35 weeks wrong fundal height AND transverse! oooeerrr!!

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Hello all! I just needed some advice please. I'm 35 weeks pregnant with babba # 3 and have had so many complications I could write a list as long as my arm lol!! I'm booked for a C Section @ 39 weeks due to problems "down there"!

Now I'm almost on the home straight and at my MW appt she measured me as being 38cm fundal height instead of 35cm to match my weeks. This is all fine and well but the baby is also lying Transverse so the extra size isnt due to bum up or head up!! The MW said they would usually measure smaller as they take up less height in the uterus(being sideways)!!

Baby has been lying transverse and hasnt shifted since 20 weeks! Its getting painful now having the sideways stretch and the MW has sent me to the consultant this coming Thursday (I need to do CS paperwork etc). There was talk of a scan and she is also concerned about the fact that baby is transverse (& has been for so long - personally I think it must just be a comfy position lol)

My question is what HAPPENS if baby is still transverse come 36/37 weeks? They won't do an ECV as I'm a C section patient(no point apparently). Someone told me they tend to admit you to hospital for observation as the risk to baby is huge if the waters break and the cord is delivered (cord prolapse?). Thing is, I have two young daughters and our nearest hospital is 35 mins away. Does anyone know what may happen if

a) I'm still measuring too big?
b) baby is STILL transverse?

Obviously, organising for giving birth when you have 2 kids is like a military operation in itself haha. So the chance of some pre warning if I'm to be in hospital would be EXCELLENT!!

If anyone out there has experienced this, or knows of someone who has, I would REALLY appreciate your advice. Between lack of sleep, hormones and backache I'm a wee bit neurotic at the moment lol.

Well ladies I may be able to settle the query...unbelievably in a strange twist of fate I now know the answer. Last night the hospital decided to break my sisters waters as she was induced last weds with no joy. A doctor examined her and said yep, all clear. But for some reason a wary midwife said she'd rather give her an internal before breaking her waters so she can guarantee his head was there.

Anyway, long story short the baby had turned TRANSVERSE of all positions. Immediately 2 docs tried an ECV (with her on entonox, poor love) but he flipped back. They tried again and he stayed put. So they broke her waters. But in that short time he had flipped again. And guess what...

The CORD was delivered first. According to my Brother in law the emergency alarm was hit and she was rushed into immediate surgery with a crash team. En route there was a midwife on the bed with her hand INSIDE my sister to keep the cord from moving. She was given a general and he was delivered. Baby is fine. But she is in Intensive Care as she lost a LOT of blood.

Soooooo...that tells me all I need to know. They told B.I.L that had she not been in hospital it would have been fatal for my sister & my nephew as the cord can be ruptured or compressed. So we're off for a 3 hour drive tomorrow to go and see her.

Is it just me or is that a bit spooky? She had a textbook pregnancy and he was APPARENTLY engaged since 39 weeks.

Its certainly made me wary ladies. DH and I had a chat and have decided that based upon how our babba has been lying, we will ask the midwife to keep an extra close eye on the positon. That scared the life out of me!!

Hopefully it'll explain a little bit more??

XX

GOOD GRIEF!!!!! SO, so glad your sister is okay!! Really scary stuff. Fingers and legs crossed for your bump staying down.
Makes me really glad nothing happened while I was waiting for my bump to turn. Feel all wobbly now just reading it.

(And how cool is it your sister having a baby so close to you - lovely!)

Awwww ty Bonzo

You're right it is scary stuff, and its made me think twice about playing it down! If I suspect for one second that baby has turned again I'm ringing my midwife! The spooky thing is my sister and I were on MSN chatting about why I was worried about transverse a week ago! And SHE ends up being the one that suffers the consequences. Feel so sorry for her bless her. God I'm all emotional (flippin hormones lol)

It is sweet that we are having a baby at roughly the same time! We always joke that there must've been nothing interesting on telly at that time! lol

Will post tomorrow or Weds to update on how shes doing! Thank god you came out of it ok Bonzo...!

How's your sister today? I've been thinking of her.

It does make you wonder about all the intervention though doesn't it! If they hadn't artificially broken the waters she wouldn't have been in that position. Was there a reason for her being induced?

How awful for your sister to have to go through that - hope they're doing OK. Had a quick look at the RCOG guidelines, and she should be offered debreifing and/or counselling.

Being a pendant, though, that answers the question of how its handled - but not so much the question of how well established the risks actually are. Doesn't make you inclined to push the boundaries, though, does it.

I know. Like I said scary stuff.

Went to see her and (beautiful) baby yesterday and didnt get home til 3am so we're all shattered today!! She's doing ok although I'm concerned it hasn't really hit home yet what happened. I feel it may take time. I've already advised her to get a copy of the notes and paperwork and to take it further. The doctor who said baby was READY and head down - engaged - has a lot to answer for. Thank god for the midwife who was cautious! She IS however, cut almost from hip to hip, very bruised from the ECV and in a great deal of pain.

