33 weeks breech baby

[blossomstar]

Hi all,

Wondered if anyone could advise... I am 33 weeks and baby is still breech.. I know it could turn anytime but I'm worrying. My first birth was horrendous and now the fact this baby is breech is just really stressing me out. Is there anything I can do ??
Thanks

There is a website called spinning babies, with some exercises you can do to encourage baby to turn.

I know a downward dog yoga style move was one of them.

I know they can flip and turn at this stage, as I turned breech right before my poor mother labour.

Anyway, I think these exercises helped when my DC3 was breech at 34 weeks, as he did turn.

Good luck!

There's plenty of time for them to turn. My turned at 34 weeks.

My friend was advised by her obstetrician to get on her hands and knees and clean the floor as the position helps them turn and it worked for her at 36 weeks.

Following because mine is breech/transverse at 33 weeks and has been for weeks...have tried the spinning babies website and am continuing with those exercises for the time being

Hi OP, my little one was breech from 30 weeks right up until 38 weeks. I tried everything recommended to turn her naturally, swimming, yoga, pregnancy ball, on hand and knees etc but she was just too comfortable.

In the end I opted for an ECV at 38 weeks, which luckily worked!

What I'd say is try everything you can to turn little on naturally but equally try not to worry as they will likely offer you an ECV if baby hasn't turned by 38 weeks. I know it's difficult though, I had my heart set on a homebirth so the fact that baby was breech really scared me, but as I say the ECV was a succes and I had a beautiful homebirth as planned.

Good luck!

Hi, I just wanted to offer some slightly different reassurance. My daughter was breech and didn’t turn on her own, although I only tried a few of the exercises. I did a lot of research into the ECV but ultimately decided to decline it. My community midwives were very supportive of this (and the obstetrician was ultimately supportive too, although she was a bit grumpy about it- anecdotally it seems to sometimes be the opposite way round!), and I was scheduled for a c-section at 39 weeks. It was very positive experience and while the recovery was, I imagine, slower than a straightforward vaginal birth it was far quicker and more pleasant than those I know who have had very difficult vaginal births.

I hope your baby turns so you can have a vaginal birth (if that’s what you’d like!) but please try not to worry too much if they don’t. You have the option of an ECV too, if you want to try and avoid a c section.

Thanks all for your messages! I've been looking at that spinning baby website.. will do those exercises. Re the ECV - I've read so many times to not accept it 😩😩😩

DS2 was breech at 34 weeks, appointment made for 36 weeks to discuss next steps and in that time he had turned!

I did lots of bouncing on my birthing ball and hands & knees stuff from spinning babies so guessing that helped. He ended up back to back though so still a nuisance, which is him all over 😂

@blossomstar You really don’t have to accept it if you don’t want to. I would just suggest doing your research in advance (not to say that you haven’t, obviously!) so you can explain clearly why you don’t want to have it done. I had a few figures/points written down when I had the phone call from the obstetrician so I didn’t forget what I wanted to say. It would clearly have been the preferred option for her, so I think if I’d have just said “Oh I’ve heard it can be really unpleasant…” she might have been a bit pushy, but I could say “I would like to decline it for X and Y reasons and to avoid Z” she couldn’t really argue!

Good luck 🙂

DC2 was found breech at a scan at 36 weeks.
Which was surprising as everyone up to that point had said he was cephalic. Did explain the awful heartburn and rib pain though.

I was keen to avoid C-section, so had an ECV scheduled. Luckily, DC2 turned himself a few days later anyway. I say luckily, as I also had pre-eclampsia, and that is a contraindication for ECV. Not that anyone told me that until a few days before the ECV. So would have had all options reduced to C-section anyway. I didn't feel DC2 turn, nor did I really do anything to help him do so. I had read Spinning Babies advice, and done some half hearted ball exercises.

As for the birth, after DC2 had turned cephalic, as with PP, the little sod went back to back. Then during labour, he tipped his head back, and got himself stuck. So I wound up with a C-section anyway. I maintain he was trying to look at where he was going. He's a nosy, wriggly, obstainant one on the outside too.

Zero regrets about the whole thing. It was important to me to at least try for a vaginal birth. Even though it was contraindicated, at least attempting an ECV was going to be something I was going to fight for.

Best of luck with whatever happens.

i'm 36+5 weeks with a breech baby discovered at 34 weeks. Annoying as baby had been head down for weeks prior, even had a scan for my low lying placenta at 32+4 and baby was head down!
I have a scan tomorrow to 'confirm' but i know they are still breech as i feel little feet very very low down and a big hard head sticks out the top of my bump 😂

i've been trying to move them myself to no avail and will be offered an ecv which i am pretty sure i will decline... which then leaves a planned c section!

Midwife said it is still possible to deliver a breech baby vaginally if i was inclined to do so but she wouldn't recommend.

There are options out there for you and also time to turn! If mine decided to go breech between 33 and 34 weeks your little one can certainly go the other way!

My breech baby was discovered around 37 weeks. Had Ecv, wasn't painful, just uncomfortable, didn't work. Did all the spinning babies things, didn't work. Had Elcs. Not what I wanted, but did the job!

At 33 weeks you've quite a while for it to turn. Hands and knees all good, swimming etc. Try to sit in an Upright, Forward and Open position - no schlomping on the sofa as this encourages the baby into unfavourable positions. Sleep on your side. Lots of walking if you can.

If it works, brilliant.

@blblossomstar any update?

Hoping baby has turned for you 😊

Hi @TheHopefulMum !! Thanks for checking in!! I had my 34 week appt on Tuesday and they confirmed the baby has turned and is now head down!!! I done a few exercises from the spinning babies website !! Thanks so much for everyone's help and advice! Xxx

@bblossomstar thats amazing news so pleased for you!

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy 😊