus, then make sure that you recline forward over birth ball or some such and hopefully weight of baby's head will naturally fall down into pelvis ahead of it's bum....

That's the theory, not sure where correct instructions are, will hav eto get back to you on that.

Also many people I've heard swear by Moxibustion, Can you get yourself to a Herbalist or whatever tomorrow?

Klaw · 04/07/2007 20:34

Aaah, it's all here! mother-care.ca/breech.htm

Happy turning!

gothicmama · 04/07/2007 20:38

I had a breech baby by natural delivery, turning was not an option as not enough room at 38 +6 and luckily the baby was in a good position for a natural delivery. I was also lucky in that dh was supportive as were the midwives I had to go to the consultant unit in case of problems but luckily there were none. It was apositive birth and I am glad I did not go for a csection with out checking all my options fully good luck

mawbroon · 04/07/2007 21:42

Sorry haven't read the whole thread. My ds was breech and I opted for ECV. One prod of my bump and the consultant said that baby wasn't going to turn by ECV so I had a section instead. Turns out I have bicornuate uterus (heart shaped) and the baby's head was stuck in one of the lobes. He also had a foot beside his ear and the other one tucked under. The scans had shown he was lying like this, but the bi cornuate uterus was undetected until I was in surgery.

Beforehand, I was dead against having a section, and tried everything to avoid it, but in hindsight, I think that trying to deliver my ds vaginally could have been very risky indeed and I am quite happy that I had a section. My way of looking at it is that the risks of a section were much more predictable than the risks of a vaginal delivery in my case. But remember that no two cases are the same.

I completely understand that it's a very difficult decision to make and I do remember my brain hurting from thinking about it all at the time. Good luck, whatever happens.

mawbroon · 04/07/2007 21:43

why didn't my bold work?

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