Manual turn or C-section?

[Owlette123]

In hospital now, breech baby, no signs of labour but pre eclampsia so waiting for a decision to be made but likely birth will be sooner than later.

If you had the choice would you opt for manual turn and induction or scheduled c section and why?

I'm really torn, appreciate thoughts and experiences

I’m in the c-section camp but haven’t had one yet so can’t help with experience! Purely based on the fact you will meet baby quickly, it will be relatively pain-free during it and you will just have the recovery to deal with. For me there are so many unknowns about a vaginal birth and so many different ways it could go. It could be great, you could have a short labour and be out the next day or it could be awful. I’m an anxious person anyway so I just know I’d go with the more guaranteed option of a section where you know what you’re getting basically! The risks are very scary and they seem to almost exaggerate them to talk you into a natural birth but I’ve done a lot of research myself and have found the majority of the risks relate to an emergency section or one in which the person was high-risk when they went for the elective. It’s not really an accurate comparison when it’s relating to a straightforward elective section on someone low-risk. Were you keen to have a natural birth? If you are you can definitely still manage it. I’m sure there will be lots of positive stories about people who have managed to get baby to turn

I'd go for a planned c section as both a manual turn and an induction come with a lot of uncertainty and you could well end up with a c section after going through all of that anyway.

I'd definitely opt for the section but my view is personal.
My mum had her baby turned, went into labour a few hours later and the baby was stillborn.
It was never really spoken about in the family and I was very young when it happened but my mum always put it down to allowing them to turn the baby.
It may of course have been a complete coincidence but I wouldn't allow them to turn my first when she was breech due to this.
Apologies if this makes you more anxious 💙

I opted for the c-section. No regrets.

If you didn't have pre-eclampsia too there might be more of a question mark around an ECV or vaginal breech birth for me. But all things considered here I would opt for a section. The uncertainty around the PE sways it. I have friends who have had very positive experiences with elective sections (far better than unplanned/emergency sections)

C section 100%, it’s a much more managed level of risk than an ECV (or a vaginal birth if you ask me the!). Have had two sections, one emergency and one elective, and much preferred them to my chaotic, traumatic vaginal birth.

I had a manual turn which was later a normal delivery. However, it was very uncomfortable. I have had an emergency c section since. I would probably opt for a planned c section if that was the choice.

I'm in the same position and a couple weeks ago decided to opt for CS instead of ECV. I'd decided after reading so many threads on here with different experiences/opinions that with a CS everything is more calm, positive and under control.
I didn't like the idea of having the procedure done once or even twice for it not to work, or if it did work baby turning back then waiting til 41+ weeks for an induction which could fail and then maybe end in a emergency CS anyway, potentially after an already traumatic labour. Also don't really like the thought of baby being distressed, even if it is a small chance and they're monitored throughout. It kind of removes the risks of all those things for me. Great if the ECV works and you have the birth of your dreams but there's just too much risk of things going wrong that way IMO. I know there's other things that can go wrong but I feel that I've taken control as much as I can to prevent that.

Still hoping I go into labour before my date next week tho, getting fed up now

I had a turn and baby turned back during contractions. No idea why as she was pretty large. C section followed.

Whatever happens please don’t worry and try and look forward to your baby. This will be old news soon - hope you are ok

My third was breech and I turned up for the manual turn, but couldn't go through with it. I just knew it was the wrong thing to do.
I would go for a planned section if I had to do it again. He was born vaginally.

I was offered ECV or CS and went for cs. Friend had ECV and found it very uncomfortable.

I haven't had a turn but have had both emergency and planned sections, both were fine.

I have had a friend have her baby turned, she found it incredibly traumatic and still ended up having and emergency section.

Remember, you are in control of your labour, you are well within your rights to ask for and receive a section in these circumstances.

I had a CS with my breech baby, and would again in a heartbeat.

Partly because I found recovery v easy (I know not everyone does), but also because the risks of an ECV were far too high for me.

I was in this scenario and went for a planned c section. My baby seemed very happy in his position so the thought of trying to push him around just didn’t sit right with me. No regrets at all. Had my second via planned c section too.

Manual turn is agony at best ,with no hope of it even working.

I would and did go for c section

I'm strongly against manual turn.

they tried to turn DS4 who was footling breech (one foot stuck on cervix) and it was a horrible experience.
Plus I reacted badly to the drug they give you to relax uterus so there are no Braxton-Hicks and was feeling ill for over 2 days.

I'd never recommend it for a footling breech position in a million years, ended up with an ELSC anyway

This can be a hard decision. My experience of it was that I had the manual turn since I was keen to try vaginal birth because of the longer recovery of CS etc . It was successful but but very painful and I was quite scared during it . I was then induced a few w later because I was late and ended up with an emergency section . If I had managed to carry another child I would have had an elective section next time .

C section, ELCS is generally great and calm and good recovery as you’re not tired from labouring. Induction on its own would be a no for me (hyper stimulating is no fun!!) and I don’t know much about manual turns but what I do know isn’t good. Good luck!

I've had both C-section and an induced vaginal birth and much preferred the birth and recovery of vaginal. I haven't had a ECV though so can't give experience on that but in your position I would probably give it a try. :)

I opted for the c section after two natural births. My baby was unstable lie and 37 weeks so was wary of induction not working and stressing out the baby who was low birth weight.
My recovery from my c section was better than my first natural labour, although appreciate everyone’s experience is different.

Eek sorry for using natural birth rather than vaginal birth! I blame lack of sleep, of course all births are natural and hope no offence is caused

Is there no option for just induction, without the turning? Is it a difficult breech position or deliverable? My preference would be for vaginal breech birth, induction second then c-section as a last resort, but you have the pre eclampsia to think about too, and the fact you are already in the hospital. I hope all goes well whatever you choose.

I don't think breech delivery is wise, pre eclampsia and he's measuring big so would concern me him getting stuck head in.

Thanks everyone for your comments, I think you're all telling me what I was heading towards anyway

@CharleyFarleyy

I've had both C-section and an induced vaginal birth and much preferred the birth and recovery of vaginal. I haven't had a ECV though so can't give experience on that but in your position I would probably give it a try. :)

@CharleyFarleyy

I had 1 induced v birth that ended up being a foreceps delivery, 1 induced birth where epidural had to be re-sited 3 times, 1 natural birth that was so quick I was shaking from the adrenaline for a good day and a bit (dilated from 6cm to 10 in 5 mins, 9lb 6 oz baby out in 3 pushes), then ELSC, then 3 VBACs.

I'd rather have them all again than an ECV. it was excruciating

My baby was breech at 36 weeks. I planned to have a c section rather than ECV. They are only successful 50% of the time so didn't seem worth the discomfort (pain) and potential complications. A planned c section is a very calm affair according to my friends who have had them, certainly better than an emergency section which could be required after the ECV if it goes badly.