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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Can I hear some positive breech stories? Googled and scared myself silly

37 replies

sundayfunday1010 · 15/01/2021 08:45

Hi I'm two days away from 36 weeks and have been googling all sorts on breech babies, from how to turn to what it might actually mean about the health of the baby. Of course, this was a stupid thing to do and now I've scared myself silly as to why the baby may be breech.

Is it really as uncommon in the UK as the stats suggest?

I don't know actually know anyone else who has had a breech baby, so potentially yes. Just hoping that by reaching out I can hear some positive stories in terms of outcomes and give myself a bit of reassurance!

Baby has been breech since about 28 weeks so think it is pretty comfy where it is.

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physicskate · 15/01/2021 09:19

My sister had a breech baby who is now 5 (but not in the uk). My best mate had a breech baby who's now 3. Both c-section births (one planned and one emergency). Both mums and babies are totally fine. My understanding is that the risks come from potentially getting stuck during vaginal birth, and that it is just a normal variant of position - not in and of itself indicative of anything!!!

Some people have success with ecv and some people swear by spinning babies. If you want a csection anyway, this is just another reason for one. It is possible to deliver breech vaginally, but carries additional risks of complications for you and baby during the birth. Best to speak to a consultant about this, really. Stop googling.

wimbler · 15/01/2021 09:31

I had a breech baby. First suspected at 31 weeks but as that's early and plenty of time for baby to turn they weren't worried. in the meantime I tried all the trick from the spinning babies website. Subsequent midwife appointments couldn't confirm position but breech was confirmed at 36 weeks with a scan. I really wanted a vaginal birth so opted to try the ECV to turn the baby. This was done at 37 weeks. it was an uncomfortable - it was done on the labour ward after another scan to check it would be safe. I was monitored throughout and was given an injection to relax the muscles in the uterus. They managed to get baby head down but unfortunately she flipped back 10 minutes later. I didn't try the ECV again and was booked in for an elective c-section at 39 weeks. Turns out she had a short cord and that was the reason for her position.

I was gutted but I had 10 days to get my head around it and it ended up being a really positive experience. Very calm and civilised indeed!

I do think its something like 3% of pregancies are breech so I do feel unlucky. Currently expecting baby #2 and hoping for a VBAC but if this one is breech too then I won't lose sleep over it.

wimbler · 15/01/2021 09:33

Meant to add - I wouldn't have considered a vaginal breech delivery. I read up on it and the risks were too great for me (my hospital didn't give me the option anyway but I wouldn't have chosen that route)

Unescorted · 15/01/2021 09:36

My DD was breech and then a week before she was born she somersaulted without prompting to come out head first.

ShockingOutburst · 15/01/2021 09:39

I had a breech baby 15 years ago. I had a planned c section which was nice and calm. No problems at all. He’s now 6ft 3!

WinterBabyof89 · 15/01/2021 09:52

I had a breech vaginal with my DS.
When I was 39weeks they found he was breech and booked a section.
I went into labour before my section date and they gave me the option to deliver him as I was half way there.
Not sure why I agreed looking back on it as I was set for the section but it worked out really well.

I had an epidural, had an episiotomy to get his legs out as his legs were extended along his body, and they just let them fall out of you (no touching in case it startles them).
It’s the most bizarre thing!

My second was also breech (undiagnosed until labour) and that ended up in an EMCS for other reasons. My third was head down and he was the only one who definitely wasn’t going to come out that way - bless him.

It wasn’t indicative of any health issues with my DS and he’s now 9 :)
Hope all goes well for you and baby.

WalkingMeAway · 15/01/2021 09:52

Are you planning a natural breech delivery ?

My baby was breech and I had a planned section. He did start to move as I went in to Labour before my section date but we went ahead with the section anyway.

They didn’t offer me an ECV. Not sure why. I wouldn’t have attempted a natural birth. But also I’d had a previous section so not sure it would have been advised due to higher risks.

I only have experiences of planned sections and both were calm and positive experiences.

hiredandsqueak · 15/01/2021 09:52

Ds2 was breech (a footling breech) I had an ELCS at 39 weeks. He was fit and well and had no issues and the most beautiful shaped head as a result. He's left handed so I always tell him that it was being left handed that made him get the directions wrong resulting in c section.

barbrahunter · 15/01/2021 09:53

I had a breech baby 30 years ago and in those days the hospital used to let you try and deliver vaginally. It wasn't easy but he was fine. I think though I would have opted for a section if I had understood the increased risk at the time.

LightDrizzle · 15/01/2021 09:57

The risks of vaginais delivery are too high. People say a planned CS is a very different thing to and emergency one so if the baby doesn’t turn, you can still have a good delivery and recovery.

