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Pregnancy

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Original poster

ECV consultant turning baby..........

9 replies

mumof2andabit · 06/04/2009 21:38

Ok so am 35weeks and baby is still breech, personally I dont think the boy is for turning lol I have read some scare stories on the internet about ECV's but also lots of positive experiences. I have had 2 natural labours and have always been scared of having a section.

Except this time I have spd and having torn both times before I am fairly confident I will re-tear again and am slightly worried about being in stirrups as I really cant open my legs very wide at all

However thats slightly off topic I really want to know what experience people on here have had of an ECV. Also I have quite a small bump would that make any difference as I have read that turning a baby is easier the more room they have.

Sorry for the long post!

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Original poster

mumof2andabit · 06/04/2009 21:50

bump

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Tangle · 06/04/2009 22:22

What options have been discussed with you?

DD was my first and determined to stay breech from about 28 weeks. I declined a CS and an ECV and she was born as a breech baby at home with IMs. It was a very hands-off and calm birth with me on my knees draped over DH's lap - no stirrups in sight!

bibblebobble · 08/04/2009 13:34

Hello

I had a baby who was breech and I declined ECV as it doesn't have a high success rate and can trigger the need for a quick CS. I think the problem with ECV is also a bit of a vicious circle - fewer women have it done so fewer doctors are experienced enough to do it. I was at High Wycombe and they said it would need doing at Oxford and I didn't want to go up there and have the worry of something happening afterwards.

Appreciate that CS is not without its risks but my baby was well and truely wedged under my ribs and needed several tugs to get her out so ECV or vaginal was out of the question and I am glad with the decision I made. The CS was absolutely fine.

cyanarasamba · 08/04/2009 13:41

I had a succesful ECV at 37 weeks with my first baby. We did reseach it beforehand and discussed it with our NCT antenatal teacher who said go for it.

I was given a room on the labour ward, the baby was monitored for a while and I was scanned to check the position. Then I was given an injection to relax the uterus and the consultant turned the baby with the help of a midwife. It was not painful but it was a very strange sensation. All over very quickly though.

I think success rates are better if it is not your first baby.

Unfortunately I went on to be induced at 42 weeks and ended up having an EMCS but I feel that at least I gave it a shot.

Tangle · 08/04/2009 13:45

Its worth checking exactly who would be doing the ECV and asking what their personal success rate is - the national average is 50%, but some consultants have much MUCH better statistics (I think some make it up near 90%, possibly because they have the experience to recognise which babies just won't turn and so don't try)

mawbroon · 08/04/2009 13:51

My ds was breech from 32 weeks onward. Scans showed that he had one foot up by his ear, and the other tucked underneath.

I decided to try ECV, and was booked in for ECV/section at 39+1 in case it didn't work.

The consultant took one prod and said that ds was stuck fast and that he wasn't going to even try. I had a section that day and the consultant said I had a heart shaped uterus and ds's head was stuck in one of the lobes at the top. With hindsight, I am glad he didn't try ECV and I am glad I had a section because had I had a trial of labour, I would likely have ended up with one anyway.

The liklihood of this being your circumstance too is very small, but thought you might like to hear it anyway!

Good luck.

Original poster

mumof2andabit · 08/04/2009 18:08

Thanks for all you replies! I had forgotten about mypost!

I dont think either dh or I are too keen on a ecv oh have to go as ds needs to watch turtles apparently!

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Original poster

mumof2andabit · 08/04/2009 18:14

His need was not so great after all!

Where was I? Dh and I are not so keen on an ecv because of the smal but possible risks to the baby. I kno these are barely none existent but they are still there iykwim. Obviously a c section has its own risks but with the spd as well I think it might be a sensible option. Of course this all might turn out to be silly ponderings if he turns by himself!

OP posts:

doulalc · 09/04/2009 00:33

Another consideration might be seeing a chiropractor who is trained in the Webster technique. Has a quite high success rate. There are a number of positions that are thought to be potentially helpful as well such as the slant. Lying on the floor, with your legs up on the settee, place a pillow under your hips so that you are lying at a slant. Since baby has bum down, this position may encourage baby to come back up out of the pelvis. As long as you haven't had any issues with high blood pressure, you can lie like this a few times a day for about 15-20 minutes...while watching television works well. Heaviest part of baby is their head, so once you stand back upright, the thought is baby might eventually turn vertex. Obviously not a guarantee, but if it works it beats a c-section....

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