Anyone else breech/transverse? Need a handhold ☹️

[MindatWork]

Hi all,

I’m 33+2 and baby has been either breech or transverse pretty much the whole time. She’s currently got what I think is her bum/back wedged under my ribs on the left, and her head is poking out of my righthand side, lower down. All my kicks and movements are down in my pelvis.

My midwife has said it’s perfextly possible for her to turn on her own but she seems so wedged in, I can see it happening. I’m currently bouncing on my Swiss ball having woken up at 5 feeling like my stomach is going to explode from stretching 😩.

I’ve tried all the spinning babies stuff and will prob go for the ECV if it gets to that point, but I’m so worried she’s stuck there for a reason (eg tangled up in her cord).

I know it’s not the end of the world to have a csection and of course I’ll go ahead with whatever the consultant says is safest if she doesn’t flip, but it’s really not what I wanted.

Just wondered if anyone had any experience they could share (with either outcome!) to stop me from weeping as I bounce up and down feeling sorry for myself....

Ds2 was breech. Was booked in at 37 or 38 weeks ECV... . And he turned the night before

I was miserable so ate a load of chocolate lying on the sofa.

He started moving loads so quickly got down on all fours and that's when he turned.

Can't see how bouncing on a ball will help baby turn - need to create space by going on all fours

Too early to panic. My last was breech at that stage and turned one week before he arrived.

My baby was breech. I had a c-section. All was well, it's not as bad as you think.

Actually having a newborn was so bloody hard I looked back fondly on the operation as the last time I got to lie back while others did all the work.

Good luck & congrats OP!!

Aww OP I feel your pain. My DS was born in March via c section as he lay transverse from the 20 week scan. He was comfy and not for moving it seems! He didn't turn and I opted not to elect for the ECV but if it's any consolation, my section experience was fantastic so I didn't feel like I had missed out on anything if you know what I mean?

However, in the end I got so fed up of everyone telling me "there is still time to turn" etc.

Pregnancy isnt comfortable by any stretch of the imagination however I fully empathise with a transverse baby pain.

Not long to go now though and many congratulations when your baby arrives x

Thank you all for your replies - @Fishes the ball is more for trying to rotate my hips and get some space under my ribs as I’m so uncomfortable in a normal sitting position (I have to hang off the edge of the chair and arch my back a bit if that makes sense?).

I’ve been spending lots of time on all fours and hanging off the sofa a la spinning babies, but no joy yet.

Thanks to those of you who’ve shared your good c-section experiences - I will 100% go down that road if it’s safest and I think it’s better to have a planned one than an emergency!

DD2 wasnt breach but normally positioned. I managed to get her out vaginally but it turned out that her cord was half the length it ought to have been. Massive panic and stress at the final pushing stage. Heartbeat not detected (might have been because she was in the birth canal already) but very close to needing a vacuum or a much worse outcome.
If i had known about it, if any doctor had bothered to check cord length, i would have gone with a section, especially with hindsight. The cord turned out to have been wrapped once round her neck, which is fine with a normal cord but dangerous with a short cord. It was very close and i wobble slightly thinking that it could have been worse.
I really value the ease that came with my natural births (despite the pain and tearing and not walking or sitting for weeks) but with hindsight it could all have gone horribly wrong and i would not risk it again if there was any doubt as to cord length or hindering position of the baby.

My DD was transverse and then breech and I had one go at an ECV and the DH said no more, it was the most painful thing I've ever done. Had a calm and relaxing ELC and have gone on to have two more DC both born by ELC. The only regret I have is trying the ECV, should have gone straight to the ELC. Good luck!

You’d be amazed at how little space they can turn in. One of my twins wiggled herself from head down to breach at 33 weeks and there was another baby in there

Posted too soon....

This resulted in an ELCS and it was fine, relaxing, lovely atmosphere in theatre, joking with the doctors, anaesthetist acting as our photographer.

My ds1 was breech and I found it very hard mentally to get round to the idea of a c-section. However I ended up having c-sections with all my ds and once I mentally accepted the idea the c-sections were very positive experiences.

I decided to do all I could to make the c-section personal. I chose music to listen to and had skin to skin as soon as possible. Breastfeeding was a bit tricky to establish but because I was in hospital I requested support from a specialist midwife.

I'm nearly 32 weeks and the best he gets it's butt under my right rib, head wedges into my left hip.
Otherwise he's completely transverse.

OP you're only 33 weeks that's plenty of time to turn.

She’s currently got what I think is her bum/back wedged under my ribs on the left, and her head is poking out of my righthand side, lower down.

This is neither transverse or breech though. It's cephalic. DS is exactly the same. She just isn't engaged yet, which is to be expected at only 33 weeks.