As far as I'm aware the doctor tried to put it down on her notes as an ELECTIVE!!! So cue me hollering at brother in law to get that changed...so it was and they pleaded innocent! Sneaky buggers aren't they!

Bonzo, the reason she was induced was that she was overdue, and she also has hypertension and they were struggling to keep her BP down. She had the exact same problem with her DD and DS1.

Oh my goodness, I've only just seen your thread, what a stressful time! I'm so glad your sister is OK, that sounds truly awful, and really strange given your situation. Brilliant that your baby has turned, willing it to stay there! Hope everything else is going well with you.

awww thanks purplemyrtle, hope alls well with you!

Sis is home and trying to settle into a routine. Poor love is exhausted but glad to be away from hospital.

You are spot on about it being strange, I was knocked for six when I found out! Found it VERY spooky.

My little one has been very active and is still moving A LOT! I really pray that I dont end up with a transverse lie again....I don't see my MW for over a week but I'll confess its playing on my mind a wee bit as I'm only 37 weeks. I seem to have quite a large hard lump over on the far right and the left feels more hollow so I'm hoping at worst its an oblique lie! Have been having mammouth painful braxton hicks recently teamed with sharp pains in my bits (any idea what that is - I don't remember that with DD's!) As long as this one hangs on til march 9th I'm happy!
Gosh, nothing is ever straightforward is it?? lol

I'm sure you'll be fine - but if you have ANY worries you should get on down to the midwife for a check. (or get the cold shower out again {tee hee} - my baby actually moved while i had the shower on - not later .... so I knew it was working)

Hope your sister settles in ok. It's hard after a C-section but not hte end of the world. I think I demonised it so much that I thought it would be horrendous so was quite surprised at how much I could do.

No it's never straightforward! Had a few complications too but nothing serious. Fundal height also way over (4 weeks), but we've always known this one's likely to be fairly big, I was also told it tends to measure over for 2nd babies or more. Sounds from your lumps and bumps like baby's not transverse, but yes if you're worried don't feel at all bad about asking for a check. Reckon I'm getting more pressure etc in the bits this time, had wondered if it's the difference in my pelvic floor this time! Good news sis is home, hope all well there. Got my planned cs booked for next week, eek! Not long til the 9th!

Oooooeeerrr purplemyrtle!! Next week! I'm sure it'll fly by If you feel up to it afterwards and baby allows you 2 minutes you must post and let me know how you got on and how little one is!

2 weeks seems like an age away at the moment, but tbh I have SO much to keep me busy til then!

Quick query...does anyone know how long I'll need to stay in after the CSection? I'm really unsure how long to have care organised for the children??!! The sooner I get home the better as DD2 doesn't fare well with mum away as a change in her routine tends to send her off the rails with her problems!

Depends how straight forward things are.

I've a friend that's just had a her 2nd - 1st was an emergency CS, this one planned. She was in surgery Thursday morning and went home Saturday morning. She told them when she went in that, unless there was a pressing reason to stay, she'd plan on leaving then and they were fine.

Hope your Sis comes through OK.

I had my C-S at just gone midnight on monday morning and went home Thursday (although I think they expected me to stay another day)

Awwww cheers for the prompt reply!

I reckon I'll ask to leave the Weds if they let me (I have the op the Monday afternoon). I'm not one to hang around if I don't need to. Just want to get home and get into a routine (anyone with other DCs will know what I mean - the show must go on!)

Thanks Tangle, I just spoke to my sis and she seems to be faring quite well, although a bit tearful when she thinks of what happened. I've told her to let it all out...have a good old cry if she feels like it! I checked with her and she def wasn't offered any sort of aftercare or counselling as per the guidelines, so have encouraged her to photocopy her postnatal paperwork and prepare to take things further.

God, never a dull moment eh?

Hospital isn't a prison - if you want to go home on Wednesday then tell them you're planning to leave on Wednesday unless there's a pressing reason not to (and if the only reason is paperwork, you can always discharge yourself...).

Your Sis may also find the birth trauma association helpful as and when she feels ready. Most PCTs offer some form of birth afterthoughts service, so it shouldn't be a huge fight to talk to someone from the hospital - although I can imagine she's not really in a mood to be asking right now. Doesn't give you confidence in the system when they misrepresent the circumstances like that, either

"May you live in interesting times." - Was that an ancient curse or proverb?

My hospital say you can be home 24 to 48 hrs later if no complications. Which is good as our arrangements have just fallen through and we've has to make less than ideal ones! Don't know if it's something you can do but I have heard of people being discharged earlier if they can guarantee regular visits from an independent midwife.

Not surprised your sis is tearful, and good to make her feel it's OK to be so, hope things OK.

Will let you know how we get on, same with you!