turning a breech baby

[JRmumma]

IM currently 33 weeks and my baby is still head up. I know I still have time for baby to turn but i don't think it will as has been in this position all along. At midwife appt this morning she was talking about what would happen if baby doesn't turn by 37 weeks and the turning the baby by hand procedure sounds horific. Grateful for any sharing of experiences of this.

[MakeGlutenFreeHay]

I think a cs is very little different in price to a vb.

[Onawhim]

My first was breech at 37w and I had an ECV at 38w. I'd had acupuncture and the moxi stuff the week before, and I think this helped make the ECV work.

I didn't think the ECV was too bad at the time, and I was separate to avoid a section. However I've found a few things out since and not sure I'd go for it again.

Also my first was (undiagnosed) IUGR which came as a surprise at 40 weeks, despite being scanned multiple times at 37 and 38 weeks for breech and ECV. I've since found out if you have a breech baby it's guidelines to do a growth scan, as there is a v chance of small babies being breech.

[Onawhim]

Oh, and after I had my ECV, everyone at hospital who checked my notes said "ooh, you're the one who the ECV that worked!", like I was a celebrity!

So I think the stated 50% success rate wasn't quite true at that hospital...

[PeaceAndHope]

MakeGlutenFreeHay

The price difference quoted by NHS is £800. The actual price difference when the total cost of vaginal birth is taken into account (such as future surgery for prolapse etc.) is £80.

Irrespective, the fact remains that women like me shouldn't have to sit there and fervently pray for a breech baby to have a caesarian.

Similarly women who want a VB with a breech baby shouldn't have to sit around and hope it turns. Vaginal breech births should be an available option.

[Mumofthreeteens]

Dd was breech. I had acupuncture by the midwife and she flipped once and then returned to her breech position. I had her naturally ( if one can call it that- worse part was the intervention of the Dr). It was a crazily busy day at the maternity, so many babies born and when dd wanted to be born she wanted to be out immediately so fully dilated to birth in half an hour. Don't think a csection would have even been possible.

[Mandy21]

Haven't read all the posts and probably not particularly helpful but I had premature twins and although both were head down throughout, Twin 2 went AWOL after Twin 1 was born. They wanted me to have a section at that point, but given that I'd already had 19 hours of labour at that point, I asked if I could try to deliver him and they agreed. He was born breech, bottom and feet first. He was only little which obviously helped.

Good luck

[Herhonesty]

have had 2 dc. both breech but found out second time round I had a bicornuate uterus. first time round had an ECV. it awful and would never recommend it. I cant actually imagine anything more distressing for an unborn baby. But I was hell bent on a natural birth so tried this and EVERYTHING else even bleeping moxibustion. In the end ended up with a c section as to be honest, they were so disorganised at the hospital that we didn't feel comfortable even trying a natural breech birth given it is a more risky delivery.

at the end of day this was a good choice - because of my BU I would have ended up having a c section,

[Exhaustipated]

My second baby was breech, fluid too low to turn her. Was relieved tbh as I was horrified by the idea of the ECV!
The.section itself was a great experience (recovery not so much) although I have felt sad at missing out on the 'easy' second natural birth so many of my friends have had after difficult first births. Baby was breech all the way through pregnancy- I still remember feeling her sweet little head up by my ribs the whole time!

Hope things go well for you.

[tulipsgirl77]

I had a breech baby which was discovered at 37 weeks. She was feet first and standing on a nerve - incredibly painful! We went in for her to be turned, but after five minutes the consultant said she wasn't for turning! They offered me a C-section or a natural birth but proceeded to list about ten things that could go wrong with me and the baby if I had a natural birth.

My eperience of the ECV was v positive. The theatre staff were incredibly kind and professional and I didn't feel a thing. I would have liked a natural birth but felt it wasn't just about me and I owed it to my husbandand the baby to trust the professionals' opinion.

By the way a friend also recommended to me to crawl around on all fours to make the baby turn. I tookthe opportunity to clean the skirting boards (never done again since DD's birth!!) but it didn't work!