DD who is currently 12 weeks old was breech. I had ECV which was unsuccessful but was keen to avoid csection as I also have a toddler to care for and we live rurally. I was booked in for a further ECV under spinal - if it had been successful I'd have been induced, if not I'd have had csection same day. But 4 days before that she had ideas of her own and arrived vaginally in a 75 minute labour. It was intense but amazing - my body sort of took over and just delivered her with barely any work on my part. By the time I got to hospital, an hour after my first contraction, it was too late for even an epidural. My consultant was there and he guided the registrar and midwife to deliver her - they get so few vaginal breeches these days so I was happy for people to learn from my delivery. I was delighted - out of hospital 8 hours after delivery and up and about the next day with my toddler and baby.

There can be positive outcomes with breech birth if there aren't other risk factors. For me this was my second baby, straightforward pregnancy, I'm generally quite fit and healthy and I was mentally prepared (and wanted) a vaginal birth.

DS was transverse oblique breech up to about 34 weeks and then he turned. I did the hanging upside down thing from spinning babies and also saw a Webster technique chiropractor. Who knows what did the trick but he was head down and ready to go by the time it mattered!

Good luck to you!

DD was resolutely breach. The consultant couldn't even get her to budge more than an inch during the ECV so from that point the decision was out of my hands as they'll never agree to deliver a footling breach. I really did not want a c section but with no choice just had to accept it. It honestly was a wonderful experience. Meeting DD was by far the most incredible moment of my life and quite frankly I don't think it would have mattered if she'd made her entrance through my nose, in that moment everything was insignificant apart from that DD was there.

My recovery was very quick. I was driving after 4 weeks and lifting pushchair in and out of car from that point.

My DS was breech. Tried loads to help him turn. I really really didn't want a c section. Totally set on a natural delivery. Anyway, he didn't turn and arrived by c section. And it really was fine. DD was back to back. I laboured naturally, but she arrived by forceps. And that was fine too. Having had both types of delivery, I'd actually be less against a c section next time. Honestly, for me however they arrived, as soon as i held my baby in my arms, it all seemed less of a concern.

DD2 was breech until 35 weeks, then rotated. It’s a bit early to start worrying, OP - yours still has plenty of time to turn. But even if not, a c section is not a bad way to give birth. You’d be completely pain free, it would all be over in an hour, and it all happens in a very calm controlled environment. You would be supported throughout by your anaesthetist and their nurse, and still see your baby immediately.
Don’t get too hung up on the mode of delivery - just look forward to meeting your lovely baby! Good luck.

Soccascinatig to hear everyone’s stories, lovely to hear so many positive ones so thank you 😊.

@thirdchildfourthpile - that’s interesting, I was told at at a growth scan at 29 weeks that she was breech and she seems to have wiggled sideways a bit since then, which is why I assumed she was transverse (also a lot of googling which I admit is not always a good idea!).

The issue is as much the current discomfort as the worry about the birth. I have a couple of friends who had really bad SPD and other pelvic issues so I’d prepared myself for pain in hips and low down, but no one told me I could be so stretched up top!

Gah that should say ‘fascinating’, curse my fat fingers!

I should prob also say (and apologies if this is a massive drip feed) that this baby is the result of nearly 6 years of trying and multiple rounds of ivf - I’m aware I need to not get too hung up on things like this as I am grateful to be giving birth at all (and I’m aware women who’ve dealt with long term infertility are at higher risk of PND for precisely reasons like this) so I’m trying my hardest not to obsess over it and just relax.

Thanks again to everyone who’s responded, I really appreciate it x

MindatWork I thought DS was transverse as well at that point but several MW's and obstetricians note that he's cephalic. Which I found very reasurring.

My DS was breech the entire time, until 38 weeks when he turned himself during the night. Didn’t feel a thing, unbelievably! Having read about ECV, we had decided on an ELC had he not turned. Good luck!

Daughter number one was transverse and back to back for the whole nine months. I was also told there's time to turn but when they tried to turn her it absolutely wasn't happening. I had a very positive emergency C-section experience. They were losing her heartbeat and the cord turned out to be twice around her neck but even so I felt very calm throughout.

I'm 25 weeks with number two now, who has also been transverse and back to back the whole time. Again I've been told there's time for her to turn but I know she won't - partly because I'm hypermobile and have discovered that this is normal with this condition. I'm finding it much more uncomfortable this time and can't wait for it all to be over with, to be honest. It will be a planned C-section this time (it was last time but didn't get that far!) and I'm feeling perfectly relaxed about it.

What will be will be, @MindatWork, and as long as you're both safe that's all that counts. I certainly didn't have problems bonding, breastfeeding etc. with my daughter just because she came out of the sunroof instead of the front door so try to keep an open mind.

DD was transverse. I had ECV, although this was 14 years ago so I'm not sure all the risks were known about. If they were, no one told me about them I'm not sure I'd would've gone along with it if I'd been more aware. Anyway, it worked and I found it uncomfortable rather than painful. In the end she was two weeks late so it certainly didn't cause labour. However she was born with the cord round her neck and with a knot in it. If the midwife hadn't been very aware, things may have ended very differently. Whether it was caused by the ECV, or whether that was the reason she was transverse, I don't know.

I was breech until 38 weeks then turned. Not particularly pleasant for my poor ma but it can happen. All the best either way!