'BREECH WATCH' !!

[Hopeitwontbebig]

So who's breech at the moment and how many weeks are you?

I'm 33+1 and I don't reckon this LO will turn!

Will keep you updated

Good luck to you all this week with your scans and I hope those babies decide to do you a favour and turn.
-I've got another 2 weeks of obsessing as to whether my LO has decided to turn the right way round. Tries the moxa, tried the frozen peas, like Mrs Mar, going on all fours makes me feel decidedly ill.

Alfie, what's the moxibustion like? I have to organise a home visit for it, which involves being committed to doing it.

Hi everyone - my bub is still breech. Had doppler scan today to look at blood flows and confirmed what i thought. Obs doesnt want me to do anything right now to try and make it turn due to the little question around how its growth is progressing.
MrsM - I tend to agree with you. I doubt this baby is going to turn and based on the discussion we had today - dont think I will be offered an ECV either. Am mentally prepping myself for the option of csection whilst still trying to mentally prepare for natural birth (via hypnoborthing) - my mind is slightly confused! Let me know if anything helps you ladies.

Just found this forum and thread. Good luck to all those hoping to turn. I'm 37 weeks and breech, have been for at least 10 weeks. His head sits in the same place under my right ribs and he flips around 180 degrees moving his back from side to side. Feet are always stamping on bladder.
Now i'm afraid that I'm glad to be breech. For various reasons I was keen on elective CS, and this has helped me justify it to myself. I'm not keen on ECV, for reasons similar to others, plus convinced it won't work as there must be an anatomical reason for him to be so persistently stuck.
Am I a bad person? It feels good to admit to it!!

Nope Bex44 - not at all. I have to agree with you and think there is a reason as to why some babies remain in breech. It is quite arrogant of us to assume that they should all lie a certain way.
Am going to try and not think about it too much between now and my next scan and am happily not worried about posture when sitting/ getting on all fours. Mine is jammed in the exact same position BTW!

Evening all breech watchers

Well I've got my scan next Wednesday, but think LO is still breech, tummy looks exactly the same shape and all the kicks are in the same place. Will keep posted.

Does seem to be a lot of us September ladies on here doesn't there!

Hi everyone - I am going for it with the ice pack this evening - is really cold and uncomfortable. I can understand those of you whose babies haven't changed position for weeks not wanting the ECV - babies all very comfy where they are. My concern is that they will suceed with me but baby will turn back very easily. Have had a discussion with DH about the possibility of being hospitalised with an unstable lie this evening and obviously he would not be thrilled with this idea - nor would I for that matter. Don't know what the policy is at the hospital where I am going but where I work they have them in from 36 weeks which strikes me as very early. Just so hoping this isn't going to happen

Think mine might have turned. If I can't feel the head and bump has changed shape, is that it?! Feels v uncomfortable in new position - maybe that's why both this one and DD were in breech position in the first place.

Can't feel any kicks high up, though. As DD was breech have no idea what head down position feels like! Should I be getting kicked in the ribs??

I guess I'll have to wait until next appointment to find out for sure. Seems to change shape all the time, think he's somersaulting to find a new position he likes. Let's hope it's head down...

Bex - don't feel bad for feeling like that... I think sometimes I feel the same. I've got a list of pros and cons going on in my head with regards to cs vs vb...

caesarian pros...
Quick and pain free (ish)
No labour pains
You know when it's going to happen
Your lady bits are the same as they were before pregnancy
Baby has a lovely shaped head (frivolous I know! )

cs cons...
recovery is slow, no leaping around like a spring lamb afterwards (and I've been so desperate to get back to my normal self!)
Breastfeeding might be difficult
Long recovery
Baby may need a little extra care afterwards (clearing lungs etc)
Risk of infection in wound

I'm sure there are many more, feel free to add!

I'm totally torn between being secretly pleased I may have to have a cs and not... I really want to bounce around post birth, cos I'm so fed up of being so big, but being a first timer the whole birth thing scares me witless. Just need to get the midwife to understand my need to control the pain and then I think I won't be so nervous about vaginal birth. I'm still not keen on ecv though, no matter how much pain relief is offered, don't want to upset my baby! I'm trying not to think about it until I know for sure what position he's in. I'm pretty sure he's still the same way cos the kicking is still all low down. Like you Bex, I think if he's still breech he's going to stay that way, the lump I've felt out to the side (which could be head or bottom - not sure which yet) has been there since early July. I'm not sure I want to go through the traumatic proceedure of moving him from the position he's been in for so many weeks.

Truth About Pregnancy & Birth on Living 2 NOW. Section on ECV coming up

Hi Toadstall,
The moxibustion I had was through a m/w acupuncturist practitioner.
It is totally fine, I had needles in my feet plus moxa at the practice and took moxa sticks to burn at home- it's not a hassle but the sticks stink !!
makes the baby disco dance around your stomach a fair bit and unfortunately didn't make mine turn but I reckon it's worth a go. You may be successful. It has been well researched and lots of m/ws advocate it.

