Baby turned from cephalic to breech at 35 weeks - is this normal or should I worry?

[Betsabea]

I'm 34+5 pregnant, first time mum. At the 32 week scan, I was told that my baby had moved from breech to cephalic and was perfectly positioned. As a matter of fact, in the next couple of weeks I felt hiccups in the area where his head was supposed to be, i.e. right above my bladder.

However, this morning I felt hiccups very high in my belly, just about the ribcage. I asked my husband to try and feel with his hand whether I was imagining it or not and he confirmed that he felt them there and not down at bladder height.

Now I'm worried because I do not want to get a C-section and I don't understand why baby decided to switch positions again. I wrote to my doctor but she hasn't got back to me just yet so I thought I'd ask for anecdotes here. Has this happened to any of you? Is this normal? Did the baby turn spontaneously again or did you have to stimulate his or her movements? Is there anything I can do to facilitate this?

Thanks in advance!

I dont think you or your husband are qualified to say what position your baby is in. Ask your midwife at your next appointment. My baby had been head down since 28 weeks and I get movement at the top of my bump all the time. I was also told first babies don't tend to switch positions this late on as there's so little room.

Mine was head down on a Monday, breech on the Wednesday and then head down again the following week - all confirmed via 3 separate scans so don’t panic too much.

If they are breech at 36w, then you will be offered a discussion with an obstetrician. There are a few options - doing an ECV (where they try to turn the baby from the outside), vaginal breech birth (this will depend on the type of breech as it isnt recommend for footling breech) or c section. I strongly advise asking for a discussion with a consultant midwife (sometimes called birth options meeting) as I found them to be less pushy than the obstetricians. I think they said that vaginal breech deliveries are more risky if its the first pregnancy.

I had a breech baby (second baby) - i declined ECV and opted for c section but on the day I went into labour, they scanned me and DD2 had turned head down at 39+2 (i was checked at 39w and she was still bum first) so I was able to decline c section and had a vaginal delivery at 39+3.

In the meantime have a look at the website spinning babies and look at optimum positions to encourage baby head down. Bouncing on a pregnancy ball, certain yoga positions etc. Do all you can to encourage a good position between now and your next scan. As pp said, try not to worry - plenty of time yet!

My first was beech all the way through till 37 weeks. I turned her using the spinning babies website and walking a lot. Don't panic!

Mine turned to breech at 38 weeks! I felt her do it too! She wouldn’t budge after that and she was delivered by c section, not what I wanted but 4 years on I don’t give it a second thought

Agree with PP that unless you or your husband is qualified then you cannot know what position the baby is in. You would probably feel a complete turn at this stage given there’s so little space!

Gently I think you’re overthinking it, and there are things that the doctor can do to help turn the baby.

I’m sceptical - in my experience, midwives aren’t always sure the baby’s position so I don’t know why youd trust your husband can tell. At 35 weeks, it’s unusual to fully turn, and you really would have felt it given how little space there is. I’d wait for your next appointment and see what they say. You can try Spinning babies if baby is breech, or consider an ECV. I’m 39 weeks and I have always had loads of movement right st the top of my bump, and baby’s head is very low down.

My baby was breech. I was convinced they had turned as I felt hiccups very low down and one midwife felt and said she thought baby had turned, but a scan confirmed baby was still breech and they stayed that way! I wouldn’t base any assumptions on hiccups, or your partner feeling your bump!
Even if baby is breech, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need to have a section, it depends on the circumstances and which type of breech position baby is in.

Do you have a lot of fluid- mine kept switching places. I was booked in for section because breech/transverse only to be told no longer breech. I just went ahead with section (had one before) because decided she was basically swimming in there and could be any way up come delivery day.

Mine turned breech at 35w, it was so painful but I'm small and there isn't much room. He stayed breech so had ELCS having had a normal delivery previously.