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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Breech baby - please give me some hope

48 replies

CADS · 04/10/2005 16:45

Just got back from my 34 week check, baby is breech and has been the entire time.

My midwife doesn't sound too positive about the baby turning and has actually made it sound pretty hopeless.

This is baby no 2 and I was hoping for a home birth so the possibility of a c-section instead is a quite upsetting.

Midwife is also refusing to do a home assessment which apparently is required, in our area, for a home birth until the baby has turned. Is she just being obstructive? She didn't come across as being supportive when I told her about wanting a home birth when I was 28 weeks. Have been waiting for her to come and do the home assessment for six weeks and today was told the reason she hasn't done it, is because of the baby being breech.

How late did your breech baby turn? Hoping you can all lift my spirits.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mamaoftwo · 07/10/2005 16:45

Hi Mawbroon. Glad you've started the moxibustion. It is weird isn't it? At first I was laughing and moving around so much I thought DH was going to burn my toe! One tip I'd give is make sure you put it out properly when you've finished. One evening we went in to the kitchen about 2 hours after using it and it was still glowing on the plate. Thankfully it burns slowly, but you never know. the smell was unbelieveable.

Re costs, I went for accupuncture and mixbustion 4 times, at about £35 a time. I thought it hadn't worked as I'd felt no huge movements and in fact went along really unhappily for my planned c-section the day after my 4th session. (Id'd seen my midwife the day before it and she was convinced he was still feet down). But when I got to the hospital they scanned me before the op and discovered DS2 was head down (where he then stayed), so I came home again and went in to laboour naturally 2 weeks later. A wonderful pool birth.

Good luck and keep burning that candle!

mawbroon · 07/10/2005 18:11

Oh i'm glad to hear that it worked for you mamma. This is my first baby, so I think the chances of him turning are a bit less than for a subsequent pg. I am also thinking that his bum has started to engage as I have a dragging feeling down low and haven't had heartburn now for several days. It's still two weeks till my section date though, so still time.....

Sorry CADs. Bit of a hijack of your thread

omlette · 07/10/2005 19:34

How are things Cads???

mamaoftwo · 07/10/2005 19:37

Oops forgot to change my name back.

It was me saying how are you?!

PomsMum · 13/10/2005 20:08

DD was breech until 39.5 weeks (the midwife got a bit of a surprise having said she'd turned weeks earlier) when she was turned by ECV. I spent hours in front of the telly on all fours, scrubbed the kitchen floor etc etc. We tried moxibustion which produced lots of wriggling and thrashing (and smelly curtains in the bedroom) - I reckon that the moxybustion 'released' her from under my ribs which allowed the ECV to work - it was painless and quick by the way.... Don't despair I remember being in tears in the GPs but it will work out fine....

albosmum · 13/10/2005 20:20

my breech turned at 38 weeks ish so their is still hope

mamaoftwo · 14/10/2005 09:03

Any movements Cads or Mawbroon?

mawbroon · 14/10/2005 09:33

No movement for me....

The moxibustion didn't seem to work at all... DH only let me stink out the house once with the sticks, so I finished the treatment in the greenhouse with the moxa roll attached to a garden cane!!

I was scanned on Tuesday and the baby has one leg by his head and the other curled underneath. Not happy at being labelled "extended" or "frank" breech, he has to be both!!! I think that he has just got himself well and truly stuck.

Having ECV on 21st though, but if that doesn't work then I will get a section same day.

I feel like I'm in the last chance saloon as they say. Ho hum, such is life

mawbroon · 14/10/2005 09:34

PomsMum - what was painless and quick? The moxibustion or the ECV?

Original poster

CADS · 17/10/2005 10:55

Hi everyone

Thanks for posting. You have all given me some hope so have decided to wait until labour starts before agreeing to a cs, will not be bullied into one at 38/39 weeks. Have tried reflexology which doesn't seem to have worked. Baby still feels breeched, with head firming stuck under my ribs. Am seeing mw tomorrow so she will confirm postition. Will try moxa sticks next.

Mawbroon - I don't think you are hijacking the thread. Let me know how things go with the ECV or if you manage to turn baby before then.

Take care

OP posts:

babyonboard · 17/10/2005 14:18

one thing I read..which isn't too nice for us heavily pregnant ladies..!is that slouching and lying down is bad if your baby is breech..you should try to sit up straight with the back end of your pelvis propped up wherever possible.
There was a woman on city hospital last week whose baby was lying on its side as she was fully dilated..they stuck a hand up there and tried to encourage him to move and it worked...not sure if that is possible for a breech baby..it doesn't sound too nice either!

karmamother · 17/10/2005 17:09

Hi Cads & BoB.

I'm in the breech club too. I would be thinking along the same lines as you,cads, except I have gestational diabetes & I'm growing a large for dates baby. Its my 2nd, first was only 7lb 2oz, so there's quite a difference. If this was a normal size one I'd be be willing to go for a vaginal breech delivery but I really don't want to get a 9lb-er stuck.