In regards to the C section-
I totally echo all your thoughts, I am concerned about the recovery time but I have actually heard some real positives about C sections this week too, my friend tells me that the scar is pretty small and it was a really nice controlled environment, people chatted to her throughout the procedure and she and her husband felt really involved. In regards to recovery- she said it really was not as bad as she had been led to believe.

Thank you, Alfie! As one foot is not accessible because of the fracture, I'd better not go down that road. Back to frozen peas it is... The bump has shifted and I'm getting violent kicks at the side - as my DD went transverse, I wonder if that's what's going on... but the hard round bit is still under the ribs, so chances are, we're still breech!
I'm reading up on CS, it's not appealing but if it's safer, might as well go for it.

Hello ladies,

got my appointment with the midwife tomorrow too. i'm pretty sure that baby is still breech although it has turned to head down once and gone back.

Fingers crossed its head down tomorrow. i'll be 34 weeks.

I have to say i will do anything to avoid a c-section. I had a elective after failed induction last year, and it is by no means any easier. I think the only pro for it is the lack of labour pains.
I was sore and immobile for a good few weeks, which made it extremely difficult to look after my new baby. Plus it is major surgery, the rsk of the operation are alone are so high.

I'm definitly aiming for a natural, but only if the baby is head down.
If its bum down then because my previous c-section was only 12 months ago, i think it might be too much pressure for my scar, to risk a breech delivery and tear would be awful.

Oh i don't know what to do!!

lets hope the midwife has some good news for me

Hi all, I went to hospital this morning because I had a 'show' or blood tinged discharge, I've also been getting lots of uncomfortable tightenings. Ordinarily I wouldn't have been too concerned, but as LO is breech (confirmed today again) and my labour with DS2 was so fast, I thought it would be wise to get checked. They connected me up to monitor and the tightenings were registering at 40%, but apparently true contractions register at 90%, they also said my cervix was slightly open, but that's not uncommon as it's my 3rd baby. All has settled now after a lie down and some painkillers. Stressful stuff this having a baby business!

Nettee how did you get on with the ice last night? Also, what are chances of babies turning after 35 weeks, especially babies that have been in the same position for 7/8 weeks plus? Interesting what you were saying about them being nice and comfy where they are.

Hopey - so what are you planning to do? If show has occured, are they going to let you have nat birth and see how it goes?
From what my team are telling me - some babies turn last minute, some simply wont, so there is still a chance!

Hopeitwontbebig - I didn't think much of the ice to be honest - was very cold (obviously) and it did make the baby kick a bit but stayed where it was. As time goes on it gets less likely that the baby will turn but they can do it on their own late in pregnancy. I think though that if they haven't changed position at all for weeks and weeks it is unlikely. Personally I would go for an ECV in this situation, what I was saying was that I can understand people not wanting to and feeling that the baby was where it is for a reason

Hi dal. They don't seem too worried that labour will start soon, they said this can happen weeks before labour. I def def def do not want to try and give birth naturally. I've got scan and consultation next wk and will discuss date for CS. Am, like others, scared about recovery period afterwards though, but for me personally, it's the very best option for several reasons. Having another tightening episode as we speak , stop is naughty tummy! They were confident it's just BH.

Thanks Nettee. So it's getting less and less likely LO will turn, do you think the fact that I'm having another big baby makes it even more unlikely? Sorry to bombard you with questions

The midwife today said she thought there was still a chance because I'd had 2 big babies before, I (jokingly) said that she was being v rude suggesting that I had a big and flabby loose tummy!! She did realise I was joking thankfully! PS my bump is fairly compact.

Hello everyone... good luck for those having mw appts today, I hope you all get the answers you want/need. I'm in at 2.30 for my 36 week check. I'm still convinced this one is breech, still getting the big kicks down low which to me feel like leg kicks. Will find out at 2.30. I'm probably wrong though, I'm no good at this guessing game

Are you having a scan MrsMar?

Hopeitwontbebig - I expect you are right that a big baby will be less likely to turn especially if you have a compact bump - just less room in there. Still could happen though - hope your tightening are settling down again. My midwife is coming to the house at 2 to discuss my birthplan for the lovely homebirth which seem rather academic at the moment with baby's head sitting under my ribs - still plan for the best and prepare for the worst I suppose. - Oh dear it actually feels transverse again now - stay still baby! Will be keeping a look out for all the news later today

Thanks for that Nettee. Getting period type pains again this morning, and there's still a bloody (old blood) stained discharge. Is there any point ringing the hospital again, I was only there yesterday.

if it is the same as yesterday you could lie down again and see if it goes away. Might be best to phone them to discuss the situation and see what they want you to do.