If your baby was persistently breech and you had a CS, when was it booked?

[eachbreechpearplum]

Hi everyone,

DC1 has been persistently breech now since about 29 weeks. I’ll be 35 weeks tomorrow and at my midwife appointment on Friday, he still had his feet down in my pelvis and his head up, which is where he seems to be happy - his movements and heart rate are all good and consistent (touch wood).

He’s measuring a bit big so my midwife has ordered a growth scan which I’ll hopefully have around 35-36 weeks (it was only ordered on Friday so not had the appt through yet). However, she still seems really confident he’ll turn. I’m not so sure - he seems to be comfortable as he is, and it’s getting pretty close to term now. My midwife wouldn’t discuss ECV (which I’d be most likely to decline) or CS (which is my preferred option at this stage). She said I’d have the growth scan and then a separate presentation scan at around 37 weeks which she’d order closer to the time.

If you had a similar situation, when did you have a CS booked? It feels like things are getting a little close now and I’d like to have a plan in place for if he’s still breech in 3 or so weeks time. As he’s measuring on the larger side, I’m concerned he’s not got as much room to turn around as he might otherwise, so it seems sensible to start putting plans in place soon.

What do you think? Fully prepared to admit that I’m a nervous/anxious first-timer 😄

@peppermintteacup I actually requested the ECV but was told it would've been offered anyway. DD was my first baby, posterior placenta. I ideally wanted a vaginal birth because I wanted the benefits of that for DD, and to avoid major surgery if all was textbook. I also knew I wanted a second (and final) child. I would've liked to 'save' my elective c-sec option for this pregnancy as birth choices are slightly more complicated/risky for me now due to uterine rupture. That said my threshold for c-section was very low with DD. I would've moved to demanding it quickly if it looked like a vaginal birth wasn't going to go my way.

DD was monitored closely, and showed zero signs of distress throughout the ECV. I had a feeling it would fail because she hadn't budged an inch from where she was for weeks - I could feel her head up by my solar plexus! The consultant tried for 30 mins at my insistence. It is brutal - a very physical procedure, but I was fine if we took short breaks and I got the occasional toot on the gas and air. My DP almost passed out/threw up during😂and eventually put a stop to me trying for longer. Men, hey?! It's easier for the consultant if you stay relaxed.

They managed to move her a quarter turn, but she just pinged right back into place. When we gave up they just said she was a stubborn one! No clinical reason why - nothing the matter with fluid or cord, or my anatomy (though I am petite - typically a size 6-8).

She is now 2 and continues to be very single-minded. 😂

I had an ECV. Carried out by a very senior consultant (with a bunch of students watching!).

It was one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced. An insane experience.

It “worked” in that baby was no longer breach, but still ended up having an EMCS for other reasons.

@deliwoman1 so interesting that your ECV went on for 30 mins! Mine took probably ten seconds. Short but in incredibly brutal.

At 35 weeks I really wouldn’t worry, plenty time to turn. My baby was breech right through and I had my final scan for deciding what to do at I think it was 39 weeks and 3 days ish, I had a sudden pain the night before which I honestly thought might be labour properly starting, it was clearly baby moving and she was head down on that scan!

@Ted22 DD gets her stubbornness from me, clearly! The consultant tried a few different approaches, and I had to take breaks. We were a determined team (minus DP). 😂

I envy your 10 seconds and the fact it worked! I think it's supposed to be quite swift ( I remember they told me 10 mins or so max) but some babies are primed as it were. I'm sorry it ended in EMCS regardless.

My 9lb-er turned the night before the booked ELCS, having been breech from the start. I remember feeling him moving and begging him to stop because it was so painful and I needed sleep before the CS! He's still a contrarian now at 7

Thanks so much everyone for sharing your experiences 🙏🏼

My csection for breech was 38+5 booked at 36 week scan immediately afterwards with consultant. I was absolutely sure baby was never going to move, he was so wedged practically never even felt him move as it was (maybe a slight fidget once a day) and I’d had really bad rib pain for quite some time at that point because of where his head was. Also a small build size 6/8 who’d cycled 20 miles the day of the scan so I didn’t see the point in an ECV given my muscles were not going to let up. I even remember the sonographer commenting on my stomach when she was trying to get the scan readings.