Has anyone had a ECV followed by an induction?... or C-SECTION?!

[RgnAmb]

Hello everyone I'm after some success stories hopefully!

Im 36&6 and tomorrow I'm getting another scan to confirm my baby is still Frank Breech( I know she is she's still in the same position she's been in since around 28 weeks! )
Anyways after my scan tomorrow I have to decide whether to allow them to try to turn her also called an ECV (External cephalic version (ECV) is a process by which a breech baby can sometimes be turned from buttocks or foot first to head first) or go for an elective C-Section at 39 weeks!!

I REALLY do not want to have a C-Section so I'm thinking of going ahead with the ECV. Has anyone else had this procedure done? What was it like? Did baby stay in place? I had a in-depth chat with the doctors last week as I had a scan to confirm her position last week but they wanted to give me one more week to see if she would turn before booking anything in. I know its only a 50/50 chance they'll actually be able to turn her, but then theres also a 50/50 chance shell move back!

Ive also heard I could ask them to induce me after they turn her so she has no time to turn back and I can have a vaginal labour. Has anyone else done this?

If all fails with the ECV I know I will have to have an elective C-Section at 39 weeks or leave it all and hope she moves before I go into natural labour with the massive chance of an emergency C-Section taking place anyway!

Can anyone who has had a C-Section tell me there recovery stories please????

Any advice is appreciated!! :):)

In last pregnancy I personally wasn't happy with the risks of ecv so declined it. ended up turning just before I went in to labour anyway though. I'm having an elective section this time though due to how horrific that birth was!

All I know is that my DGM refused an ECV when she was having my dad due to the risks involved. That was obviously during the sixties so things may be safer now but I have seen it on the TV and it doesn’t look particularly pleasant... weigh up the risks but I’d be opting for an ELCS if she doesn’t turn.

I’ve had two c-sections and had good recoveries with both. It hurts, obviously, but pain relief is good and within a week I was feeling much better.

When I looked at risks of ECV I wasn’t comfortable with it so wouldn’t have had it - she turned naturally but I ended up with EMCS anyway!

I had an attempted ECV last week at 37+5; unfortunately it wasn't successful (and was somewhat uncomfortable) though that may partly have been as due to the meds they have me on for my blood pressure I couldn't have the injection to relax muscles.

I'm now booked for cs next week; had it been successful I would have been booked for induction, from my perspective i read up and despite being offered the chance of immediately booking for a cs indidn't want to go for major abdominal surgery when there was a reasonable prospect of avoiding it but that's just my personal decision,

My son was a complete breech. I decided against ECV after looking into it. Recovery took a while but I am glad with the choice I made.

I had a successful ECV at 38 weeks with my first pregnancy. It was successful in that the baby turned. But it was brutal. I wasn't offered an injection to relax the muscles - they just put a patch on my middle for about an hour prior to the procedure. The consultant had one knee on the bed and it was really really physical and felt horrible. I don't know what I was excepting, but it wasn't that. Three weeks later, I had a 3 day labour followed by an EMCS for failure to progress. When the baby was delivered, the cord was wrapped round his neck in a figure 8. I have no idea of course whether the cord being like this was due in any way to the ECV or whether the two things are entirely unconnected.

In my second pregnancy, I was adamant that I was not going to have another ECV, and in the end the baby turned of its own accord at about 30 odd weeks.

Ds2 was in a breech position, however I can’t remember which one! On the advice
of my midwife I spent hours each evening, watching tv, on my hands and knees rocking back and forth. Then resting my arms on a birthing ball and rocking back and forth.

He done a complete turn into the right position. It really hurt mind you! I could feel him do the somersault, and it made me cry!

On the plus side he was born at 37+2, 6lbs 1, and my labour was 1 hour 40 mins. 7 hours after having him I was at home cooking steak and chips!!

I don’t know if it will work for you?

I had an unsuccessful ECV, which was a bit physical and uncomfortable but fine. Hypnobirthing had brainwashed me into thinking a natural birth was the be all and end all and I went for a vaginal breech birth (DC was frank breech). Our local maternity is a full on regional centre, consultant was extremely supportive and said that there will always be staff present who have had experience in delivering breech babies.

Labour started but apparently breech labours are all or nothing. DC was 6 hours start to finish and from the off it was extremely painful with no respite between contractions. Lots of meconium (likely with breech babies as they are squeezed like a tube of toothpaste) and DC1 got stuck halfway out, so had to go to theatre for her to be shoved back up and out via section. Staff were absolutely fabulous throughout, had lovely skin to skin and a feed in theatre whilst they stitched me up.

BUT I was extremely lucky that my section went so well, given it was a rather hairy situation. I should have gone for an elective section and everything would have been far more straigtforward, less agony for me, and less hassle for the staff. Section recovery was extremely straightforward and I spent less than 48 hours in hospital. Recovery after my VBAC was more challenging.

If my delivery options were a small local hospital I would go for an elective CS. You don't have to have an elective section, but if you do opt for a vaginal breech delivery, check how much experience there is at your planned place of delivery. Lots of babies arrive as breech babies because they are undiagnosed, don't forget!

DS2 was complete breech and GR was successfully turned at 36+6.
Brutal is an understatement and I had all 3 kids without pain relief!

It took 6 attempts and then DS was bornat 39+5 blue and his cord was pale. He's has cerbral palsy, which we think was caused by the ECV as he stopped growing and they were threatening to induce.
DS also has s genetic disorder so he always was going to be disabled!!!

I said never again for the ECV .. Then DD was breech and I booked THE ECV as 3 kids under 3 recovering from CS would have been mental... luckily she turned !!!