32 weeks breech baby - how can I avoid a c section?

[KimchiLaLa]

My first baby. In my regular MW Appt I was told everything was fine so I went on my way. Just looked at my notes and it says "breech baby; c sec recommended." This shocked me, she had mentioned nothing about it. I don't want a c-sec, id always wanted a natural birth if the baby would be completely healthy that way.

called the hospital who have advised me to have acupuncture before they try an ECV if I want one. Has anyone been through this? How was it? Can you advise on whether you'd recommend it?

No experience but check out the Spinning Babies website... lots of good ideas on there. Good luck!

DD1 was breech. I did acupuncture, moxibustion, chiropractic, all the exercises on Spinning Babies. I refused the ECV after doing research. Ended up with c section. I wanted a normal birth but it wasn't a choice for me. 26 weeks pregnant with second baby which is also current in breech position! Not keen on a second section but it's apparently the shape of my body

Apparently only 3% of babies go to term breech so odds are yours will turn no matter what you do. I honestly don't believe any of the methods are more effective than ECV and that's only 50%. They seem to move on their own if they can and in many cases when they don't, there's a reason for it.

Very surprised this wasn't discussed with mw- I would call her and ask to talk through. Must have been a shock to see that with no warning !
I was in a similar position at 34 wks and given lots of tips on how to turn baba, before resorting to acupuncture or ecv, although that would have been where we were directed next.
Even at 34wks my mw was confident there was plenty of time for her to turn around, so you have very good odds at 32!
Spinning babies (as mentioned) is a good resource, but we tried the following and who knows which one, but something worked...
• endless bouncing on ball
• swimming (including underwater turns which were probably hilarious for any bystanders)
• shining a torch down at the business end to attract baby to light
• crawling around on all fours
• lying on sofa with hips higher than shoulders
... there are loads more you can try but these were my go-to! Don't stress yourself out too much- baby seems generally to be the master of their own destiny in this regard! And apparently they can turn pretty late... so my little poppet could still turn back!
Good luck

Yes it was a shock, I've had a good pregnancy so far as she assured me I was fine before sending me along. My Appt was all of 5 mins but she was running 30 mins late! I'm pretty annoyed.

I will definitely check out spinning babies, thank you.

Currently 38 weeks, and throughout the pregnancy baby had been breech. I'm consultant led for other reasons, and they had advised a c section scheduled for 38 weeks. The morning of my 36 week scan I felt different, and couldn't explain it. Turns out baby had gone head down in the night! Most of the time baby will move themselves at a later stage, but like others have suggested have a look at the spinning babies website. Fingers crossed for you OP.

Just to say that whilst I hope the baby does turn if it doesn't then a c-section is not the end of the world. I found out my first was breech quite late on and followed all the advice and tried an ecv but he would not budge. I found that if you mentally and practically prepare for a c-section they can be a very positive birth experience. Good luck!

Don't worry. This is normal. Babies move around a lot at this stage and if you'd had an appointment an hour later or earlier your baby might well have been head down. They won't start discussing breech birth options until 35/36 weeks, because the baby isn't really breech (in the sense of being fixed in a position where the head isn't the presenting part) until then. My DS2 was still breech at 35 weeks but head down from 36 weeks on.

Your baby has absolutely oooodles of time to turn. The important time that baby really "needs" to be head down is week 39+.

I'm 33w, baby definitely not head down, probably won't be for a while. It's ok.

Just a word of advice; research ECVs carefully and you can decline one. Definitely look at Spinning Babies though x

My DS was breech at 33 weeks. I developed horrific SPD pain very suddenly, could hardly take a step. I did lots of bouncing on my ball ans hanging backwards off the couch (spinning babies). He did turn eventually, although I'm not sure if anything I did helped! My pelvic pain instantly disappeared as the pressure of his big bottom was gone.

In the end I needed an EMCS anyway so I wish I hadn't worried so much about him turning!

You can have a breech baby with a vaginal delivery, as long as you don't have any other complications. I did and it was a fantastic experience. There is a breech babies group on Facebook with some useful resources. Ask your midwife if there is anyone at your birth centre or labour ward with experience delivering breech naturally.