I'm considering trying the "walking downstairs on all fours" technique. I shall have to do it when dp is at work as he thinks its a load of bo**ocks, as is moxi. I shall be seeing my consultant for the first time next week so I shall see what his views are on ECV.

BoB - ouch, bet that hurt! IIRC it wouldn't be done to turn a breech, although they do something similar to stabilise a 2nd twin & prevent it going transverse whilst waiting to deliver.

Original poster

CADS · 17/10/2005 17:32

Hi karma

Definitely, not brave enough to try natural breech delivery no matter what size baby is. My pelvic floor is bad enough after ds, would hate to think what it would be like after breech delivery. I meant that, at this stage, I have decided not to go down the ECV route and will refuse elective cs but will have a cs if baby is still breech when labour starts. Just hoping that the longer it is in there the more chance (no matter how small) there is that it might decide to move. Have been behind on all the Nov thread news, so remind me how many weeks you are now, and have they done a scan to confirm position?

BOB - Second karma's OUCH! Have an imagine of cows birthing farmer's help.

OP posts:

karmamother · 17/10/2005 17:45

CADS, I'm 34+3 today. I used to be a mw so I'm 100% certain she's breech. When I wake in the morning, she's nicely stretched out with her head just under my ribs, but last night she seemed to be curled up in a ball with her head close to my umbilicus. Its like she's trying to turn but can't. I need to stop reclining on the sofa, I think.

As much as I don't really want a section, it may be preferable to ruining my pelvic floor by pushing out a whopper.

Original poster

CADS · 19/10/2005 13:10

Hi everyone

Saw midwife yesterday who said baby was still breech and booked a scan for me to confirm the position.

Well, just got back from the scan and baby is heads down.

I think she has been getting it wrong all along because what she said was the head still feels the same but is actually the base of the spine. Also, I didn't feel any big movements between her appt yesterday and the scan today. I feel as if a cloud has been lifted because she had me really stressed and worried since 34 weeks.

OP posts:

3PRINCESSES · 19/10/2005 13:32

Hurrah!!

karmamother · 19/10/2005 20:32

well done cads. I see my mw tomorrow & I've decided to not mention that I think she's breech & see what she thinks without prompting. Fingers crossed. Judging by the amount of heartburn I have, I reckon she's still breech.

Note to self....buy frozen peas tomorrow.

mawbroon · 19/10/2005 23:51

Karma - I tried the frozen peas - didn't work......

karmamother · 20/10/2005 15:06

Well would you believe it! Last night as I was crawling about on the floor assembling the pushchair, I felt my spd pain return with a vengeance so I had a sneaky suspicion she had turned. At the MW today she confirmed that she's cephalic, at long last. I think I'll to go back to slouching on the sofa to keep that head in the pelvis.

I did wonder how effective the frozen peas would be!

jenksem · 02/09/2008 22:15

MW told me baby was breech at 35 weeks but not to worry -there was plenty of time to turn.So I did nothing-except my prenatal yoga class.
Last week I saw a different midwife while mine was on holiday & was having braxton hicks at the time so she couldn't tell if baby had moved or was still breech.She booked me in for a scan two days later,where it was confirmed baby was still breech & at 38+ wks I'd need to come back the next day for an ECV.I had the ECV wich was unsuccessful(actually not that painful-just uncomfortable)baby's bottom was too low in to my pelvis and they couldn't coax it out.A shame as there was enough fluid to turn once bottom was lifted.We had heard of a consultant with a high success rate at the same hospital and were lucky enough to get an appt with him today.He scanned again to confirm breech presentation and had a firm feel for the baby but apologised and told us the baby was lying too low & was too big, plus my tummy was too firm( first baby) He advised E.C. due to size of baby & it being my first-am still not comfortable with this & asked what would happen if I wanted a natural labour.He agreed that I could, but the possibility of labour being followed by an emergency c-section was high given his findings.I asked which was best for baby & his advice was E.c. less stress for mum=less stress for baby.Have agreed to go in next Tuesday but have had reflexology-amazing movement but not head down.Am trying the moxybustion from tomorrow-one of the nurses at the hospital practices it-how lucky was that? Wasn't going to until I just read some of your feedback-thanks.
Good luck to everyone trying.

wombleprincess · 03/09/2008 12:10

just to add to jenksem, i am planning a home birth and was told a few weeks ago (31 weeks) that baby was breech. Suggested course of action was: lets see whats happening at 34 wks. at 36 weeks i will get the home check visit thing for home birth and if at that point still looks like its breech, i will get sent for a scan to check (they can make mistakees!) if still breech can make decision then in consultation with obs/midwife. perhaps suggest similar course to midwife?

good luck, must admit to feeling a bit despondent too having planned a homebirth.

wombleprincess · 03/09/2008 12:13

oh sorry just realised i hadnt read whole thread. very glad for you cads.

silver18 · 07/10/2009 11:32

i just delivered my 8 lb first baby on saturday. Wasn't diagnosed as being breech til i got to hospital and by then fully dilated too late for section and pain control. Delivery was fine! no stitches or tears and up and about straight afterwards so there are plently of positive tales about! x

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