Transverse lie-hospital admisison

[Camcam]

Hi all,
Im currently 30 weeks so know there is plenty of time for baby to move but at my last 2 midwife appointment, baby was inbetween breach and transverse (diagonal but closer to transverse). The last week I have only had kicks on one side rather than down below which makes me think baby may have moved to transverse. Acid reflux has also became terrible and keeping me up at night. Nausea has also returned.

Ive just read online that transverse can cause delivery complications due to the chord falling through the cervix and if baby is still transverse at 37 weeks you get admitted to hospital until baby arrives😳 Has anyone been through this? I’m due to see the consultant anyways at 37 weeks to book me in for an elective c section at 39 weeks (due to previous pelvic surgeries).

My main concern is that I have a young ds and I’m a single parent so would need to arrange childcare in advance as xh lives away.

Any personal experiences would be greatly appreciated! Will see the midwife next week so will ask her at the appointment too. Happy new year to you all and app the best for 2024 😊

Apologies pressed sent too soon and just noticed the title typo 😅

I was a transverse baby. I was born via c section. They won't take any risks, they'll have you in rather than chance it.

I had this with my 3rd baby. Was admitted at 36 weeks & booked for c section at 39 weeks but he moved all by himself the night before. After he'd stayed head down for a few days, they discharged me. I ended up having to go back in at 41 weeks to be induced.

Was not a fun time. I was on literal bed rest for 3 weeks in a pre labour ward & my existing two kids both had chickenpox & couldn't visit,

Fingers crossed for you baby turns.

I had this, transverse lie at 37w. I declined hospital admission because I didn't want to be away from my 3yo.

There's a good resource on the Tommy's website about the likelihood of cord prolapse. For me it seemed unlikely enough that I was happy to decline admission. My midwife said lots of mums do the same if they have a kid at home to look after. It was stressful for me though as I had an extra risk factor for premature labour.

If you're only 30w, then honestly I think you are worrying too early. Babies move a lot between 30w and 37w. See how it goes over the next month or so. Chances are your baby will move to head-down by then.

Hello OP, my DD was transverse at around the same time but she then changed position- to breech! Anyway I was offered an ECV which I accepted & they managed to turn her head down & I had a vaginal delivery.
Btw I tried various things to get her to move position but they didn’t work for me! If the ECV hasn’t been successful or I’d refused it I would have had an elective C section.

Yes I was admitted for an ‘unstable lie’ as baby kept moving between transverse/ breech. It wasn’t until 38 weeks though as they hadn’t realized before then (I had a scan the week before and she was head down, then 2 days later breech and then a couple of days later transverse! I’m glad they did admit though when I heard the risks! Baby came by c section at 39 weeks.

I can't find the Tommy's link any more but this article is good and quantifies the likelihoods of outcomes

www.babycentre.co.uk/x25017771/what-happens-when-my-baby-is-in-transverse-lie

My DS was transverse - was offered an attempt at a turn or Elective section and due to his vs my size and the awkward position declined turn and went for planned section at 39 weeks - you have lots of choice in this so ask questions to decide what’s best for you

Great thanks all! Hopefully he will move! Will be quite stressful arranging childcare as ds (2) is very attached and has never spent the night with anyone apart from xh or myself. I can’t imagine being away from him for 3 weeks plus most my family work full time. But better safe than sorry and if needs must will get something arranged.
Do they normally give you warning notice that they plan to admit you or is it very sudden once you hit 37 weeks? Also any advice on how to get him to turn most appreciated :)

Also is it possible to have an ECV if you have an anterior (high) placenta? :)

Mine was diagonal right up until delivery day, which was a planned section at 39 weeks. He was neither fully breech nor fully transverse. Head had no mission of engaging. No one ever seemed worried about it. I was consultant led for another reason and no one ever mentioned being admitted prior to delivery due to baby's position. The only thing that was different to my first (whose head engaged and was vaginal delivery) was that they checked his hip position at a scan a few weeks after birth, which apparently they do with all babies that don't lie in the typical head down position.

