ECV - would you try it?

[babythreeincoming]

Would you recommend an ECV to turn a breech baby?

My third boy is measuring 3 weeks ahead, breech and with excess fluid. I don't know whether to try the ECV or opt for a planned section. I've had two previous vaginal deliveries and would prefer this but what will be will be.

If baby does turn successfully with the ECV will they leave me to full term even with a big baby based on the scans?

Just to add my experience of an ECV
I found the actual procedure fine- I had injection first to relax uterus, although there was a lot of pressure it was not uncomfortable
First pregnancy and baby was also estimated above 95centile
It was successful
From memory ECV babies are slightly more likely to need instrumental births

Re previous comments re baby being breach for a reason - I think you need to go on instinct. Tbh I really didn’t want one and felt pressured into it- I was crying the whole time despite it being ‘successful’. I don’t know if my difficult b2back labour was a coincidence or if my instinct had told me at the ECV stage.
i know an experienced midwife who believes the phrase ‘baby is breach for a reason’ may be true for first time mums but for later pregnancies she believes the breech position is likely result of more lax. Uterus

Good luck regardless! Both options are good

Hi there it's a labour ward midwife. Every single labour will have a period of fetal heart rate abnormality. The period resolves either with the birth of a baby or the woman gets taken for a CS. In my experience, an emergency Cs following ECV is very rare. While I see women losing 2 litres of blood during an elective Caesarean with depressing regularly. The ECV success could be as high as 70%, it depends on the skill of the practitioner. It's generally a safe procedure if done at hospital

I had an ECV with my 4th - I would expect her reason for being breech was probably a lax uterus.
Procedure was okay, but she turned back a short time after.
Eventually moxabustion did the trick - she turned a day or so before I went into (spontaneous labour).
I had six deliveries altogether - sections were suggested in most of them (there was never acute risk for the baby), mainly routine concerns, I was reluctant to accept intervention (if there had been specific danger to the bany of course I would have) and they were all fairly uncomplicated with an experienced midwife who knew me well.

Congrats OP! I'm glad baby turned by themselves :)

To add my experience had an ECV last week at 37+2. Midwife described it as the easiest ECV she'd seen in a long time and the actual turning part took around 20 seconds. It was a bit uncomfortable bordering on painful but nothing I couldn't cope with for twenty seconds. Baby is still head down now thankfully and I've got a follow up scan on Thursday to double check everything is still ok.