[Coolhand]

My ds was a 'misdiagnosed' breech - basically midwife got bum and head mixed up and we didn't discover he was breech until I was 5cm dilated and had just arrived in hospital so options were out of my hands.

That said, I was a pregnancy yoga fanatic from 12 weeks - so was always doing the pelvic scoops, child's pose and figure of eight on all fours. I also went mad for the cleaning as heard being on all fours was good for keeping baby away from back to back position.

In short, positions may help a baby turn and give them all a go but don't fix all your hopes on it - some babies just like breech I guess!

[maxbear]

I once had a lady that I had sent up to the obstetrician because I thought her lo was breech, they scanned and said not, when she went in in labour a few week later baby was breech on scan, by the time she was in theatre her baby was head first again! Unusual but they can turn late!

My own first baby was breech at 33weeks, she turned that week, lots of crawling around on my knees and walking seemed to do the trick. I would have without question tried an ecv if she had continued to be breech as knowing I wanted 3 children I would have really really wanted to avoid a section. Happily I have had 3 normal births since then. The second wasn't ever breech I don't think but the third was at about 35 weeks but not by the time it mattered.

[Apparentlychilled]

DD was an undiagnosed frank breech (her feet were by her head). They only noticed when I was about 7cm dilated and I quickly got to 8cm as I was signing forms for the ECS, and ended up with a vaginal birth.

Someone upthread asked if vaginal delivery is an option for breech babies. It is, but many midwives don't have much experience of it, so there is often encouragement to opt for a section without discussing the reasons for it. To be honest, I was a first time mum and I was all for following advice to have a section, so I'm not dissing anyone for having a section, esp as i only found out all of this later.

Apparently, the reason they encourage sections is because usually once the head has been delivered, the birth canal tightens around the body to deliver it quickly. All well and good when baby is the right way round, but if the baby is coming out slowly and is breech, he/she might have restrictions on their breathing ( NB- I am not a doctor, and am only recounting my recollection of DD's arrival ). Oh, and I had a really big episiotomy, which again apparently is normal with breech babies, to make sure there's enough room to get the head out easily. DD arrived 72 minutes after we got to hospital, so speed wasn't a concern for her.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

[Onetwo34]

DS was breech all along. The only kicks I ever felt were straight down. Which was a shame because nobody could see them, and nobody but me could feel them. I had wanted DD to be able to put her hand on my tummy!
But anyway, I had a CS and it was fine. I don't think I would have had the turning thing if I had been offered it.

[JRmumma]

Thanks everyone! All of these responses are really useful and im going to try some of the turning tips over the next few weeks and see if that helps. If not, i don't think im going to try ECV as most people seem to be saying it wasn't very nice and\or unsuccessful. Don't think i would try for a breech vaginal birth either, im not that brave!

[PeaceAndHope]

How on earth can someone have an "undiagnosed" breech? Is this another example of NHS negligence like the "undiagnosed" massively macrosomic 15 pound baby?

[Apparentlychilled]

I was told that when you have a frank breech a head feels v similar to a bottom. When I say undisgnosed, my mw didn't spot it the day before I went into labour and the hospital mw didn't spot it when my waters went at about 5am. I was examined but went home till mid morning. It was only on my return to hospital mid morning when I was in established labour that it was spotted.

Given that DD arrived without a problem (and v quickly), I have no complaints and certainly no grounds for any suggestion of negligence, given that neither DD nor I suffered in any way.

[VeganCow]

I had ECV at 36 weeks.
It worked.
BUT am convinced (with hindsight) this procedure led to emergency caesarian following a pretty awful full labour.

To be fair the consultant did offer me ECV, CS or attempt at natural birth. And he was a VERY experienced consultant who performed the ECV alone and in what felt like only a minute.

If I could do it again I would opt for natural breech birth

[Fishandjam]

My DD was breech and had been for weeks. (The heartburn was INDESCRIBEABLE.) I needed to be emergency induced due to health complications, and decided to go for ECV rather than straight to C-section; initially it was started by an obstetric registrar who was a bit ham-fisted but my lovely, lovely consultant recognised that I was struggling to manage it and she took over. She did sort of gentle but firm massaging pushes, round in a circle, and all of a sudden there was a weird "thunk" feeling and DD was firmly head down. No distress, nothing untoward - though they did have the theatre on standby in case.