That said, as you'll know from your first, childbirth and the weeks before it may not happen as you expect and therefore a contingency plan for childcare might well be helpful anyway.

I can’t comment on the ECV placenta issue but in terms of advice on getting them to turn naturally I was told to bounce on an exercise ball, try meditation (there’s a hypnobirthing track to encourage them to turn) & I think reflexology/ acupuncture can sometimes help. I tried the first two & no joy for me but works for some I think. Good luck OP. To be honest I don’t have much memory of timelines but as a pp they didn’t seem that worried about it & there was never any talk about admitting me early.

DS 2 was a mostly transverse unstable lie. I was admitted at 36 weeks 4 days. They were quite pushy about not giving me the option to go home as I live half an hour from the hospital. They did say if I lived within 5 minutes it would have been a possibility. I had not quite 2yo DS1 at home so it was a nightmare, but they did listen to my concerns when they were saying they didn't want to book a c section before 39 weeks, and decided to do it at 38 weeks so I could get home sooner. They will hopefully take your personal circumstances into consideration if you're open with them about it. Good luck! As you say plenty time still to hope baby turns, fingers crossed for you! Happy New year x

Thank you all :) I pray he turns. Did they give you notice you would be admitted or make you go straight from the midwife appointment when they realised baby was still transverse. I’m panicking for childcare if it’s a sudden admission 😫but will warn family in advance!

I have already had a growth scan for small fundal height (little fella was measuring 2 weeks ahead) so hopefully the scans will an eye on position. Ds1 had head engaged by this gestation!
Happy New Year Everyone! Xx

At 30 weeks you've time for him to turn - have you looked at spinning babies website?

I had no notice of admission. Was allowed home to get some stuff but had to be admitted within a couple of hours. They really do (quite rightly) take the risk very seriously.

No notice of it unfortunately. Had a growth scan at 36 weeks when they realised. I was told if it was the same in a few days I'd have to be admitted. Ended up in triage with pain a few days later and when they had a feel and realised DS was still transverse, they admitted me there and then. Didn't go home again til he was born! So I guess I had a 3 or 4 day heads up which was better than nothing

My midwife wasn’t sure which way the baby was at an appointment at 38 weeks and I was sent to hospital for a scan. DD was transverse and had an unstable lie - my bump moved most spectacularly. I managed to persuade them to let me go home for the weekend - they did an examination to make sure I wasn’t likely to go into labour. But was in on the Monday until planned section at 39 weeks. (They offered EVC and induction, but I’d already said after a previous failed induction, I wanted a C-section if I didn’t go into birth naturally.)

I had a baby in a transverse lie with a full placenta previa (so not just one issue) and some bleeds in pregnancy. I was in from 30 weeks until 36 weeks then early section. There was zero notice from the scan to admission - I would say you have had your notice now so personally I would get ready accordingly.

also my second and had to sort childcare but easier for me then you. You could look for a local nanny to help parents in the daytime?

but very likely baby will move. Mine moved the day before the section!

Thanks all :) So glad I researched it now so can prepare just incase. Thankfully have been organised this time and have all baby stuff ready incase for an early appearance!
I will look at the spinning babies website and try my best to get him to turn! Xx

@Camcam hi OP. I’m 38 weeks with transverse/oblique. Had ECV on Wednesday which worked but was back transverse by Thursday morning. Haven’t told the hospital yet as they’ve been very blasé in general about the lie. On the scan a week ago which showed transverse I was told “plenty of time to move round yet” which was nonsense. Had to phone maternity triage 3 times to get the review on Wednesday. No mention of admission at any point. My placenta is also high and anterior. X

Hi @Camcam how did you get on in the end? I am in a similar position - literally!

Yes me too! Would be fab to hear how you got on x

@CaitlinRo i don’t know about the OP but my ECV was actually successful and she stayed head down. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in the pool on the first of feb and she’s now turning six months. Good luck! X