Vaginal Breech Birth experiences please!

[Hatepickinganame]

As the title says, anyone able to share their experience of vaginally delivering a breech baby? I will research the risks and fully prepare myself for my appointment tomorrow, just looking for some real life stories if possible. Thanks in advance!

@WildBluebell I think it can get missed. I have been having growth scans since 28 weeks due to other reasons, and the reason I know she's breech/transverse is because of that. My midwife struggles to tell which way up baby is as I have too much fluid 🙄

Thank you to everyone that has shared their experiences, and I am so sorry for those of you who had such sad outcomes. I have decided to just go with a section should she not turn by herself, it definitely sounds safest, despite my fear. Thanks again!

I had a planned c-section for breech and it was absolutely fine. All very relaxed and recovery was straightforward. I could slowly walk a mile after about a week and recovery was quick after that. Don't feel scared of a CS!

A friend’s baby who was a vaginal breech died. As a result, I opted for a c section and it was a very calm and relaxed experience with a very straightforward and easy recovery (quicker than many I know who delivered vaginally).

I was induced at 37+4 because my obstetrician gauged by the measurements that the baby could be delivered vaginally. And she was, with help of epidural and forceps though.

I think it’s very dependent on what type of breech position the baby is in and how experienced the HCP is with breech birth. If baby is the ‘correct’ type of breech position and the midwife/dr is very skilled at breech birth then it can be very safe, I’m sure I’ve read that part of the problem is that a lot of HCPs just don’t have the skills or knowledge for delivering a breech baby.

That said, I think I’d be leaning towards an ELCS.

@WildBluebell

How come an "undiagnosed breech" is possible? Don't they check with ultrasound? Was it a long time ago?

In the UK routine ultrasounds are only done at 12 and 20 weeks, unlike other countries there aren’t scans done in the run-up to birth to ensure position of baby. I personally know of 2 friends who had undiagnosed breech babies where it only became clear during pushing (thankfully all was fine and delivered naturally but sounded very scary for them!). Midwives feel your bump to determine baby’s position in pregnancy appointments towards the end but I’m not sure how accurate this is, I think with both friends the baby’s bum had been mistaken for the head when the midwives checked.

@picklecustard she was transverse footling breech at 32 weeks, breech at 34 although no mention of type of breech. Midwife yesterday was fairly sure she's still breech, but positioned really far to the right. I get a big lump under my ribs and feels like she sits on my hip! I have a scan at 3.30pm today to confirm and check fluid levels. Then see my consultant after. I have no idea what they will recommend if she is still breech, I just wanted to fully prepare myself and know what I wanted to do if she hasn't moved. I'm 36+4, does anyone know when they might want to do a section? Again just preparing myself. I know I will hopefully get my answers later.

Just thought I would update this in case anyone reads later, I know how frustrating it can be when you read something and never learn the actual outcome!

Went for my scan today, and overnight she has turned head down and my fluid levels have stabilised at just over the deepest pool level so my consultant was super happy about that. Although she's jumped from 50th percentile to 90th for growth and they estimate her to be over 10lb at term so I'm now being tested for GD and have to go back in another 2 weeks to make a plan 😅

Thanks again to everyone for the advice, hopefully she will stay head down for me now!

DC2 was breech, I wanted a c section anyway but DC2 decided to come early (and fast) I went berserk at the idea of VB for breech baby and did get a c section. I'm grateful I did as whilst DC2 was only 6lbs, head was 90th centile and my cervix closed quickly - the obstetrician said she was glad I'd pushed for the section, a breech delivery wouldn't have gone well.

WildBluebell my friend has an undiagnosed breech 4yo. They don't do an ultrasound whilst you're in labour and nothing had indicated baby was breech prior to that.

Glad baby has turned op!

ELCS for breech usually done at 39/40 depending on hospital.

USS not usually done as standard when in labour to “check” position but if the mw is unsure whether baby is breech or not it’s very easy to get a doctor to do a quick scan with a portable scanner it’s not a case of having to walk through the hospital in the depths of labour to the US department! Late realisation of Undiagnosed does happen now and again and then, say once baby is actually visible whilst pushing then this is treated as an emergency where the whole obstetric team would get called in and the consultant/most experienced in breech would take over the delivery with the mums consent.

I wanted to add an update for anyone else looking into this.

There is an opti-breech project in a lot of hospitals that allowed me to have a vaginal breech birth. There's lots of research and info on how hospitals can make vaginal breech nearly as safe as normal presentation vaginal.

My personal experience was that we didn't avoid a very medical birth because although you speak to lots of opti breech team members (who are amazing). You are still faced with a LOT of Dr's who are panicked once you actually arrive in labour. There were 10 medical professionals in the room during the last stage for me which was very, very scary.