Anyone got experience of consultant trying to turn the baby?

[poohbearrules]

Had a consultant appointment this morning and she confirmed that baby is currently breach. I am however only 34 weeks and she was at pains to point out that there is still time for her to turn herself, and 80-90% do. However I'm booked to go back in two weeks for them to check position, and if she's still breach they'll book me in for the following week (37 wks) to try and turn her. If that doesn't work they'll book me for c-sec at 39 weeks. Really don't want a c-sec. Does attempting to turn work? Does it hurt?!

Can't advise on the hospital turning I'm afraid, but have you thought about acupuncture? That can be successful at turning babies and 34 weeks is apparently the optimal time to do it. Have you also looked at the 'spinning babies' website?

www.spinningbabies.com

Lots of info on there about how to get them to turn. Mine was breech (earlier than you mind, it was around 30 weeks), so I did lots of kneeling with head low and bum high, sitting on a birthing ball, swimming (on front only), weeding, cleaning kitchen floors etc etc and it did the trick.

My first baby was breech and I had to go in for the attempted turning (can't remember what the official terminology is!). It was uncomfortable rather than painful with the doctor prodding and pushing quite hard to physically try and make the baby turn. DD1 was obviously quite comfy the way she was though and refused to budge so I still ended up with a C-Section. As lucy says above, they do recommend that you spend time on all fours to try and get them to turn naturally which is worth a try.

I've been looking at turning techniques as my lo is currently transverse and my consultant has also mentioned the need for turning and I have to say imo it sounds horrendous. Basically they have to do it in hospital just in case they rupture the placenta and have to give an emcs, they give a drug to relax the womb and then start massaging and pushing your bump to encourage it to turn, it is risky and can distress the baby as well as damage the placenta and apparently mum is often left bruised and in pain. I'm not prepared to risk manual turning so I'm sticking with the gentler methods such as sitting on a bouncy gym ball and avoiding the sofa and trying to get onto all fours when I can. I really hope that your lo moves on its own x

My first baby was breach at 36 weeks.

The gave me gas and air to turn it around... it was as worse as giving birth. The gas and air was making me feel sick and hallucinate till high heaven and the baby wouldnt move. Imagine someone trying to move your stomach around and it being unsucessful. Sorry if that is scarry!!

The one thing i would recommend is being in control. I was hysterical and they kept on trying to push when it wouldnt budge. So ask them to do it once and see how it goes.

I dont like being not in control, so the gas and air didnt go well.

Good luck

I had twins & the second one was breech. Eventually the midwife stuck her arm up there & turned him! It was fine - bit uncomfortable but didn't hurt.

Thing on the radio a couple of weeks ago - it said that women these days in general have a longer labour than, say, 30 years ago, because of the lack of activities that lucy mentions, such as manual work, bending down in the garden or washing floors, in other words tha baby got thrown forwards all the time & was less likely to be stuck against the mother's spine.

DD was breech at 34 weeks - doula recommended the weird-but-true ironing board trick. You lever an ironing board against a sofa or chair, making sure it's secure at both ends, and spend regular time on it. I did this, as well as loads of time on my knees and elbows, kept stroking my bump and asking her to turn - and she eventually did. Like Boggler, I was not prepared to risk the distress of a manual turn and would rather have had c-section if she hadn't turned naturally. Keep talking to her and spend regular periods in the different positions - hope all goes well!

I had ECV at 37 weeks done by one of the consultant's juniors with the consultant and another doc watching (and 2 or 3 midwives in the room). It was fine, took a while and was really uncomfortable but once she got him to transverse position he just slid the rest of the way.

I was monitored for half an hour before, they stopped several times to check heartbeat during the procedure and monitored for some time after. Everything was great and it was a total success. I would absolutely do it again.

Thanks for all your replies. I have to admit I have been a bit of a couch potato! I do have a birth ball and have been using that for an achy back. But I also sit on my bum all day at a desk - guessing that's not helping either. I will make a concerted effort to do more, although get told off when I do try to do stuff - DH can be overprotective, guess understandable with an IVF baby! Will definitely try the position on all fours and use my ball more and will look into acupuncture. I have been talking to her as well, telling her she needs to get a wriggle on and shift position - may be the only time in her life she listens to her mother!!

My DD was breech but I'd heard that ECV can be v uncomfortable so decided either baby turned itself or straight to csec. thankfully she turned herself at 36+4, literally the night before my consultant appt to confirm presentation and book me in for a section

You need to be very aware of your posture and the angle of your pelvis - slouching on chairs or the sofa tilts the pelvis and reduces the available wriggle room! My antenatal yoga teacher recommended resting on my knees and leaning my arms over a gym ball and rocking, and plenty of time on all fours. Also shining a torch at the bottom of my bump... All of which DH found hilarious but it worked!

Good luck with persuading your baby to turn.

I had an ecv just this week actually. It didn't work for me but I wouldn't say the experience was bad. It was uncomfortable, but I kept telling myself that I was sure it couldn't be worse than contractions or recovery from a c section, either of which I could be doing soon! I wouldn't say it's something to fear and if you'd rather avoid a section it's definitely worth a go.

Today I had accupuncture and that hasn't worked YET but I haven't given up just yet... Am 37 + 2 though so I am running out of time a bit I suspect. Apparently The optimum time for it to work is 34 to 36 weeks so if you try it now you might avoid the ecv. It's called moxibustion, I just googled to find one in my area. Good luck!

I'm confused I'm 35+3 and my baby has not turned (so the midwife informs me) not seeing midwife again until 36+5 she was not concerned at all and said not to worry as baby's can turn at any point even up to the last minute as in birth time..... Saying that though, my midwife is new and quite pants....Anyone else been told this?? After reading these posts I am starting to worry... Just checking everyone here in the UK? Should I call her and explain my worry's??

I had an ECV. It was incredibly painful and left a huge yellow bruise all across the top of the bump. And it didn't work :( The nurse asked me "was it as brutal as it looked?" when the consultant left the room. Yes it was.

This (London-based) yoga teacher m.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Lee-Yoga/181864925181818?id=181864925181818&_rdr
Has on her Facebook a 24 hour programme of exercises to turn a baby. (Squatting and hip-rolling etc at regular intervals for 24hrs). Other tips include putting frozen peas or a torch at the top of your belly hoping the baby will edge away from the discomfort. Wherever you are based I recommend you contact Tara Lee for tips, I do her classes and it's a common topic. Good Luck!

AwwABaby, I'm in the UK. If you are concerned I would definitely check, maybe speak to a different midwife? As I said in my OP the consultant was at pains to say that 80-90% of babies will turn themselves. I've been trying some of the tricks mentioned in the hope that she'll turn herself. Can't tell where she is today though, think she's hiding

awwbaby you should definitely be seen by a consultant, is your baby breech or transverse? Transverse is more dangerous as you cannot deliver under any circumstances so a c section is inevitable and needs to be done before labour starts to avoid the risk of rupturing the uterus. Your mw should know that by 36+ a lot of babies cannot be turned or turn on their own and you need to be seen for a scan to establish exactly what is happening. There is still a chance of baby turning but it gets less every day so you better get bouncing on your gym ball and crawling around on all fours lol x

Just a quick up date, had second scan today (36+1) to check position of baby and yippeeee she's turned herself . I came out grinning like a cheshire cat!! I did wonder if she had as had a lot of discomfort on Wednesday night, something was definitely going on! So thanks for all the tips on what to do, maybe they helped, certainly got me off the sofa .

Now for the rasberry leaf tea!!!!