Does anyone have experience of pushing with both a breech and a head down baby?

[Jacksmybaby]

I am trying to decide between a VBAC and an ELCS with DC2.

DS was born at 35 weeks by EMCS after getting to pushing stage with him. He was breech (bottom) but no-one had noticed this until pushing stage. I couldn't push him out although he actually got quite far down (could have been delivered by ventouse/forceps had it been a head not a bottom, from what I understand) so he was delivered by EMCS in the end.

One of the main reasons I am leaning torwards ELCS is that I had no sensation of the "urge to push" last time. I had no drugs so could feel the contractions but just didn't feel like I needed to push even when the MWs etc were telling me to. When I did try to push I just didn't know what I was supposed to be doing / it didn't feel right if that makes any sense.

I am worried that the same would happen again if I tried a VBAC and I'd end up with another EMCS.

However my consultant has said that she thinks the reason it was like this was because he was breech and I would not be in this position again (they would not let me try a VBAC with a breech baby). She says that pushing feels completely different with a head down baby compared to a breech one.

So I was wondering if anyone had experience of pushing with both and found it was different?

Consultant says it's up to me btw so just trying to make the right decision!

DD1 was breech
DD2 was cephalic

Both were vaginal births with no pain relief and minimal interference, although DD2 was induced with prostin gel.

I would say I had no "urge to push" with either birth. I knew that my body was pushing, and I remember being very impressed with how well it was doing in the pusing-the-baby-out stakes, but I had no desire to join in and help! My approach to birth does tend to be to try and stay relaxed and almost let my mind drift away while my body does the hardwork - I don't know if that has an impact on how the birth progresses.

If anything, I found DD1 easier to birth - even though she was my first and about 3lbs heavier. I did NOT enjoy DD2 crowning at all. The birth was a very different sensation - DD1 was a bizarre presentation (one leg to hip, 2nd knee, buttocks, 2nd foot, rest...) so I wasn't really aware of her descending other than I could start to see her dangling. DD2's head coming down made things much more obvious, but I wouldn't say it gave me an urge to push with conscious effort.

That said, I think every baby/woman combination is different. If I have a DC3 then I don't have a clue how that labour will progress.

Good luck making your decision - and for a good birth howsoever it happens

Thanks for this Tangle. It's interesting what you say about your body doing the work for you. Somehow mine didn't seem to be doing this. I had all the MWs (and consultants etc too by this point) shouting at me to push, as if I wasn't trying, and I was trying but I couldn't seem to "get" how to/what I was supposed to be doing.

I have only had one natural birth (head down). It was drug free (not by choice - the epidural didn't work). I never felt the urge to push either. I just did what they told me and I couldn't believe it it when the baby did come out as it felt a bit uncomfortable, but absolutely nothing compared to the pain of the contractions. It was really odd, more than anything.

Maybe this time you'll feel the same, but make good progress in getting the baby out if it is head down ? I was doing what I was told - (like just pushing hard to try to get a constipated poo out - sorry if TMI !), but I didn't feel any urge whatsoever.

I guess my body did do the work with me as it was with every contraction or so that they were telling me to push.

I don't think all women get that urge.

Good luck !

Thanks DNYM. I'm wondering if your body just doesn't do such a good job of doing the work for you with a breech baby (and if this is partly the reason why breech babies are harder to deliver vaginally - I always though the main reason was that you can't get a grip on a bottom with ventouse/forceps if they get stuck)?? Which is potentially a good sign in that if I do try a VBAC the baby will be head down and my body might respond differently, regardless of whether I have an urge to push or not?

I haven't had a breech, all mine where head down but did have differences with needs to push.

With DD1 and DD2 I felt the urge to push as soon as I reached 10 cms.
DS was back to back, when fully dilated the midwives told me to push. I tired a couple of times but felt as if he was stuck. I stopped trying as it felt wrong, just carried on using G&A throgh the contractions. About 40 mins later one midwife commented to the other I was pushing, I hadn't even relaised I was doing it. DS was in my arms a couple of minutes later! Position of baby does play a great part in how your body reacts.

My three DC have been head down but totally different in respect of need to push:

DD - no urge to push, was told to push as fully dilated and DD distressed. Pushed for 90 mins until she was very distressed, then told that I would need medical assistance to deliver so pushed like there was no tomorrow and she came out.

DS1 - felt like pushing, pushed in a gentle way, he came down birth canal in slow calm gentle way, in around 20 mins. I was in pool and was in a state to tell midwife after each contraction how far he had left to go. Managed to stop pushing for crowning.

DS2 - had no control over it, body just pushed him out in about 90 seconds think I experienced foetal ejection reflex. Was looking at birth pool filing up, wishing I could hold baby in, but I couldn't.

Don't read into not feeling urge, after DS1 i thought I know what an urge to push, now realise I did not.

Thanks going and MNWL.