Admitted for Transverse lie breech

[Tir3edAndTested]

Hi.
Just got back from a 36wk appointment to book in my C-section (due to previous section). I was told during the scan that my baby is in footling breech transverse lie and because i have a fairly low anterior placenta, the cord is all wrapped about the feet by my cervix. She said if I go into labour it'll be a medical emergency and I'll have to call 999 or go straight to hospital laying down along the back seats. And they are going to scan again next week at 37 weeks but the consultant says I'll have to be admitted until my C-section date if she's still in that position next week....anyone else heard of this? Seems crazy to be admitted to hospital due to position of baby but obviously if the risk is that high I won't question it.

It isn't crazy, it really isnt

Same happened to me. Admitted at 38+2 after a reassurance scan found him transverse. I lived a long way from the main hospital so I was admitted for monitoring so I was close by if my waters broke. If the cord comes down the birth canal before the baby, it can cut off circulation and the baby can be deprived of oxygen. It's not a risk worth taking. I think you have 10 minutes to get to theatre with a cord prolapse before oxygen deprivation begins. It's no laughing matter.

I was in for 10 days until they could fit me in for a C-section.

I was offered a controlled induction, whereby, baby would be turned and pushed head down and then my waters would be broken but I opted against that due to high risk of instrumental delivery, or emergency C-section.

It's very common to be admitted with transverse lie. I had to do it with DC1 and ended up with EMCS the minute labour started as it was three days before my ELCS date. If the umbilical cord gets compressed the baby is not safe.

It's not crazy. There is a high risk of the cord prolapsing round baby's foot if your water's break. This is very dangerous for the baby as if the cord (which keeps baby alive) delivers before the baby's body and head, it can be squashed and baby could die. It's an absolute emergency so far better to be in hospital where they can act immediately.

Think about it this way OP, they don't even keep women in overnight post birth anymore unless you have complications or a CS, they keep people in for the bare minimum in the UK. On that basis, if they want to keep you in, you'd better believe it's serious.

No it's not crazy at all. I would start planning for that tbh. Do you knit or crochet? You will need something to do in hospital whilst waiting. Books and iPad gets boring very quickly. And get them to book the section asap.

It's because of the very real risk of cord prolapse if your waters break.

Thanks all.
For those of you who have been admitted, what happens? Like I can't imagine being 'well' in hospital just sat there 🫣 like are you allowed to go for walks to the canteen/ shop? Do they scan you regularly to see if the baby has flipped? Are they doing any tests or obs or do you literally just sleep there in case your cord prolapses?

You can go out of the ward but stay near on the site. They aren't go to scan you constantly. They will do basic obs, the minimum needed. And yes the point is you do just sit there because if your waters break your baby's cord has a very strong chance of being washed out of the womb and compressed. This will give your baby a very few minutes to live. If you are in the ward a midwife will manually keep pressure off the cord the best they can whilst they rush you down the corridor to theatre. Where your baby will shortly be born hopefully none the worst. If you are at home you will be unable to do anything, your baby will be very seriously harmed if not die. So yes it's likely you are just going to be sitting in hospital perfectly well and it's an excellent use of your time. They should have explained this to you more clearly.

When I was in, they didn't let me off the ward but it was a bit different as the ward was locked down due to a Covid outbreak (it was 2021) and the canteen etc were closed anyway. I took a new phone game (I recommend Bermuda Adventures), a load of books pre-loaded on my Kindle for iPhone app, and a blanket I was knitting. I also took loads (I mean loads) of snacks. A lot of women on the ward brought concentrated squash to improve the water. Mostly it was excruciatingly dull. I also needed near-continuous monitoring for tachycardia as every time they were about to stop monitoring, DS went tachy again so very little opportunity to walk around.
Hopefully it will be a lot different for you.

I watched a lot of MasterChef Australia on my iPad, luckily there was good WiFi! I read, I went for a couple of walks a day. Mostly I just lay on my big fat pregnant butt! I got my own obs done twice a day, and baby usually just once.

I had one scare when I sat up one morning and had a gush of fluid. Turned out not to be my waters but it was an intense few minutes until the midwives and doctors were happy!

It's rubbish, and boring but better than the risk of not doing it.

As someone previously said, they would not do it if there was another option. They're keen for everyone to be at home. But the risk is great. Someone on the ward said to me that your waters breaking and cord prolapsing is RARE. But if it DOES happen, tragic consequences are COMMON.

H I didn’t have the same as you but was in 4 weeks before my babies were delivered. Wasn’t allowed off the ward but could get out of bed and walk around. To get through it I gave myself a daily routine. Mornings breakfast shower, mornings were always quite busy with ward rounds, blood tests, obs etc. After lunch I think I read, made phone calls had a nap etc, then visiting started and that was always quite busy until dinner. Then I’d watch tv in the room with another mum who was in for ages. It actually went quite quickly and that was without iPads/smart phones. Was quite stressful but met some other lovely mums who were going through the same thing. Take some earplugs they are great for sleeping better. Good luck

I had exactly the same and spent 3 weeks on the ante-natal ward. It was mostly OK - there were a few women also there longer term (pre-eclampsia and the like) so we chatted, watched tv etc. There were new babies to look at every morning. The food was crap - not ill, but heavily pg - I was starving! I was allowed to walk to canteen with advice that if waters broke I should get on my knees with arse in the air. In my case - dd turned head down/engaged just before my planned c-section and they sent me home! I came back after 2 weeks to be induced and ended up with a crash section - so my advice would be DO NOT LEAVE.

I was in hospital for two weeks before my son was born as he was an unstable lie. It was suggested that I did not leave the floor I was on.

It is bonkers to feel well, but need to be in hospital, but it's for the best.

Yes you're absolutely allowed to go to the shops/canteen. You'll be in reach of medically trained professionals who can get you where you need to be should your waters break if you're out and about. Stick to populated areas, or have someone with you.

IME with scans, no. My second baby was breech when I was admitted (had pre-eclampsia, no symptoms). They monitored every 12 hours with Dopplers, but only had a scan when the consultant I was seeing about having ECV palpated thought baby had already turned, and immediately prior to induction starting.

I had observations every 4 hours due to BP. But if you're healthy and well you'll only have them every 12 hours after the shift change.