Big breech baby

[Byets]

Has anyone had any experience of a big breech baby at 32 weeks?😂

I've read online that most babies are head down by 29 weeks, and that midwifes expect them to definitely be head down by 34 weeks.

Should I be concerned that baby is estimated to be weighing 4 pounds 10 and is breech at my scan today at 32+1? Does he even have room to turn round weighing that much above average?

When I was pregnant with my second, I had a regular growth scan at 34 weeks. It was then picked up that he was breech and "off the charts" big (not my words!). I was given an appointment for a 36 week scan to check again but I think it was more to placate me than anything else! I was never offered an ECV (EVC?) to turn him although my hospital does offer them so think they'd already decided he wouldn't budge. He never did and I had a c section booked at 39+2.

I know of someone whose baby recently turned at 36 weeks but I'm not sure on baby's weight. But it can happen quite late on...

@THNG5 oh wow! Do you remember how much he was supposedly weighing at your 34 week scan? How much did baby weigh when they where born? 😊

@helpmum2003 that gives me hope!!

@Byets unfortunately not. He was 9 and a half pounds at birth though so not a tiddler!

Hi OP.

Babies can turn right up until the end really.
DC2 for me measured in at over 5lbs at 30 week scan and was a transverse breech right up until 38 weeks when they flipped to a more standard breech. They then flipped again (not a fun day) at 39+5 and settled down until born at 40+5 weighing in at 10lb 7oz.

While DC's position was discussed briefly after the breech finding no ECV was considered. A caesarian was discussed as a possible need if they didn't turn by the time I went into labour however didn't need this in the end.

I tried all the positioning etc they recommend to encourage baby to flip, but no way of knowing if it worked or whether baby just decided to move when they were ready. I didn't want an ECV after weighing up all the risks for and against with my midwife and she (and the consultant) didn't recommend it for me either.

Babies can turn at quite a late stage and also at larger weights.

Fingers crossed baby turns. Doesn’t sound too big though. At my last scan at 31 weeks baby was estimated to be 5lb and they said that’s normal and was growing mainly in 50th centile except for abdominal circumference which was on the 90th x

32 weeks sorry

I was induced with my 3rd at 41+ weeks. He was breech but they wanted me to attempt the delivery. He turned when I was in the hospital shower before going down to be induced. And he was 9.3lb
Fingers crossed for you that your wee one flips too.

Thank you everybody, thats all reassuring to hear! Hopefully he will move in time and all will be fine 😊

Babies can turn right up to delivery however... My little boy was an undiagnosed breech. 32 hours in labour before they realised and I got had a section. We had had a scan at 28 weeks at a private clinic and when we pulled the report they had marked off breech, scribbled it out, and marked off cephalic. After querying it and them reviewing their records it turns out he had indeed been breech at 28 weeks. He was 7lb 14 so not that big but stayed butt down the entire time. Was relatively pissed off as had I been told at 28 weeks we could have kept an eye on things and attempted ECV.

There's plenty of time for baby to turn, like pp said. In my local trust we wouldn't recommend or refer you for a presentation scan until 36 weeks, so I wouldn't worry about it before then. Also it's not just an option of ECV or CS, you can have a vaginal breech birth! The consultant should discuss all options thoroughly with you. Also there are alternatives to ECV such as moxibustion (www.boltonft.nhs.uk/services/maternity/information/complementary-therapies/moxibustion/)

I had a breech baby that was estimated 5 pounds at 32 weeks. Still breech at 36. Visited the spinning babies website and did the frozen pea trick lying on an ironing board and he went head down! Good luck.

@CrashingCymbals I'm a bit out of date now so may be wrong but isn't there a risk of shoulder dystocia (getting stuck at shoulders) with a breech delivery in a big baby? Also I wonder if it's OPs first baby?

Thank you for your replies everyone 😊 even though I still have time I think I'll start the different tricks to try and turn him now!

@helpmum2003 this is my first baby 😊

@helpmum2003 but that's why a consultant should discuss all the options regarding birth. Some hospitals have midwives and doctors very skilled and confident in breech birth, others less so. I'm assuming if baby is measuring large on scan then another growth scan will be arranged to track growth. Shoulder dystocia probably unlikely with a breech as it is the shoulder impacting on the pubic bone.

@helpmum2003 @CrashingCymbals yep shoulder dystocia not the concern w vaginal breech, head entrapment is perhaps what you’re thinking of? Shoulder dystocia would be a concern for a very large cephalic baby.

OP Those options (breech vaginal, CS, ECV) should be discussed With you if baby is still breech around 36 weeks, and the discussion would take into account baby’s estimated size as need be (doesn’t actually sound huge though!)
It’s definitely still early days and baby is much more likely to turn than stay put, as others have said. Good luck!