Am sure it's been done before, but I want the most up to date info possible - ECV's, c sections, inductions, natural starts.... a bit of all sorts methinks. WILL BE LONG!

[NatalieJaneIsPregnantAgain]

OK, I am 37 weeks today, baby is breech at the moment though is still turning around and around anything up to 4/5 times a day, I have a scan booked for Tuesday to see what he's up to, if still not head down they have said they will try and turn him on Thursday, if that doesn't work then it will be a CS at 39 weeks.

Along side this, if he has turned they have agreed to induce me (for all sorts of reasons, will go into it if anyone needs me to, but it is a seriously long and boring story!), though I don't know when they would induce me.

Ok, time for the questions:

To try and turn him or not? I am really uncomfortable with this, and the more I think about it the more uncomfortable I get. I am aware of the risks v benefits and am just not sure I want them to even try, especially because he is still spinning around in there so even if they turned him the chances are he'd just turn around again.

But where do I go from there? Do I still plough ahead with an elec CS on the basis that labour could start at any time and I will labour very quickly (have been/am worried about a BBA) and now I could face being alone with a breech( or even worse transverse) delivery on my hands. Do I plump for the induction as long as he turns, but they may well not induce me till 40 weeks which is just too late for my liking (harping back to the giving birth alone, possibly breech/transverse thing again). Are they going to think I am a mad woman for not even attempting the ECV? Am I mad for not even attempting it?

Should also probably add that we have had a fairly problematic pregnancy, and I am trying desperatly not to let the feeling of 'just get it over with' take over and effect this decision.

Someone please just give me the answers, I don't care if it's cheating having the answers handed to me on a plate, but I've had enough of it all floating around in circles in my head now.

Sorry did warn it'd be long!

that you are 37 weeks already. I remember you posting to say you were pg.

My baby was unjnowingly turned and I felt crap for a couple of days.

It has gone fairly quickly in some ways, other way's I seem to have been pregnant since forever... Always the way I think!

What do you mean unknowingly turned? They did an ECV without asking you?

I booked for an independant midwife who visited me at 31 weeks. I told her the baby was lying across me and it was a bit uncomfortable. She asked if she could have a feel so I said yes and laid down. She did something and then told me she had turned him. I didn't have a clue. With my history it could have been very serious (was at home) and I did tell my NHS midwife who reported her.

Cor blimey!

Would you have it done again, in different circs?

Not unless I really really really had to.

Would you do it to avoid a CS?

Sorry for all the questions, am really trying to make sense of what's going to happen over the next few weeks!

Possibly.

Baby 1 - emergency section
Baby 2 and 3 vbac.

No chance of any more so academic but I probably would have it but only in hospital and only if prepped in theatre.

you need to go with your gut feeling on this, i know it has been a really difficult pregnancy and you have been so worried about the birth.

i would go for ECV, personally.

and then induction.. if you can agree induction at 38 weeks perhaps. bearing in mind you have responded v well to previous induction

depends how you feel about c.s really. or a breeech birth

Is that bishops score thing a very good indicator of how an induction will go or is it just a load of tosh?!

The very last thing I want is a breech delivery (either alone at home or in hospital), also would love love love to avoid an EMCS at nearly all costs, if I have to go for the CS I want to be prepared for it, mentally, physically, practically and child care wise! I am worried about insisting on an induction at 38 weeks, if it then doesn't progress and it leads to a EMCS. Although both previous inductions have gone very well, I was well over dates with them.

An elec CS... how do I feel about it? I kind of think that if it was needed, it wouldn't be the end of the world as long as we're prepared, would still rather just have a straight forward vaginal delivery any day of the week, but I'm just not sure the wait for an induction/natural start to labour is worth the risk over a elec CS.

TBH the ECV scares me much much much more than an elec CS.

Gah! Going round in big bloody circles again, when is it going to stop going wrong?!

I had an emergency section so can't compare with how an elective one is different but think about it backwards. If you have the baby turned and it all goes okay then you will have a natural birth and be up and about. An operation is more of a bigger deal and you can't do certain things for a while after - maybe thinking about it that way will stop you feeling so scared about the ECV.

But if I plump for the induction (and they won't do it till term or later) then I face the possibility of going into labour with a baby that doesn't know which way is down, and on top of that labouring very quickly alone.

If I go for the ECV and they do turn him, there is nothing stopping him carrying on spinning as he is now. And then the chance of it breaking my waters or putting him into distress, or anything else going wrong is on top of that. All leading to an EMCS.

I am so torn between just letting them do the CS at 39 weeks, being ready and prepared for it, my mum can come to look after boys, I'll have help while I'm recovering, the baby will be fine, there's no talk of transverse lies, and cords coming out first, and feet coming out first, or bums coming out first, or any other surprises! There is no labouring on my own. No wondering how I'd cope with the boys if I was in labour with no chance of anyone else getting here in time.

But on the other hand, it is major surgery. It won't be a walk in the park. It isn't the easy option by far. But it would take a hell of a lot of worry away, is that worth having an op for? (Have never had an op or any kind before!!)

How many other children have you got and what were their births like?

the bishops score is valuable, but obviously not a guarantee.. but if your score is higher,, ie. 8 or more then you are pretty much going ot have have an excellent chance of a succesful indcution

what is going to be better for you and your family? a planned c.s or the fear of a breech baby coming when you are alone?

why does ecv scare you more than c.s, it is not invasive..

A planned CS would be 100% better, for so many reasons. The major draw back being the recovery, however my mum would come up for the duration, DH would be off work for at least the first 2 weeks, DS1 wouldn't be worried about me going into labour at any given moment, I wouldn't be worried about labouring alone, or about an upside down babe, or who has the kids etc. like I said, it would just take so much of the worry and questions that can't be answered away.

ECV worries me because of the risk of the EMCS, because of the distress it could cause to the baby, because of the way they brushed my concerns about it under the carpet, because of the way there is only 2 people in the whole hospital that will do ECV's, and it is a big huge, enormous new hospital that you'd expect to have more than that. I just really really really don't like the idea of it.

I have 2 boys, both were induced, DS1 just because he was (have never known exactly why) and DS2 because I had signs of pre-eclampsia, aside from a bit of gel with both of them, no more interventions (although they may have broke my waters with DS1, not sure) both straight forward, had been head down and engaged for weeks before the inductions.

why do you think ECV will lead to an emergecny c.s?

look, if you are more comfortable with a planned c.s then go for it.

you have been so worried about labouring alone and all the other issues that this might just be the solution for you

HI, just read your post and hope you are doing ok. I hope I'm not speaking out of turn, but it seems like you would be happier with a CS and are looking for someone else to say you should. Do what you are happiest with - I completely understand your concerns about labouring alone - it would be really scary if you didn't know what was going to happen with baby.
Good luck