Would you get a late scan to double check not breech?

[SpringTime2023]

So at 28 weeks, I had a private scan which showed baby was breech. Obviously this was early but expected as I was feeling bigger kicks much further down, and nothing near ribs etc.

Fast forward to 36 weeks and midwife says she feels baby is now head down, and instantly found the heartbeat (with doppler) which I assume means the position was correct).

However I'm still not feeling any kicking movement really in my upper stomach / near my ribs at all! I do have a high anterior placenta but would this block feeling at such a late stage?

Is it worth booking in a private scan for reassurance or is it common to movements from head / arms (down below)?

Scan booked in a week! Will try and remember to update this thread for interest.

As someone who went into labour and only found out I had an undiagnosed breech at 4cm I would highly highly recommend the extra scan! You would hope your midwife would be able pick up position from feeling but mine didn't!

That's sensible. DC1 was breech until 38 weeks and then turned. I knew about it!

My daughter was breech at 30 weeks and I had polyhydramnios so she sort of floated about in there rather then dropping and engaging. I did a lot of swimming and forward rolls in the water as someone had said this helps them turn. Whether it was that that did it I don't know but she did turn and it was big enough to wake me up. I actually thought it was an earthquake as my body shifted so much (I was in Turkey at the time). Scanned at 34 weeks and she was head down and although she never ever engaged she stayed head down and I could feel her bum shifting about. Definitely get that scan done so you can be more certain of where baby is and make a plan based on that.

My trust do a 36 week scan for exactly this reason. I hope one day it will be rolled out to everyone.

With my second, at every appointment prior (including both 20 week scans) I'd been told he was head down. I also had an anterior high placenta. I had been feeling kicks high up on my right side, but had the most stupendous amount of heartburn that I didn't have with my first, who had spent most of the third trimester nicely cephalic. Sure enough, the scan (36+1) showed baby was frank breech with his back along my left side. Opted for the ECV, but luckily he turned a few days later. I think he turned the evening of 36+5 as he was confirmed cephalic the next morning via scan. I had had twice daily midwife checks every day since the scan (a minor perk of being hospitalised with pre-eclampsia) saying he was breech. So that was the only time I think it could have happened. There had been a large baby movement shortly after dinner, but it didn't feel out of the ordinary, so didn't think anything of it.

Hopefully your scan will confirm your midwife's check, and you can relax.

So thankfully followed everyone's advice and intuition - they are indeed still breech, so booking in now for a section (quite late in the day). Relieved but a little bit disappointed that it's going down a different route to how I planned! But focusing on the positives and thank goodness I did go for that scan.

Ahh thanks for the update. Sorry to hear it wasn't the result you wanted but glad that you checked and now have a plan. FWIW I really didn't want a c-section at first but once I got my head around it, it was actually quite nice to be able to plan and know when she was coming. Of course she had other plans and broke my waters 3 days before my planned section but it was still a chilled and magical experience!

(As chilled and magical as being sliced open can be! 🤣)

100%. I asked for a scan at 37 weeks to make sure then another one at 40 weeks to be even more sure.

Yes either pay for a scan or see if your midwife can get you a scan to confirm they said my baby was head down I went into labour and had to get rushed for a c-section because she was in fact still breech even though the midwife confirmed she was head down and all was good x

Thank you :) I've opted for a slightly later date based on my dates Vs theirs, and the midwife rang to check how I was doing and told me to keep the legs crossed! 🤣 You just never know. But yes, it's nice to have a date to work towards and a plan of action.

So pleased you went for scan. I had a private scan at 34 weeks as was so uncomfortable and baby was breech. At 36 week app a horrendous midwife patronisingly felt for 5 seconds and said baby was def head down and wouldn’t listen to me when I assured her all the movements were in the exact same place and she def hadn’t turned. She refused to book me for an nhs scan. So at 37 weeks I had to pay for another private scan which of course confirmed he was still breech and I had to go over the midwife’s head to get an nhs scan and start the process rolling for my options. I’ll never forgive her as she made me feel like I had no idea what I was talking about and how she knew best, and I think of how upset and scared I was to this day. Always trust your instincts!! The scan cost me £70 as I had to get one wherever I could find one but was the best £70 I ever spent!

Wow, that's terrible. I had the same in terms of feeling the kicks in the same place but being told they'd flipped. I trusted the midwife to a point, but my instincts were overriding. Glad you also followed your gut but obviously so poor to not be listened to.