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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Breech first baby

24 replies

Crrk · 17/12/2019 19:02

Hi,

I have had my midwife check up today baby measuring in the middle of the line which is great. But he is in breech, the midwife has told me with me being 33 weeks and 6 days the chances of him moving now are unlikely. She said if it was my second baby your body is more stretched so the chances of him moving are greater. But since this is my first my body is more tight? She said on my next check up she will check again and if nothing has changed which she doesn’t think will. I will get a scan to see where he is and they will try and push him down but she said this also doesn’t work often with first baby? She said if not it would be a c section at 39 weeks. Has anyone else had any similar experiences to this? He was head down on my private scan at 28 weeks only now he has decided to get into breech position! She says because of the size of him now and space moving down is harder and that’s why she thinks it’s unlikely.. any advice? Or anyone been told anything similar?

OP posts:

sweetpea2811 · 17/12/2019 19:08

My first (and only!) was breech and I declined to have him moved. The chance of the procedure to turn them working is 50%. And then if it works there's a 50% chance they'll move back afterwards (I'm happy to be corrected if I've got this wrong, it was 19 months ago now!) I would have had a scheduled section at 39 weeks, but I ended up getting preeclampsia and had it at 37 weeks instead.

Original poster

Crrk · 17/12/2019 19:28

So did you get your c section at 37 instead? And I don’t like the sound of it it doesn’t seem nice then pushing him down😕

OP posts:

Ohfrigginghellers · 17/12/2019 19:32

Do you know if the baby is measuring small or big?

Original poster

Crrk · 17/12/2019 19:42

It’s like bang in the middle of the chart she said if I went to 39 weeks he would be over 8 pound. There’s like 3 lines in my green book and he’s in the middle one which she said is good. So I think he’s a fair size just under 6 pound now

OP posts:

Ohfrigginghellers · 17/12/2019 19:46

Ok well I'm not a midwife or doctor but I gave birth to my dc1 vaginal breech. Was 3 weeks early weighing 5lb 3oz

MotherOfLittlePeople · 17/12/2019 19:50

My first baby was breech and I was told by a consultant ( at 34 weeks) there was no point really trying to move her as what normally happens is they turn back not long after if it works. Also it carries a risk. I was then booked in for a c section at 39 weeks but I had her at 37 as I went in for reduced movements and they scanned me and said she was too small so needed to come out, suspected she was below 4lbs but she was 5lb 12oz x

Original poster

Crrk · 17/12/2019 19:50

He was head down until 30 weeks then has stayed in breech for last month. I was surprised because I thought today she was going to tell me he was down. Bit of a shock but I know it can happen and it can’t be helped, im happy I’ve found this page for support❤️

OP posts:

FalalalalaloreanFortescue · 17/12/2019 20:00

Hi OP I've had two breech babies in pregnancy and both successfully turned via ECV - absolutely no regrets, neither baby was distressed and monitored afterwards. DD was then EMCS due to failure to progress and DS was a straightforward VBAC.

Original poster

Crrk · 17/12/2019 20:07

Thank you, I’m in two minds because I would prefer a natural birth but I just think the turning thing sounds horrible. But then I guess they wouldn’t do it if they thought it was bad for the baby. I never expected him to be breech I’m a bit shocked

OP posts:

plixy · 17/12/2019 20:07

My baby was breech-1 leg up and 1 leg down, so I couldn't try for vaginal birth.
I was offered ecv to turn her and initially accepted but kept thinking how horrible it sounded so I cancelled. I was booked in for csection at 39 weeks.
It actually turned out she had a leg stuck up near my ribs and they had trouble getting her out so no way would she have turned naturally or with the ecv.
I hated the section, found it very painful and still get pain now 7 months later. But it was the safest option for baby and so I am glad I chose it and would do so again if I was in same situation.

IrnBruAndTwiglets · 17/12/2019 20:11

I was in the same situation, consistently breech on growth scans so offered ECV. I was keen to have her myself so weighed up the risks and decided to give it a go. It was really uncomfortable, I won't lie! but I appreciated the consultant trying to turn her both ways, and they gave me a muscle relaxant to try and make it easier to turn her. The CTG afterwards gave me the reassurance I needed afterwards that she had coped ok. Unfortunately she was stubborn and stayed put, but I don't regret trying it. I had an elective section at 39 wks and after really not wanting it, it was a lovely experience. The staff had a fab sense of humour and put me so at ease and we had skin to skin as soon as she was out.