WaveAndSmile · 15/01/2021 10:54

My DC1 was breech throughout the pregnancy but turned spontaneously at 38 weeks.

GoldGreen · 15/01/2021 10:58

I had 2 breech babies. First decided to make a run for it at 34 weeks (feet first) so was delivered vaginally (much to the Obstetrician and midwives excitement cause most breech babies are c-section).

Second ELCS at 38 weeks. It was lovely. Don't let people scare you. Everyone was so calm. I was home the next day.

2 of my sisters both had breech babies delivered by c-section at 39 weeks.

Original poster

sundayfunday1010 · 15/01/2021 11:23

Thanks everyone. I suppose I'm not so worried about the C-sec, more the stats around health issues breech babies might have e.g. hip issues. It doesn't sound like many people here have actually encountered that though which is reassuring.

OP posts:

WalkingMeAway · 15/01/2021 11:37

Ahh okay. No, no issues here. Had the hip scan done at about 6w and was fine, walked at 11m.

No one ever mentioned anything else being a possible issue due to his position.

His toes are a little squashed and we say this is because he was breech 😂 (no idea if this is true btw!).

Chesthurtsagain · 15/01/2021 11:40

Breech baby, no issues. Had c section, all fine.

Think individual hospitals may have their own ratio of breech to non breech babies...?

Keep doing that thing with the gym ball and try to relax. I know it’s difficult!

Chelyanne · 15/01/2021 11:43

When we had our twins the lower of the 2 turned breech somewhere between 32 & 36 weeks. I was gutted as they'd said a low lying placenta had moved enough to go natural. They don't try to turn twins because success rates are low with singletons so not worth the effort with a twin. They did say I could go natural if she turned on her own but she didn't. I had an elective cesarean and it was actually a good experience. My mum had me terrified of cesarean as she had a really bad one with my birth but I felt fine and recovered really quickly despite getting an infection.

Chelyanne · 15/01/2021 11:45

Both our twins had the hip scans and results were perfectly normal so don't worry about that too much.

niki26 · 15/01/2021 12:04

Had breech baby - no issues with hips. Planned section. Absolutely fine. She was breech from 20 weeks onwards.

wimbler · 15/01/2021 12:13

our daughter had no hip issues either. We were late being referred for the scan too which the consultant was really cross about but no harm in the end.
She was born with talipes (feet turning in) but with very gentle stretching these were totally normal by week 3. she's 2 now and believe me has no issues running around at all!

GoldGreen · 15/01/2021 13:07

I had severe hip dysplasia as a baby (had to have surgery). One of my sisters had it mildly. We are both are fine now. We had normal childhoods and played sport. So I would say even if a baby does have it try not to worry. Just make sure you get baby referred for an ultrasound (it was standard for all breech babies where I delivered), because early diagnosis is most important.

All mine were checked (ultrasounds) (they were particularly worried about footling breech baby) no issues. All my sisters breech babies were checked and no issues

rhowton · 15/01/2021 13:18

I wish I had at least attempted a vaginal birth. I'm not having any more children and I had two sections. I still have so much regret that I wasn't able to birth naturally.

Original poster

sundayfunday1010 · 15/01/2021 13:23

Thank you everyone, your experiences are really helpful to read about. I'm starting to think maybe I should give up on the "spinning" techniques and face the fact that the baby is where it wants to be!

OP posts:

curiouscatgotkilled · 15/01/2021 13:26

My last baby was footling breech. No one realised until a foot popped out instead of a head. The midwife was panicked for a few seconds then the rest of her was born.
She was quite small, 5'14 and my third vaginal birth so I suppose those factors helped. But the pain wasn't any different to previous births.
I'm not sure how they didn't notice that she was breech, maybe because she was my third I was left to get on with things more.
I also had my second baby turned at 37 weeks, that was also fine, uncomfortable but it did the job and that baby was head first.

NoParticularPattern · 15/01/2021 13:28

Breech is a variation of normal. It can lead to higher incidences of developmental hip dysplasia, but it doesn’t always. There is also every chance that your baby will still turn head down prior to labour. Breech vaginal delivery is something that very few midwives are trained in nowadays because of the historic advice to section all breech babies, but that doesn’t mean it is inherently more risky, it is just different.

LightDrizzle · 15/01/2021 14:04

I’m fairly sure a Canadian study, and possibly others, published late 90s early noughties, convincingly demonstrated it to be much riskier for the baby.

I’m involved in a legal case in which this was thoroughly bottomed by special counsel and expert witnesses. I’m all for maternal choice but it must be informed.

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