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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Breech baby - ECV or ELCS?

9 replies

eromder · 20/10/2021 11:00

Hi everyone,

I am 35 + 2 and baby is breech, as confirmed on my scans recently (being scanned every two weeks due to gestational diabetes). Baby's growth is perfect and his size is where he should be. I have a scan again next week at 36 + 2 and if he is still breech then they will talk through the options of the ecv. I am really confused and unsure about the proceedure. What have other peoples experiences been? I wouldn't consider a vaginal breech birth, so if he doesn't turn then my only option is an c-section.

Thank you.

OP posts:
Whiskyinajar · 20/10/2021 11:05

Ex midwife here, chances are your baby will have turned by 36 weeks.

However if he/she doesn't I wouldn't bother with an ECV. My gut instinct is that if a baby is Breech it's because for some reason it wants to be in that position. I don't believe in Kuching about with that ...and lots of babies flip straight back to breech even when they've been turned.

I'd go straight for an elective LSCS if baby hasn't turned by then.

MissBPotter · 20/10/2021 11:10

I had an ecv, baby turned and stayed head down. Only issue was that she then wasn’t in an optimal birth position so she was tricky to push out. Not sure if this was anything to do with ECV though. Got there in the end though and I think it was on balance better than having a c section, as she was my third and I didn’t want to be unable to look after them afterwards.
It felt very strange and rather uncomfortable but not painful really and it didn’t last that long.

Flutterby8 · 20/10/2021 18:58

Im glad ive found this thread. Currently 33 weeks and baby is breech.
Awaiting another midwife appointment where she will have another feel and if still breech, which I am certain of, i will be sent for a scan to confirm.
I dont fancy an ECV to be honest because I just feel if baby is breech, it is for a reason as she hasnt been breech at any of my previous scans, including a private one at 28 weeks.
Donthey insist on trying to manually turn babies now or is it still very optional does anyone know?

sarah13xx · 20/10/2021 20:09

I’d go c-section all day long. I just had one and I can’t even put into words how good it was!!

mrssunshinexxx · 20/10/2021 20:43

I would do anything in my power to not have a c section speaking from someone who had one but I appreciate everyone recovers differently but I struggled but it was an eMC. Long story short I would try the ECV i don't personally believe in the ' they are that way for a reason' it's just luck. Mine was transverse until 34 weeks I did everything to get her head down every day luckily it worked

PiratePetespajamas · 20/10/2021 21:03

I have had two breech babies and two sections - one EMCS (because breech was undiagnosed until labour) and one ELCS. I was offered ECV with the second but then told there was little point as that’s just the way my babies grow - the second was lying in an almost identical position to the first and hardly moved at all during the later weeks of pregnancy. I honestly wouldn’t bother with it. Emergency and elective sections are two very different beasts - the experiences were like night and day. Both times the recovery was pretty straightforward, although, of course, slower than a vaginal birth. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Labyrinth86 · 20/10/2021 22:22

@mrssunshinexxx

I would do anything in my power to not have a c section speaking from someone who had one but I appreciate everyone recovers differently but I struggled but it was an eMC. Long story short I would try the ECV i don't personally believe in the ' they are that way for a reason' it's just luck. Mine was transverse until 34 weeks I did everything to get her head down every day luckily it worked
I'm really sorry you had a bad experience with your c-section. It is worth noting though that ELCS are very different from EMCS and that ECV is not without risks. I'm pleased you got your baby to move - am I assuming you did that without ECV? If so, it sounds like your little one was happy to move rather than being forced to using... well, brute force to be blunt. My little one is 38+4 atm and she moves in and out of transverse a lot. I do think there are some babies who are transverse for a reason though, maybe it just doesn't apply to every transverse baby.
mrssunshinexxx · 20/10/2021 22:57

@Labyrinth86 hey, yes no ecv I'm not even sure they do them for transverse babies I thought it was only breach but I could be wrong ? Well I haven't got her out yet so we shall see how that part goes Grin x

Original poster
eromder · 21/10/2021 12:19

Thanks everyone for your replies. This is my first baby and I am feeling conflicted about what to do! And of course, baby may spin before then but it is really useful to hear others experiences.

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