Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

Original poster

Vaginal breech birth?

23 replies

Shellywelly1973 · 04/12/2013 12:19

This hopefully won't be an issue but I'm 32 weeks & baby is breech as well as back to back. I seen my mw this morning.

This is dc 6 so hopefully she will move but she's been breech or transverse since 26 weeks.

The mw was very relaxed about it & seemed to think a vaginal birth would be fine due to the number of dc I've had.

Everyone I know that had a breech baby had a cs. Any one with POSITIVE birth stories of breech births, especially homebirths.

I really need to avoid a cs unless its life threatening as dp is due to have major surgery end of January. It would be impossible to manage the dc & 3 school's if I couldn't drive. 2 of our dc have SNs. The youngest dc is on reduced hours so not like I could even approach other parents for help.

Im hopefully worrying for nothing & she'll flip round for me!

TIA!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

littlecrumb · 04/12/2013 12:29

I am 34 weeks and baby is breech, so will be waiting for responses on this like you! I really want a natural birth too.

ThereIsNoEleventeen · 04/12/2013 13:21

...not my story but I did meet a lady who had 6DC's, her 6th was breech and delivered at home. I was like, wow! I don't think it was a planned home birth but her previous deliveries were pretty speedy so she made sure there was a mw on call just in case.

It's great that your MW is so relaxed, could you ask her if she knows how many natural breech births your local hospital has done in the last year or so?

Original poster

Shellywelly1973 · 04/12/2013 16:08

Mw said its unheard if at hospital im booked into. She warned me they will push c/s on me. She kept saying dont worry baby will turn...

Mw is very liberal & easy going. Consultants? The word zealot or authoritarian spring to mind!

OP posts:

DziezkoDisco · 04/12/2013 16:22

Firstly you still have loads of time for the baby to turn,
Do all of these things:

optimum foetal position

Lastly go and see an acupuncturist, been clinically proven to help turn babies. Worked for two of mine (one back to back one breech)

DziezkoDisco · 04/12/2013 16:22

Forgot to add good luck!

bundaberg · 04/12/2013 16:23

haev a google of mary cronk... you'll find a lot of positive stuff. also on the homebirth.org.uk website... even if you aren't planning a homebirth it has some great stories of breech deliveries

Original poster

Shellywelly1973 · 04/12/2013 16:40

Thanks. Yes was planning a home water birth. The mw started off by describing a labour ward type birth. I could not tolerate being stuck in a bed on a monitor. Its over 21 years since I gave birth like that & never ever again.

Im not fussed about a c/s would rather that then what i described!

Its about the recovery. I've no help. 2 ds with SNs. Ds8 carer had just resigned...its never ending!

OP posts:

JasMumOfFour · 04/12/2013 16:46

My first turned at 39 weeks, it was HORRIBLE! my whole stomache turned around like a washing machine, it was like the feeling of nails down a blackboard lol but, he did it! it's not too late :)

Original poster

Shellywelly1973 · 04/12/2013 16:50

Im feeling stressed today. I've got so much on with dc, work, house, Christmas etc. Im going to stop thinking about it until after Christmas.

Hopefully she will move & it will all be lovely...I can but hope!

OP posts:

HolidayArmadillo · 04/12/2013 16:51

I'd maybe see if you could engage the services of an independent midwife. Or at least contact one for advice.

impty · 04/12/2013 16:53

I was part of research carried out world wide to see what was better c/s or vaginal birth, when dd1 was breech (16 years ago). The research did conclude that c/s was better for baby and mum.

However after being unable to turn her, I did have a vaginal birth. It was fine. I was fine (a few stitches) she was scanned to check for clicky hips but she was fine too. Dd2 came head first but if she'd been breech I would have insisted on a vaginal delivery for her too.

However, I was in a hospital. I did have an epidural. I did have a consultant, senior midwife and several other midwifes in the room. It was very calm, careful and efficient. I was happy with that but it's a long way from a home birth.

HolidayArmadillo · 04/12/2013 16:58

Impty was that the Hannah trial? It's been shown to be a deeply flawed piece of research that has unfortunately had a huge effect on how we manage breech births. I think as this is DC6, you have a 'proven' pelvis and you have had uncomplicated deliveries in the past you'd be an ideal candidate, assuming your care provider is experienced in breech birth which is why I recommended discussing things with an independent midwife.

JasMumOfFour · 04/12/2013 16:58

I think that if you have had a few babies, they have a bit more room to move too, they can engage and un-engage more easily, rocking on all fours is meant to help I think

impty · 04/12/2013 17:05

It may have been the hannah trial- but part of the problem is that many midwives no longer have the experience of vaginal breech births, even 16 years ago.This was why I had a room full of people witnessing it! I was past caring happy to help!

Like I said I'd do it again.

educatingarti · 04/12/2013 17:06

I was a breech birth although many millions of years ago. It was not a positive birth story. The comment to my dad was "We think we've saved the mother but we are not sure about the child!" Obviously I did ultimately (and amazingly) survive OK but it certainly wasn't to be recommended.
I can understand your worries about managing after CS but surely you'd rather those difficulties than possible life-threatening issues during birth? If there is a possibility of complications surely you'd want to be where an emergency CS can happen if needed, even if your fist choice is vaginal delivery?

Original poster

Shellywelly1973 · 04/12/2013 17:07

Im in London. There is no way I could afford an Independent midwife!

What you describe Impty scares the living day lights out of me!! I would rather a c/s -seriously?! A room full of people, hospital, epidural...

If she stays breech it will be a home birth or c/s.

OP posts:

HolidayArmadillo · 04/12/2013 17:15

Shelly I'm almost certain an IM would give advice for free and you may be surprised at what they'll take in payment, not quite a bushel of potatoes and a salted ham but if either you or your DH have a skill worth trading many IM's are open to a bit of you scratch my back ill scratch yours... Anyway, it's worth a shot, even if you just want an idea. Although having said all of that if your community midwife is happy to support you maybe she will attend you at home?

Original poster

Shellywelly1973 · 04/12/2013 17:18

Will look into that Holiday good idea!

The community mw's don't deliver babies. They havecs home birth team. Will speak to them after 34 weeks & see what they say.

OP posts:

HolidayArmadillo · 04/12/2013 17:19

Good luck, keep us updated x

byanothername · 04/12/2013 20:13

I had a very positive vaginal breech birth (footling breech) two years ago in a big state hospital abroad, but not in the UK. I was in a major teaching hospital but they left me and DH largely alone bar popping head round the door to check me, so we laboured mostly "on our own" til the very end - hypnobirthing techniques, moving about, no pain relief (personal choice). I was fine, baby was fine. The midwives/ docs seem to have had a lot of experience in breech births and were v relaxed... Sorry perhaps doesn't reflect situation in UK, but just to say...

byanothername · 04/12/2013 20:14

It was first pregnancy too, if that helps

natenewt · 04/12/2013 20:44

My dd2 age 2 was a breech delivery. Natural water birth, gas and air. It was undiagnosed and so they only found out when I was pushing. Too late for a cs, which was hospital policy in the case of breech babies. They helped me a little and I needed some stitches, but I'd do it again that way if I had the choice.

Apparentlychilled · 04/12/2013 21:11

My first DC was a vaginal breech delivery and it was totally fine. She arrived really quickly (there wasn't time for CS). I had a really big episiotomy but everything else was totally fine. I did have a cast of thousands there though as they got so excited that it was a vaginal delivery.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread