Breech Baby Experiences (32 weeks)

[MissBellatrix]

Hi all,

I know there are a few threads like this already but I’ve found out my baby is breech at almost 32 weeks, which I am having a bit of a panic about because although the midwives say don’t worry I’ve also read only about 7% of babies are still breech at this time. I really don’t want a C-section, my son was a very straightforward vaginal north and because of that I have heart set on a natural home water birth for this time. So, I was really wondering if others could share their experiences of having a breech after 32 weeks? Did your baby eventually turn on their own? Did you try anything (spinning babies exercises, moxibustion etc) which worked? Did you try ECV? And last, but not least did you go for a Vaginal Breech Birth and if so how did it go? (I’m not super keen on this idea either but prefer the idea of it to a section). If anyone is able to help I’d br most grateful.

many thanks 😊

Can't help with personal experience, as my first was discovered to be breech after that and then I had PPROM so was booked in for an ELCS at 37+2. But in the gap between I started looking at spinning babies and it looked like it was a reasonable thing to do - the explanation as to why it works made sense to me. I was relatively relaxed about ELCS though! #2 is breech at 33 weeks now (exactly same position as #1 was at 20 weeks) - I must just grow breech babies (I was breech myself too)!

I guess going for a breech birth will depend where you are and whether you can access HCPs with experience of them. I'd have thought that as you've already given birth then that would work in your favour. Best of luck OP 👍

I'm 35 weeks with DS1 and baby keeps changing position, he's usually breech but randomly showed as head down during my scan last week, but within hours he had flipped again (he's above 90th centile so no idea how he has room)
DD1 and DD2 were both head down and back to back from the beginning 🤷‍♀️

My DC2 was found to be breech at a scan at 36 weeks. I think he'd been breech for a while though, despite every appointment prior saying he was cephalic. I was one of the lucky ones and he turned all by himself a few days later.

I had opted to attempt the ECV, but as a STM it was likelier he would turn later, so it was booked later at 37+2. He turned (I think) 36+5. I wasn't keen on having a C-section either, after having a lovely vaginal birth with DC1. Though I wound up with one in the end. Little sod got stuck back to back with his head tipped back and 16 hours of labour only got to 5cm... Recovery was nowhere near as bad as anticipated, which was nice.

Truthfully I didn't do anything special to get him to turn. I was admitted to hospital the day after the scan until a day or two after his birth. I tried to go for a walk every day and took the stairs whenever I felt able to. There may have been a bounce or two on a ball, but nothing sustained.

As for vaginal breech birth, a large part of it will be if there's skilled enough staff available. There is at my trust, but with pre-eclampsia and high BMI I was a very poor candidate. So if the ECV had failed, I would have accepted the C-section. If I had been a good candidate... I don't know now. If I hadn't had the C-section, I probably would try for a vaginal birth. But now knowing C-sections aren't to be dreaded I might just go straight to C-section.

Hopefully baby turns first! Good luck whatever happens over the coming weeks. ❤️