Breech...

[OnNaturesCourse]

I'm 29 weeks.

Baby has always been bum first breech at all scans and appointments.

With my others they were all head down by 27ish weeks, definitely by 30 and I always suffered badly with pelvic pain once they were down.

Wondering if breech babies are more common the more pregnancies you have?
(this is my 4th pregnancy including my late term loss)

My midwife has said babies usually turn by 36 weeks however if this one hasn't turned before 32 weeks she will be looking into options for me as all my babies have been born early (all before 38 weeks) Is there anything I can do to encourage baby to move before then? I have been taking lead from "Spinning Babies" so far with some exercises.

Also so breech babies cause more discomfort? This is the first pregnancy where I have had horrific nausea, heartburn and indigestion as I constantly feel like my stomach is full.

This pregnancy just feels very different and I do wonder if baby's position as they continue to grow is the reason.

Sorry for your late term loss, OP. 💐

My DD2 was breech and I had awful aches and pains and a really uncomfortable feeling at the top of my bump. Presumably because a head was there instead of some feet! I also really felt like my bump was massive and protruding in comparison with DD1. DH was convinced there was a large boy in there. 😅 I declined ECV and booked an elective section. In the end though, she turned herself at 39+2 (very sore!) and was born vaginally at 39+3.

There is something called moxibustion? It's a Chinese herb thing but the NHS do it in some places and it does have some evidence to support it. It has to be done by a certain week i think. I discovered DDs breech position at the 36w scan so it was too late, but maybe have a chat with your MW about it, especially with your history of early labour.

@CrispAppleStrudels thank for your reply.

I'm researching that option as we speak as I will literally try anything to get his head out of my ribs...

Some days I think he has moved as I have no pressure in my stomach and then it's like he flips again.

My second was breech up until nearly 37 weeks.

The sonographer told me that second+ babies aren't necessarily likelier to be breech, but if the are, they are likelier to turn later. If it had been my first, an ECV would have been booked for 36 weeks, but as it was my second it was booked for 37. Obviously he turned before then. No advice as to how. While I think I know when it happened (evening of 36+5), I'm not 100% sure as my second was all about big movements. The only thing I did different from my usual was walk to Subway and eat a footlong and Doritos crusted mozzarella sticks that evening.

As for pregnancy differences, I only have the two to go on. But my second was significantly more difficult than my first in the later stages. I had so much heartburn, which was nonexistent with my first. As he was lying head up along my left side, I'm positive it was caused by his head pushing constantly into my stomach. He was frank breech so he was kicking into my liver and right hand ribs. So painful. I also had pelvis problems that I didn't have with my first. Oh and the fatigue.... JFC the constant exhaustion....

The likelihood is is that baby will turn. It just might not happen for a few weeks yet.

@Dyra Frank breech! That's what was used to describe my baby at the scan a few weeks ago.

Feet all up in his face and he had one arm looped round each of his legs. Not at all comfortable looking lol. His head was directly under my stomach/ribs in the middle so I'm pretty certain that's where my discomfort comes from. I was getting tonnes of kicks mid was down my sides but they have now moved to only my left side for the past week or so.

His movements are huge as well, my whole stomach shudders and moves, and my bump can look very square at times too.

I'm researching the NHS procedure to move him if needed and some of the risks are a bit scary. Cord issues etc. My eldest has cord issues (round neck 2 or 3 times, and body. Cord was too long)

If baby doesn't turn and you do get to discuss options, ask if your trust has a consultant midwife. I found the obstetricians very nice but quite railroady. They basically had me all signed up for ECV and I felt a lot of pressure to make a quick decision. I asked for a birth options discussion with the consultant midwife and she was amazing. So measured, talked really honestly about risks, benefits and how that fit into my history etc. That meeting was very instrumental in me not going for ECV.

When DD2 was born, they told me she had an unusually long cord, so I'm glad I stuck with my instincts and didn't try to force a turn when she wasn't ready. She came the day after I developed preeclampsia so she obviously knew it was time to vacate!

My 3rd was breech - she was breech on every scan I had. I was booked in for a ECV around 37 weeks, but during the appointment decided to refuse the procedure and an elective c-section was booked. I ended up having an emergency section though after my water broke but all was fine. I feel for you though because she was a big baby and the pain in my ribs from her head was so uncomfortable.

My stubborn little girl was frank breech the entire pregnancy. Nothing we tried would get her to turn so we decided on an ECV at 38 weeks which worked first try!

@TheBirdintheCave was she your first pregnancy? What was your experience of getting her turned? Did you get pain relief etc?

Would people say its normal for subsequent babies to engage later?

Yes it's normal for second babies to engage later :)

My daughter is my second baby :) I wasn't offered any pain relief (seems my hospital do it without) but I've heard other people were given gas and air.

I found it manageable. I was given a muscle relaxant (which makes you feel really shaky!) and then 30 minutes later the consultant lifted my daughter up out of my pelvis and pushed her round in one smooth motion. The turning part was uncomfortable bordering on painful but all I needed to do was suck my breath in and it was over in 20 seconds.

I was lucky that she turned first time and the consultant described it as the easiest turning she'd ever done.

My first was breech. I was incredibly uncomfortable with his head right up in my ribs and his kicks were also powerful. Also really bad heartburn. I was booked in for ECV at about 36 weeks but my amniotic fluid was too low so consultant decided not to try. In retrospect I was glad - if I was faced with same situation again I think i would decline. I was booked in for an ESC but my waters broke 2 weeks early so I had an emergency. My labour progressed very very quickly- baby born about 3/4 hours after my waters broke! Apparently a very fast labour is common with breech.

Thank you for the replies again.

I do feel like baby is occasionally down facing, like tonight the top of my bump is super soft, I have kicks under my ribs and a full pressure in my pelvis where it's rock solid. No heartburn etc. This usually happens after I feel a really strange tight and slow movement type feeling that rolls over my bump.

Then I get a thudding flip feeling and the rock solid bit is back under my ribs.

No rhyme or reason it would seem.

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