MuchTooTired · 17/12/2019 20:25

My dt2 was breech, dt1 was head down. I originally planned to be induced (severe pe) but changed my mind and went for elcs. I didn’t feel the odds were good enough that she’d turn and I feared I’d end up with a vaginal birth then an emergency section straight after! The section was brilliant.

han01uk · 17/12/2019 20:33

Mine turned at 36+3,so there is still plenty of time. Do some yoga,lots of hands and knees stretching,try acupuncture.

Consider the ECV if your medical team suggest it,but wait and see what your options are in a few weeks,there is still time to turn!

Disco91 · 17/12/2019 20:40

I had my son last year and he was breech at every scan I had (I had them every 4 weeks as I have autoimmune arthritis). I was offered an ECV at 37+2 weeks but my waters broke when he was 37 weeks gestation at 3pm, he was out via csection at 10.30pm, so I never made the appointment!! If they couldn't have moved him he would have been a scheduled csection at 39 weeks.

I was very upset when I found out I was most likely going to need a csection but when it came to it I found it a very positive experience and I shouldn't have worried. Recovery wasn't nice but I don't think anyone's first couple of weeks post baby are a breeze! I would recommend more than anything getting a postpartum belly band - it was so good having that extra support while lifting a newborn in and out of a cot.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01LL04PV2/ref=sspa mwwdetail1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good luck, it's a exciting time for you and I hope it all goes well - it doesn't matter how they get out as long as they and you are ok!

FalalalalaloreanFortescue · 17/12/2019 20:52

@Crrk honestly the ECV is fine. Don't rule it out on fear. It was the best thing for me/us.

Weathergirl1 · 17/12/2019 22:56

A few of things:

Firstly did your midwife determine position just by palpation? If so, she may be wrong. I did have a breech baby and was told by at least three midwives that they were 100% sure the baby was head down... Days prior to a scan confirming frank breech position (which confined my suspicions - in fact pretty sure he'd been breech a long time!).

Secondly, check out the spinning babies website. It is apparently possible to turn them at your stage without an ECV (if they're turnable at all - not all will be).

Thirdly, I had an ELCS for breech at 37 weeks (also had PPROM) and was actually a good birth experience.

Original poster

Crrk · 18/12/2019 07:15

Hi,
She said she can’t say for sure by just feeling but she thinks she can feel his head.
I don’t go back for 3 weeks as they are closed for holidays, once I go back she will feel again and then book a scan in for same week. She said it’s unlikely he will have space to move with it being my first my body is more tight? She didn’t seem very positive that he would move and she said if they did try and turn him she does not think it would work either? Wasn’t very reassuring at all. But until I get a scan at 37 weeks they can’t really confirm anything for sure I guess. Just seems a long time to wait not knowing for sure!

OP posts:

Anomite · 18/12/2019 07:22

Hi,
My first baby was Breech. Pretty much was all the way through.

I was booked in for an ECV (where they try and manually turn the baby by applying pressure on your stomach) looking back I was very naive and just went along with it. If this happened now I would question this procedure and actually say no.
It was quite an unpleasant experience, Carries risk and also only has a 50% success rate. I personally would not put myself through that again.

I then went on to have an elective csection at 39 weeks.
I remember at the time being quite overwhelmed with worry about all of this. Don't worry-

Original poster

Crrk · 18/12/2019 11:02

Thanks for everyone’s responses feel a bit better now!

OP posts:

Ihatefootball86 · 18/12/2019 11:06

My first baby went breach at 38 weeks but then turned around so don't worry

plixy · 18/12/2019 18:28

I wouldn't take any notice of midwife saying baby can't turn now. My midwife and hospital told me many stories of babies turning up to 39 weeks. Apparently it can get painful when the baby gets bigger but it can still happen!

You0smell · 20/12/2019 19:14

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Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

OverthinkingThis · 20/12/2019 19:35

I got told my first was breech by a mw at about 32 weeks. He wasn't. I got sent for a growth scan that same day and he was definitely head down. So don't believe it until you see a scan!

shazzz1xx · 21/12/2019 13:46

Just had my 1st baby 21 weeks ago and at the scan last 20 week she was always head down then the last couple of weeks she decided to go sideways.. then just before my due date decided to go back head down lol litttle buggers 👶 x

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