ECV experiences please?

[Maggie199408]

Hello I am only 33 weeks plus 1 but baby is transverse and sometimes breach basically unsettled I am aware I have time left for her to turn but by 36 weeks they are re checking and said they may offer a turn if suitable so my question is anyone experienced this with a sideways lie or a breach position can you talk me through step by step what happens I heard they give injection where does that go how did it make you feel what are side effects? Did you get any pain relief? How painful is it? Was it successful? I have had a baby before normal vaginally delivery. How long after did u give birth what was the outcome of the birth all details please thank you! X

I declined ECV so hopefully someone else will be along soon to answer your specific questions, but just to add that DD2 turned herself at 39+2 and was born vaginally at 39+3 (c section had been booked for 39+5!) So don't lose hope! Get on the Spinning Babies website and start practising all the positions and see if anyone locally to you does moxibustion. Good luck!

I had an ecv, I think I was about 36ish weeks? Baby was flipping between footling breach and bum breach, also had a heart shaped uterus although that wasn't found out until growth scans with baby 2.
Arrived at the appointment, had some forms to sign to say I consented (although this may have been a case for me as baby was apparently measuring small (delivered an average size) and its not suggested an ecv is given on small or ĺarge babies, but I pushed for an ecv)
Then baby was scanned to confirm position.
I cannot remember if it was an injection or not, I'm fairly sure it was a tablet I had to take to help relax all the muscles and such.
Then I was left for it to take hold for what they said would be 30 minutes but was closer to almost 2 hours by the time they came back in the room.
This was honestly the worst part, it made me feel like I was having heart palpitations and shortness of breath like I would before an anxiety attack/asthma attack about to kick in (go hand in hand for me)
Once taken, then scanned continuously by one person as another felt for where baby was laying and gently started coaxing her up out of my pelvis first, and then to flip around.
There was constant pressure to ensure she didn't just flip straight back with one hand, and the other pushing or stroking with some force (not a lot) to move baby.
It was not painful in the slightest in my experience.
It felt like when the midwives where feeling which bit is head and which is bum, and then if you did it at home and wiggled baby.
I am however quite petit and only size 8, with a belly that is always low and compact when pregnant, however also was fighting a heart shaped uterus. I imagine all these things combined alter the experience.
Baby showed no signs of distress during of after ecv, and she stayed head down until birth at 39 and a few days.
Hope that helps!

I had a very different experience to the PP, but my ECV was done much later. Baby wasn't identified as breech until 38 weeks and I had an ECV at 39. They injected me with a drug to relax the uterus, which gave me major heart palpitations. Then after half an hour or so the procedure started. I honestly found it to be excruciating and I maintain it was the worst medical experience of my life. The baby did turn, but immediately flipped back afterwards. I ended up having an ELCS two days later. This was only 4 weeks ago by the way so it's fresh in my mind! Everyone is obviously different and I do think in my case it was way too late in my pregnancy for them to have attempted it, but I honestly regret it and wish I'd just gone for the ELCS straight away. I personally wouldn't recommend it anyway.

I had an ECV, and inot sure if I would repeat it in a future pregnancy or not. I was on track for a birth centre, midwife led birth experience and chose ECV to not have an elective c section.

I had to fast overnight. In the morning I arived at the hospital, went for a scan to confirm position and fluid level, and then sent back to the maternity unit. Admitted, had a drip put in, got hooked up to the CTG nachine, and waited for the doctor.

The dr came, re scanned me with a ward machine, and gave me the injection. It wasn't too bad, felt a little like mild nervousness with shaky hands but definitely not awful. After about 10 minutes the dr was happy it had worked, she drenched my tummy in ultrasound gel and worked to turn the baby. I've never experienced labour so I can't compare but it honestly wasn't too bad, it was uncomfortable but nothing that I couldn't get through by closing my eyes, wiggling my toes, and concentrating on breathing. Baby turned on the second or third try.

Midwife reapplied the CTG and they were unhappy with the reading, baby was severely distressed, and I was rushed to theatre and put to sleep for a c section. Baby was admitted to NICU and I wasn't allowed to visit as I couldn't get out of the hospital bed and they didnt admit "visitors" in hospital beds, only wheelchairs or on foot. It was truly horrendous, I have significant trauma around the experience, feel I've never given birth, was unable to establish breastfeeding due to being separated for over a day, and I still cry and have flashbacks about it.

(Hit post too soon!) We're also not sure whether there are any long term consequences for the baby after this, no one is able to say if this has harmed him or not. All they say is to keep track of the milestones.

Would I do it again? The c section was awful, the ECV itself was fine. If I could guarantee a successful ECV I'd choose it again in a heartbeat to avoid surgery, the discomfort of the ECV was nothing compared to the post surgical pain of the c section and the chronic issues I'm having with the scar now, but if it resulted in another experience like the first one then I don't know what I'd do.

Ooo that's interesting Whats moxidustion? And thank you for that gives me hope x

Wow thank you sharing that with me! My baby is also measuring "small" I have low pappa she is currently from when I was last scanned at 32 weeks 42% centile would they not offer this me because of this then?

Ah yh that is fairly late! Sorry that happened to you but also congratulations on your new arrival! I read that the further along you are the less chance of success rate was this your first baby?

Oh gosh that's awful! So sorry you went through this!! Thank you for sharing x

Mine dropped from 50th to 10th, so they suspected growth restriction, but had no other evidence for it after scans and such. She was born well above estimated weight and has stuck to her growth lime ever since.
You'd have to double check with your hospitals regs, mine was 8 years ago haha

Ah okay I didn't know this! Ill definitely ask x

Moxibustion is a type of Chinese acupuncture where they burn a special herb near your feet. It needs to be done quite early and some NHS trusts recommend it. I found out about my breech baby too late to try it.

https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/maternity/pregnancy-birth/your-pregnancy/a-breech-baby - see about halfway down this page.

My baby was also on the smaller side - 2.8kg at 39+3w when born. When she was born, the midwife commented that she had an usually long cord so my theory was that she got tangled up in it in the wrong position and couldn't get herself flipped over.