Baby extended breech 34 weeks, booked in for ECV at 36 weeks. Experiences of ECV if possible.

[makeupgirlie]

Baby still extended breech at 34 weeks. Has always been breech and hasn’t moved from the same position for two weeks now. Confirmed this morning. The consultant has booked me for an ECV. And told me if that is not successful they will book me for a C section at 39 weeks.
I really want a VB and have been getting quite upset over all of this. I know things are unpredictable but the thought of a c section scares me. This is my first baby.
experiences of ECV would be great.

Hi, for me a breech VB is not something I want anyway. I would just like to know people’s experiences with ECV.

Look at Spinning Babies website. as much time on your hands and knees as you can. What worked to rotate mine was to dive down from the surface of the pool and handstand on the bottom, then push back up to the surface. literally felt her turn once I got out.

I had an ECV. Uncomfortable but not particularly painful. Stubborn breech baby was not for budging one bit, so had an ELCS. It was very calm, recovery was good, obvs a little sore for a few days but nothing major.

I went for ECV with breech baby,I didn't have much water and for me it was painful we did babies head to my hip but he wouldnt move anymore and after 5 mins of stopping he was back to being breech so ended up with a ELCS at 39weeks which I was nervous for after 4 natural births,but it was calm and our play list was playing in the background,my partner was with me all the way and stayed in hospital with me and baby for 3 days.

Yes I have a stubborn one too!
Would you say it was definitely worth the try with the ECV though?
I have seen that it’s 50%-60% successful, my consultant said 40%. I think I will just need to be prepared for her to turn back.
Also if you do not mind me asking. How long did it take after your C section for you to be able to walk about with no pain.
I am a very nervous person and always fear the worse so think this is why I’m so scared of a C section.

I had an ECV as my eldest was bum breech- barely moved her and my mum found it so traumatic she wouldn’t let me go back and try again (and she isn’t sensitive!). I definitely would not go through it again. I would do as above and try and encourage baby to move on its own.

12 years ago, I was on here and read a thread from a woman who’d had an ECV as her baby was breech. She ended up with placental abruption and her baby girl died.

The next day I saw my consultant as my baby was beech and when he suggested an ECV I refused and had a planned c section based on the MN thread. I asked about success rates and the doc said anything between 20% and 80%. That didn’t reassure me.

The midwives were suggesting a range of things to make the baby turn naturally - one suggested moxibustion and I had already heard of it and discounted this as I wanted the c section but had I wanted a VB, I’d have gone down the natural course.

The c-section was fine and DC was born strong and healthy.

I was walking later that evening after my DC was born, I went for a shower. Recovery was fine.

I've never had a vaginal birth, but chose to have my babies by section and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Obviously you're keen to avoid one and that's fine, but if you do end up having one, bear the following bonuses in mind (including light hearted ones):

• no labour pain! 12 hours before my first baby was born I was out at dinner, rather than trying to cope with contractions.
• You're not knackered when you give birth so you can truly enjoy the experience of meeting your baby.
• totally trivial, but because you've slept, it's not a rush and your not knackered,/in pain, you'll look far less shit in those immediate after birth pictures you'll keep on looking at for the rest of your life.
• your vagina will love you
• as will your pelvic floor
• you'll have more sympathy and support than for a battered vagina because people will know you've had a section and want to help, whereas you might not want to discuss your vaginal tears with your father in law!

In all honesty, I got to meet my babies pain free in a calm environment. I recovered very quickly (out shopping day 3 pain free) and I'm one of the only people I know (aside from others who had planned sections) with a wholly positive experience of birth. I kept waiting for it to start hurting and it didn't. I had a few minor aches but it was lots painful than a period for me. More just awkward for a few days/felt like I'd done a workout.

So if you do end up with a section, there are a lot of positives. Make sure to ask the anaesthetist to take loads of photos, look fabulous and go and meet your baby!

Just to add to mine I was desperate for a VB like you and had to accept a section due to the failed ECV. I also have had my second baby and had a wonderful VBAC. Sometimes these things are taken out of our hands and we have to do what we have to do to get our baby here.

20years ago I had a successful ECV but baby was transverse rather than full breach. It was uncomfortable, but not painful.
However, I was not told of any of the risks with the procedure - I was sent direct from the MW to the hospital with no chance for research. She made it sound very trivial, but I later discovered that it could cause many issues.
My DD was born with the cord round her neck. It also had a knot in it. I've always wondered if that happened during the procedure. Luckily I had a very competent MW at the delivery who spotted the signs, and thankfully DD was alright.
Please do your research so that you can make a fully informed decision.

No experience of ECV, sorry, but I've had both a VB (assisted - forceps) and an ECS (failed induction meant CS). If I had another I would definitely consider CS again! Happy to answer any questions but equally don't want to give birth stories unasked for!

For anyone who comes across this thread - I did go down the moxi route (with my regular acupuncturist who id been seeing anyway and trusted) and she turned my baby! Apparently the success rate of moxibustion is 80+% so better than ECV which I find wild. The earlier the better though!

My mum had a ECV with my sister and has always said never do it as she haemorrhaged. We’ll never know for sure if that’s why, but my mum is almost certain it was the ECV.

I had a successful ECV 14 years ago. It was uncomfortable but not really painful. The MW who did it was an absolutely star.

The only problem I had was that I found out that I was intolerant to the muscle relaxant they gave me (can't remember the name now) so I nearly passed out before the procedure

I had 2 x ECVs but my baby didn’t turn. It was quite uncomfortable but lasted a few minutes at most. It would’ve been a very small price to pay if it worked. I had a caesarean which was a tough recovery. VBAV with my second which was a breeze in comparison

I was in the same position nearly 13 years ago. Had an ECV which was really painful and didn’t work. Had an ELCS. It was a bit more complex than planned although never too stressful and I have no regrets. Had an ELCS for my second 4 years later. I also read the story on here about the women who lost her baby after an ECV around that time and found it very distressing given I had gone through the same thing at the same time. There but for the grace of god. It’s not an intervention I hugely agree with.

I’ve had 3 babies by section (emc, failed vbac and elective).

just to say pelvic floor issues don’t come from birth injuries exclusively and most of the strain comes from pregnancy not the method of birth

Not exclusively, but vaginal birth has 2-3x the risk of urinary incontinence compared with a c section and similar for poo incontinence.

2-3 times the risk of a vaginal prolapse with a vaginal birth.

Either way there's a risk from pregnancy which can't be avoided, but that's hugely amplified when someone chooses vaginal birth. Most of the risk does come from the birth it seems.

I was an ECV 54 years ago and 15 years ago had one with my daughter. It was fine. I had a bag packed for emergency c section and they had a trace on the baby throughout in case of distress. It was pretty quick and easy and then I had a natural vb a couple of weeks later

My second was breech very late (can’t remember the exact week), until I saw a chiropractor, recommended by a spinning babies midwife. He released some restrictions in my hip and my daughter turned that night. If you can, I would try that before having an ECV.