Help with breech baby at 30 weeks

[mumzyof2]

I will be 31 weeks on Monday, and my widwife says the baby is breech.
Im really starting to panic about it.
Should I be worried? And, apart from being on all fours, what else can I do to turn him?

DD was breech too, and actually turned back a forth a few times before she settled. She was cephalic by term though. So there is hope.

From what I understand they don't really worry about what position the baby is in until about 36 weeks as most babies do a lot of turning before then.

mumzy - I am in same situation - I want baby to turn cos the head under my ribs is really painful! let me know if you manage to persuade baby to turn

Well they used to tell you to scrub the floor There was a logic behind it is like getting on all 4's as mumzyof2 said it allows the baby space to turn naturally. Like with the head engaging it normally happens naturally because of your shape internally and the head being naturally heavier. When you have had more than one child it can take longer as your insides are that bit more relaxed.

I was made to panic about this at 32 weeks thank to an arse of a midwife. I remember looking at the NICE guidlines which said they shouldn't even mention it until 36 weeks.

Anyway this might help. Moxibustion and ECV if you get really desperate at 36 weeks plus but honestly the chances are she'll turn. In fact (whisper it) sometimes midwives get it wrong and mistake a bum for a head.

Thanks GW - that page is really helpful.
Im not seeing midwife again until 14th, so hopefully he'll have shifed by then!

Or shifted even.

There's a webiste called BreechBabies that seems to have masses of info, but never works properly for me.

DD was breech from about 28 weeks, and stayed that way till 41+3, when she was born at home with independent midwives. I only went under IM care at about 37 weeks. There was nothing wrong with my CMW, but retropsectively I wish she'd made more suggestsions about how to encourage DD to turn. Yes, statistically most babies that are breech at 30 weeks will turn by themselves, but for those that don't you're left with very few options at 36/37 weeks. If I'd been more concerned at 30 weeks I'd have got on with moxibustion and/or looked for a chiro skilled in the Webster technique.

"Breech Birth" by Benna Waites and "Breech Birht: What are my options?" by Jane Evans are both very informative if you want to do some reading up now, and the former particularly has a complete chapter on complementary techniques.

Fingers crossed your LO shifts, but try not to panic either way

Thanks Tangle, another v good post. I spent a while on my hands and knees last night! But Iv read that the knee-chest position can be quite hard to learn.
Oh poo!!

Mine was breech up to 28 weeks then turned and Now I'm 30 weeks like you and yesterday started getting unmistakable strong kicks in the cervix again!!!!

I've clearly felt her move about a lot in the last month. Going transverse and stretching elbows/arms/hands in my back and sides (not nice).

I think they still have room to somersault until about 34 weeks. So any procedure right now might be useless if they can turn back again.

I've heard a lot of good things about moxibustion. I'm in Asia and it is routinely practiced here with a high success rate after 36 weeks.

in the meantim, hands and knees and lying with pelvis and legs elevated a few times day also recommended.

As for ECV must be practiced in hospital by skilled Dr/MW when you go into labor or are induced. I heard it's very painfull and best done under epidural.

I'm 34 weeks and baby is breech but not at all worried yet. MW said they turn all the time up until birth. They don't seem to make any decisions until 36 weeks.

I wasa breech at 32 weeks but baby had turned by 36 weeks, which is when they take it seriously. Ds was born last Sun and was head down (posterior though so still ended up with c section but that's another story!)

I wouldn't get too concerned. I'm 33 weeks and saw my consultant on thursday. I said, 'can you tell what position the baby is in?' and he replied, 'no and it doesn't matter the baby can still turn many time before term'

What an idiot!
ECV is EXTERNAL version isn't it? It's the internal version of course that is done in hospital upon labor starting.
I think ECV can be done before.

No need to worry yet. I was told my DD was breech at 32 week scan and she stayed breech untill the day before our elective CS. Went to the the hospital the day before it was booked, was still breech but at 9am the next morning when i was on the operating table about to have my epidural they did another scan and surprise surprise she had turned overnight so we were sent home. She was quite a big baby 8lb 5oz but still had room to turn at 39 weeks so no need to worry just yet. We wned up having a CS anyway but that's a whole different story.

Hersetta, I was wondering what happened if the baby was still breech at 36 weeks when they book you in for a section but then turns before you actually have the section. Do they cancel the section if the baby turns and you have a natural birth? Just makes it difficult to prepare mentally if you don't know what you're having but I suppose that's always the case.

That's about it Gangle. I had another scan at 36 weeks and was offered an ECV to turn her which I refused. They then booked me in for a CS on the day I would have been 39 weeks. Went to the hospital the day before and was checked over and told what would happen on the day, but when we turned up for the CS she had turned so we were sent home. The worst part was mentally preparing for the CS and having the baby and then having to go home without her - was the biggest disappointment ever!

this might sound cruel but putting a pack of frozen peas(wrap in tea towel first or you'll get frost bite! ) on the bottom of your bump as baby wont like it and try to turn away from it. Also accupuncture i have heard is fantastic at turning breech babys

M4MB - the version I heard was put something cold at the TOP of your bump while sitting in a warm bath, as it's the head that's most likely to move towards/away from temperature. I wonder which version works better ?

ah! Poor little thing! It would be like oh hot that end cold that end! Prob end up side waws! lol