The worst bit of it was getting DD's fat arse out of my pelvis. I had a mental image of when a kid slides down the toilet and is sat there with their knees round their ears.

I was warned about the risks but DD was monitored throughout and it was a very measured, calm process, though somewhat eye-popping physically. And the scan room where it took place was packed - around 10 other members of staff in addition to my consultant, the Obs and my midwife - all wanting a look. I should have sold tickets.

[Fishandjam]

Oh, and I should have said - DD born hale and hearty after 5.5 hours of labour (and a truly miraculous mobile epidural).

[BubaMarra]

DD2 was in normal position until 35w when she decided to turn. I did a lot of spinning babies exercises and by the next week she turned again. I really don't know if the exercises helped or it would have happened anyway.

[snowgal]

My 1st was breech basically throughout my entire pregnancy. Attempted ECV at about 36 weeks, a very strange experience which given the number of people who came to see it being performed isn't done much in our hospital! Was a male consultant and it felt like he'd decided DS was going to be moved by brute force - he pummelled by tummy for a 15 minutes before admitting defeat! Elected to have a further attempt the next week, female consultant had a very quick go at moving him but decided his bum was firmly wedged in my pelvis. Booked in for ELCS for 38 weeks.

From about 28 weeks I tried anything and everything to get him moved but nothing would. Spent most evenings upside down hanging off the sofa, tried moxibustion (awful, made me feel sick, definitely don't recommend), bouncing on ball etc. Although I would have done anything to have a natural birth I found CS fine, a very bizarre experience but no complications and recovered very fast afterwards.

Have a friend who had a small bump, who plays a lot of sport - when she went for ECV with her breech baby, the consultant took one look at her and said they wouldn't be able to turn. Her strong stomach muscles and small bump had meant there was less amniotic fluid and no chance of getting her little one head down.

I'm 25 weeks pregnant with my second and although I'm hoping this one will be VBAC I'd have absolutely no concerns with having another ELCS.

Hope it works out for you x

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

DS1 was an undiagnosed breech, we found out after 7 hours in labour when the MW was sure that she wasn't feeling a head. In my case, I was fairly overweight when I had him so I think it was difficult for them to feel the position especially as he was a frank breech. I opted for a CS then as I felt it was the best option for DS1.

DS2 was slightly smaller than DS (just under 7lb rather than a bit over - both born at 38 weeks). I had a positioning scan at 36 weeks and he was head down. It may be that he had more room than DS1 as he was a second baby but it may just be that DS1 was breech for a reason.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

snowgal
I had a VBAC with DS2 but would have had an ELCS if he had been breech. I don't think they could consider ECV if you've already had a CS.

[StayingZen]

My first daughter (now 21!) was breech. No suggestion of ECV, but I spent a lot of time hanging upside down over the edge of the bed, to absolutely no avail. She was eventually delivered by forceps in 2 hours 36 minutes total! The expressions of successive shifts of doctors and midwives as they read my notes were a sight to behold. Something else no-one seems to have mentioned on this thread and you might want to ask about ? she had dislocated hips (v. common in breech babies, they said, on account of spending all those weeks with their legs up in front of their nose) and had to wear a sort of harness for a few weeks after birth, which kept her legs spread apart while the hip socket grew properly, as I understand it. Apart from it being difficult to bathe her it really wasn?t a problem ? in fact, when they took it off she wriggled so much we almost asked for it back! Best of luck, anyway.

[rufus5]

Don't want to hijack, but I've just been diagnosed with a breech baby at 36 weeks. Is DC3, so there may be room for it turning by itself yet. However I've had CS and VBAC already, anyone know if they'll even consider ECV (which I'm not really keen on) or natural breech birth after having had a section, or will they just recommend CS? Really wanted to avoid CS, but not to the point of putting baby or me at increased risk.