Thanks all, you've been really helpful. Checked out spinning babies and did the leaning off the sofa one today. Will try the tilt tomorrow...as it requires an ironing board apparently!

Also, MW (who I'm not loving right now) has already written "c sec recommended" in my notes...if I wasn't going to be pushed in to one why has she already written that?!

I had an ECV at 37+3, successful but not uncomplicated; nearly ended up as an EMCS but baby settled and we had our natural home birth as planned. If it hadn't worked I would have attempted breech vaginal birth in hospital as our maternity hospital apparently has a great team and good success rate. All the best whatever you decide to do.

I'd be so annoyed at the midwife. Why would she write that and then not discuss it with you? Does she think you can't read?! I'd phone tomorrow and ask to speak to someone who can explain your situation and what the hospital policy is on breach babies.

You might find helpful info here - really good evidence-based information for women with breech babies research.ncl.ac.uk/breech-decisions/

I had moxa and used spinning babies and baby turned at 38 weeks.

Was scheduled for an ECV when DD turned - lucky, actually, as her umbilical cord turned out to be really short.

@KimchiLaLa

Also, MW (who I'm not loving right now) has already written "c sec recommended" in my notes...if I wasn't going to be pushed in to one why has she already written that?!

What the freakin what now?!

That's almost as bad as the MW who claimed she'd performed a sweep on me at week 41 and I had to read in my notes "could not perform sweep; cervix too unfavourable". I would happily hunt her down and slap her face for that.

Anyway, I digress. You need to ask MW why that's in your notes and invite the conversation. BUT one thing I will say; I absolutely vow that should your cervix still be high/unfavourable at 40w OR if baby just ends up breech it's better to get "fast tracked" to a CS than go through hours of yukky inductions and getting poked and prodded again and again and again.

Do keep spinning that baby though. X

Thanks again all.

Yes, I don't have the same MW each time but this is the same MW that, at 14 weeks (they see me a lot as I have low thyroid) told me after I got to her that she couldn't see me as she didn't have my bloods. Well you can call me to tell me that then, instead of me leaving work to wait around again (as again she was delayed).

I cried when I read that in my notes as I got so freaked out. Absolutely no context.

If I get her again I don't know what I'll do, she's not a trainee or even young - I get the impression she can't be arsed.

I may complain to my consultant tomorrow.

See that last sentence? You need to discuss this with your consultant tomorrow. Obviously you can name and shame but if I were you I'd get to the bottom of the reason she put that in. She's not in a position to really do that re CSections. That's the job of a consultant.

Op I slightly hesitate to post this here as I am not a medical professional and do not wish to scare you but ECV can result in some very serious complications and from the experiences of others on here, I sometimes think these are glossed over a bit to patients.

Search MN for a thread called "Are people aware of the dangers of ECV?" by a poster called himynameisfred. I won't post the link here as it is pretty distressing but it is one poster's experience of ecv and personally, when dd was transverse, it decided me that I'd never have ecv.

Luckily she turned!!

As everyone has said, baby may turn before the time comes. I'm currently 37 weeks and mine was breech until 36. I didn't do anything to try to turn him as I'm have a CS for unrelated reasons anyway.

No matter what happens, try to prepare yourself for the possibility of a CS. It could happen even if you labour naturally and then complications arise. All births that result in a healthy baby are good births, no matter how they happen.

I had a scan yesterday. Right now, baby is NOT breech!!

Not sure whether it was the spinning babies exercises or what but baby was nicely settled, having a little chill out time inside me.

So looks like we're ok for now...

I'd rather have a C section any day than ECV

What did the consultant say about the mystery note in your notes re a CS?

Currently almost 35 weeks and baby is breech. Have been told I'll need to go for presentation scan at 37 weeks to see if baby has turned and if not then to try ECV? I've now read in a lot of different places that this can lead to a lot of risks, but my consultant told me risks are

JustSaying99 it's not so much the risks but there was a large study done at the John Radcliffe of breech pregnancies and only 35% of those who had ECV ended up delivering normally. Either ECV failed or baby turned back or there were other labor complications. That plus the idea of taking muscle relaxants to then have someone push physically on my uterus and baby just didn't sit right with me.