I think my baby is is beech (sometimes) transverse, midwife says different - I'm 36 weeks and worried

[FTMF30]

Hi there,

I'm a FTM and I'm currently 36+6. I'm getting a little concerned as all of my later midwife appointments have noted that the presentation is cephalic (head down). But I had one appointment a month ago where I had a different midwife who said baby was breech. I think she was correct.

Fastforward and my regular midwife once again said baby is cephalic. I beg to differ as my belly sits very high and it's pretty squidgy in the lower part of my belly compared to the rest. I also sometimes get MASSIVE bulges at each side of the stomach, as if baby is transverse. I also had to have a doctors appointment following a urine test as protein was detected in urine. She had a feel of my tummy and said baby was in a funny position (diagonal). My belly has done some serious shape shifting!

I don't know what to think and I'm worried if a breech or even transverse position isn't detected early enough, I'll have to have an emergency c section, which I absolutely do not want. I want a speedy recovery as possible and a c section won't help that at all.

Is there anything I can do in terms of determining the position of the baby? I'd ideally like a scan for factual reassurance but I know they don't just let you have them willy nilly. Anyone been in a similar position?

I would really push for a scan.
I knew that my dd3 was breech but I believed the midwife when she said she was head down. I ended up having to give birth to her vaginally in the breech position. We were both fine but I would have preferred to know what i was getting into.

Could you pay for a private scan? You wont be able to see much as the baby will be pretty big now but it will confirm what way the baby is lying.

Hi op I'm 38 weeks and was in the same situation as you. I asked for a scan otherwise I'd refuse to birth at the mlu as planned and thankfully I got one! Sometimes you have to be very firm, baby is now head down I used a few yoga moves, did look at spinning babies but it definitely wasn't for me due to spd. Good luck 🤞

Hi there, I'm 38 weeks today and sat waiting for an ECV to turn my breech baby, I would insist on a scan, the maternity assessment unit at your hospital should be able to arrange one. I don't think that midwives can always assess the babies position (I was scanned earlier today and before I was scanned the doctor could not tell by feeling what way up my baby was and said that she thought the bum was the head).

Give the maternity assessment unit a call, good luck!

Insist on a scan, I knew DC2 was constantly moving (I had loads of water). During a 37 wk scan baby did a 240 degree turn & was transverse.

I should also have said my breech wasn't noticed until 36 weeks and before then I had been told at every appointment he was head down (only noticed during a routine 36 week scan)

Thanks for the responses.

I'm so confused with everything. I called the ante natal unit at the hospital and they said I have to be referred by the midwife at my doctors surgery. They said I should have details to contact her and said 'maternity unit' on my green book. So I look for this number and there are just blank spaces where these numbers should be (never noticed it before but not impressed now that I have). I tell the lady on the line that there is no number there but she's no help at all. Says I have to be referred by a midwife for a scan and I can't book it in myself. I am going to call my doctor's surgery tomorrow to try and get the maternity unit details or midwife's number but they are bloody useless. Hmm shall see what happens tomorrow.

Hi OP, as proud owner of a pair of breech babies I tell you DON'T PANIC! One was EMCS and the other natural (I had both turned successfully but only DS behaved when it came to birth )

When belly mapping a breech baby, what you'll feel is a round thing at the top - if it's buttocks then giving it a wobble will move the whole baby. If it's a head then it's a bit like a ball on a stick - it'll wobble but only the head! I hope that makes sense?

I doubt you're getting transverse, it's possible that as your baby spins in the womb, the curve of the spine moves about.

Look at Spinning Babies website and belly mapping.

I thought my first baby was breech.
MW disagreed.
I was right. He was also footling and back to back!

Please please either pay for a private scan or force your midwife to send you for one!
I had a private scan at 37 weeks and then at my 38 week appthe midwife insisted he was head down despite me telling her mere days before I had confirmation it was breech and the bump looked and felt exactly the same. She was v rude and dismissive and refused. I was b worried so booked myself another private scan - so much money but was best money I ever spent as I then rang the hospital direct and told them how rude she’d been and I was seen straight away and booked in for elcs.
Trust yourself - you know your body best.
Next time I’ll be absolutely insisting on a scan if I have any concerns

If I hadn't had regular growth scans I would be absolutely convinced that my baby is breech as I have a massive hard lump at the top of my bump and can't feel anything that hard lower down. However every single scan has shown a head down baby so I must be wrong!
However just feeling is never an exact science and it's always best to get a scan to be sure.

Hi OP,

Throughout my pregnancy with DC2, I was convinced that he was breech. Every scan and every midwife told me otherwise..

Until I was 35 weeks and my water broke, they still told me he was head down. Then I started having contractions.. before you knew it was fully dilated and guess what? He was transverse!! I had to have an EMCS.

Definitely push for a scan so you know exactly what's happening.

Echo everyone else saying push for a scan! I had an undiagnosed breech, ended with EMCS after many many pointless hours (days) of labour, still very bitter about it now! She was breech at 22 weeks and I'm convinced she never turned, just had a hard bum! You should be able to Google your local midwife team, or call the antenatal team (not the scan unit) at the hospital and ask to speak to a midwife. Or even turn up at the day assessment unit and say you have a concern the baby has turned.

Hi all,

Just thought I;d give an update on this. If any of you are half as fretful as me, you'd want to know.

So turns out my baby was head down, despite my thoughts. I was absolutely certain he kept going breech and transverse. However, I had my healthy baby boy on Monday and he was head first. Despite, having to be induced as my waters slowly broke before contractions, I had a straightforward delivery.

Turns out the strange shapes my belly were going in, most worryingly, two lumps at the side, are all part of Braxton Hicks. Apparantly your belly can go into some very strange shapes during this time. Who knew (certainly not me)!

Oh congratulations OP! So pleased for you, glad it went well.

Enjoy your baby boy :)

Congratulations! So glad it went well for you and baby was the right way up!