Positive, if dramatic, ECV story

[mumhum]

Thought I would share the experience of my eventful Friday morning.

At my 36 week (DC2) midwife appt on Wed I was told baby was in breech and I was sent for a scan the next day. They recommended an ECV and that took place this morning.

The ECV itself was fine, uncomfortable rather than painful for me. But whilst baby allowed itself to be turned, it was not too happy about it and the heart rate dropped to a point which made the consultant press a big red button and I was rushed into theatre for an emergency c-section. They flattened the bed, put up the sides and whizzed me down a corridor, all without DH which was a bit frightening. As they were worried about baby they were about to give me a general anaesthetic (no time for an epidural for a ‘normal’ c-section) and had me all prepped with a canula in my hand, drip in my arm and I was on oxygen within minutes. The consultant checked the baby again one more time and the heart rate was back up so she held off to see if baby was recovering and s/he was thank goodness.

So they let DH in (he could not come in if I had needed a general anaesthetic apparently), who in the meantime had been put in scrubs and a silly hat. I was monitored in theatre for half an hour or so as they didn’t want to move me if I did need a c-section after all and when they were happy they wheeled me back in to one of the delivery rooms. I stayed there hooked up for another 2 hours, and by 1pm baby had calmed down and all was normal again.

I am now back home drinking a cup of tea and feeling surprisingly ok, if a little shaken. I can feel baby moving and actually feel a bit better now it is head down, as I am less short of breath and squished when sitting. Back to Plan A and waiting for normal labour signs.

I still feel we made the right decision for an ECV and it has not harmed the baby, and I would much rather a natural birth over a c-section. But I have never been so scared in my life.

There is no 'easy option' when it comes to birth. My recovery from a ELCS was dreadful and I'm hoping to avoid another.

Thumbwitchesabroad, that's the story I immediately thought of when I read this post. Sadly I've known indirectly of another very similar case where it's possible that ECV was the cause of the loss. So sad. Yes there's a strong link between hidden placental abruption and ECV OP.

OP you in fact had a hell of a lot to lose through ECV, and I'm glad that what could have happened has also been referred to here - I hope other women with this decision to make read that as well as your story. I hope to goodness you're on the alert now for any sign of deterioration, and if you note ANYTHING amiss for goodness' sake go in immediately.

Basin I'm so glad you have posted that. I just wouldn't even have considered that as being a risk with an ECV. There's no way I'd have one.

There's another thread on here that I've read this morning where the baby died after an ECV as the cord was wrapped around his neck it's just so scary.

Agree that there us absolutely no need to justify having a ELCS.

I DID NOT say a c-section was an easy option at any point, read my second post and you will see I said "I think people see a c-section as an easy option". Some people do, some people don't. Personally, I preferred trying an ECV to avoid a c-section and I don't regret my decision. I fully understand people not wanting an ECV and choosing a c-section. Nothing is easy in this pregnancy lark. I just wanted to share my experience in case it may help others make an informed choice either way.

I cannot speak highly enough of the staff at my local NHS hospital, I was not bullied into anything and all the risks and choices were fully explained to me and DH. I hope everyone else has the same high standard of care and feels fully informed.

Basin, Koala, I resent the implication that I have put my baby at undue risk due to choosing an ECV. You see no need to justify an ELCS and good on you, I see no need to justify an ECV. It's a highly personal choice for us all.

Ok OP you said people see it as an easy option, but you also say they should try ECV first. In my case that was absolutely not true so please be careful with the blanket statements. Same goes for saying that a VB is preferable. Not always the case.

I am not trying to dig at you OP, honestly. I agree that decisions in pregnancy are not easy and I hope that you and baby have a safe and happy rest of your pregnancy and delivery. I see what you were trying to do here, give a positive ECV story, and you probably never meant to sound smug or patronising, but you did.

I don't agree that I sounded smug or patronising, just sharing a story that I felt was positive to me, and me alone. People should only try ECV first if they want to. I think enough has now been said on this topic, good luck to all in whatever they decide to do.

Please don't think that I'm saying you have put your baby at risk, because that's not what I'm saying. There is risk involved in any of the choices that you had.

In my case I just knew in my bones that I wasn't supposed to have an ECV, based on gut instinct mainly, and I was right. But I made a decision weighing up the risks same as you.

I resent the implication that I should have tried ECV first and that a VB would have been better and I should have made a different choice.

You may not have meant that but that's how your posts read to me.

Mumhum I simply meant there is no easy option - I didn't mean I thought that you had said it.

I had a cat-1 section where we nearly died and I'll be having an ELCS this time round.

A c-section is major abdominal surgery, it is in no way or means an "easy option"

I'd never have done what you'd done but then again that's my choice Id never had a sweep either

Well, of course you put your baby at risk BUT you would have done that if you had gone for a c section or a vaginal breech delivery.

My posts were to Basin about her situation and how bloody scary it sounded.

I don't judge anyone for the choices they have to make during pregnancy.

I wasn't going to comment further but I feel I should. Op you did make the comment regards CS been an easier option.

I think people see a c-section as an easy option when they really should try ECV first

This statement clearly says that you think women like me see CS as an easy option because we didn't have an ECV. Out of interest how many successful ECVs has you consultant done? I would guess it's in single figures, if not less than a handful!

Also what makes you such an expert on how women perceive their choice in birthing option? Have you personally done some research on this? How do you know we think it's an "easy option"?

Statements like the one above really irritate me because this is part of the reason so many women that have ELCS or EMCS end up feeling like failures. Well their not failures and people should consider what they say before spouting how some women think CS are an "easy option". It's so sad to see other women judging other women.

An ECV is your choice and it's great to hear it was successful and you are happy. For me there would be nothing on earth that would convince me to take the risk and for me an ELCS is the safer option.

Just another point to consider. I tried to have an ecv at 39 1/2 weeks when my breech was discovered, even though the consultant thought it was unlikely to work, but we never got that far because dds heart rate spiked and only came down hours later after they nearly had me in for a emcs.

However I am now glad it didn't work as it turned out that due to being breech during that time dd had a hip problem (ddh) that was only discovered at a hip scan that is automatically done for breech babies. If she had been turned it she would not have been scanned and we wouldn't have discovered the issue until she tried to walk which would have been so much more traumatic for her. As it was it has hopefully been sorted and she should be signed off next month at 17 months.

If your baby is turned late it might be worth keeping an eye on it, or requested a scan.

For anyone who is still interested, I had a scan today and baby is still happily head down. So glad I had the ECV. Hope everyone else feels like they make the right choices and good luck.

That's good OP. Hope you have a good birth.

I feel a bit bad that this thread didn't go the way you wanted and hope you didn't take the mostly negative discussion to heart

Thanks Basin, as I said nothing is easy in this pregnancy journey. I had just found the previous ECV discussions negative and wanted to add my own experience in case anyone else was considering an ECV. Godd luck to all.