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

Anyone had an ECV at the Royal Berks/turning a footling breech

7 replies

lucysnowe · 26/02/2008 12:44

Hi all

So it turns out the LO is footling breech, the little monkey. I've been booked in for an ECV at the Royal Berks hospital next week when I'll be 37 weeks. This is my first baby.

Has anyone else had one there and can tell me about it?

And/or has anyone had success with turning a footling breech in their first pg?

Thanks!

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cupsoftea · 26/02/2008 19:38

I've had this but not at your hospital. dd didn't turn so I had a cs a week later. I had to be ready to have an immediate cs if things went wrong in the ecv. Hope it goes well for you xxx

McDreamy · 26/02/2008 19:39

Same as cupsoftea. I had a ecv at another hospital, it didn't work and DD was born by CS. Good luck

Tangle · 26/02/2008 21:49

DD was frank breech at 37 weeks, but I declined an ECV (could book IM's experienced in breech birth and it was thought unlikely to work). She was scanned at 41+2 as full breech and born early the next morning, at home, as a footling breech.

So not really directly answering the question, but just to say that breech doesn't have to equal CS if you can find the right support.

Good luck

lucysnowe · 27/02/2008 09:45

Thanks all! I don't have high hopes to be honest but I think I want to go to the hosp - they've told me it will be ok if they change their mind halfway through!

Am I right in thinking that the odds decrease in first pregnancy? They've told me 40-50% so I wonder if it is around 30% in my case.

Actually I was wrong, I think it's flex breech not footling.(That's what the sonographer wrote on the notes anyway.) Tangle - I have thought about a breech birth but have decided against it (for now) because the idea of a cs stresses me out far less and I'm not sure the stress will help improve an already 'complicated' birth - its something I should look into properly though.

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Tangle · 27/02/2008 20:32

Did you see where the legs were? When I was scanned the first time DD had her legs straight, which means they tend to act like splints and stop the baby turning. A full breech (sitting like a little budha) is a much better starting point for a successful ECV .

The question "is a breech birth complicated" is a very interesting one and the answer will be very dependent on who you ask! Consultants often perceive breech to be an "abnormal" presentation, best delivered by a surgeon, of (if the women insists on a vaginal birth), by a Dr with forceps (necessitating the woman by in stirrups and making everything quite complicated). An experienced midwife will often perceive breech to be an "unusual but normal"* presentation, best birthed by a woman's body that's allowed to get on with labour undisturbed - the art of doing nothing!

*NB - this assumes a full term, normally developed foetus with a labour that starts spontaneously and progresses naturally.

If you want to investigate a breech birth, I'd start by talking to the head of midwifery and finding out what their breech birth skills are like or by investigating IMs. If you want to gather more info, two books I was lent are "Breech Birth" by Benna Waites and "Breech Birth: What are my options?" by Jane Evans - both of which I'd thoroughly recommend.

Sorry - it's something I can get quite evangelical about, but mainly because I certainly felt that the registrar I saw for the "so, your baby's breech" chat did not present all the options in a fair or balanced way (not entirely her fault - as a registrar she rarely has the chance to see a "normal" birth, after all), and I just think women should at least know that there is an alternative to a CS that isn't horribly medicalised or ludicrously risky. That said, everyone needs to make a decision they're comfortable with given their situation and resources - and I fully realise that may not be the same as mine.

And now I'm going to go before I waffle on anymore...

lucysnowe · 28/02/2008 12:42

Hmm, I didn't really see properly at the scan but my notes say 'breech well flexed legs feet presenting' and the sonographer did a little drawing that I think shows that it has got its knees up to its chest. Is that a full breech? If so I'm glad that's a good ECV position!

Part of me is feeling guilty about feeling a bit relieved to have a C/S (first time mum afraid of pain etc) so I will look into breech birth a bit - and the perils of C/S - so thanks for the extra info, it's much appreciated.

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lucysnowe · 04/03/2008 14:07

Quick update! Thanks again all, for your advice. I went for my ECV today, but had to wait a couple of hours for the consultant as she was in cs surgery. When she arrived and did the scan b*gger me but the little mite had turned all by itself! I am thrilled of course but a bit worried that it will turn wrong way up again - plan to subject it to lots of long poundy walks to make sure it doesn't!

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