34 weeks and the baby is breech, 2nd pregnancy advice please on how to get it's head down!

[minxofmancunia]

bit gutted about this after mw appoitment this am, know it could turn still but still worried.

mw has given me some tips re my own positioning which might help, does anyone have any methods they've tried that have worked?

Will be gutted if have to have planned c-section I know the health of the baby is utmost and will go for one if I have to but was looking forward to a happier birth this time after all the interventions last time (26 hour labour, epidural, foetal distress, oxytocin drip, episiotomy, and ventouse although luckily not a c-section).

Also how safe is it to deliver vaginally when breech? Doea anyone have any links to decent research? Can I insist on it? The mw made it clear today there wasn't really a choice!

And has anyone tried reflexology or acupuncture to remedy this? If it helpd will be looking for a decent practitioner in the manchester area! Does anyone know of one?

Sorry lots of questions just desperate for advice!

I was told to try positions like scrubbing the floor, swimming, never lying back etc. but tbh half of it seems like luck anyway.

You can deliver vaginally when breech (my mum delivered 3 out of 4 babies safely this way inc. me with epidurals) but I think that less midwives have experience of it these days and certainly I think that doctors don't see it very often.

Vaginal delivery of a breech baby also has a higher risk of intervention esp. ventouse & forceps but I understand your risk is also associated with e.g. length of time since previous delivery, if you have any other health issues etc.

Could you look into an independent midwife in a birth centre attached to a hospital, for example?

You are certainly entitled to get proper advice but the tricky thing is how to find it on the NHS when midwifery services are overstretched anyway.

You still have a lot of time (and enough space) to turn the baby. I hear this website talked about a lot in relation to advise on turning babies
www.spinningbabies.com/

some people say acupuncture has around 80% success rate of turning babies, it's definitely worth a try - at the very least it's lovely and relaxing. they might use moxibustion over the 'baby turning point' which is basically burning some herbs. they may even show you how to do it yourself at home so you can continue the treatment.

34 weeks is still early enough for it to turn. definitley try the swimming and forward leaning positions too.

fingers crossed for you.

also can't they do a procedure in hospital to try to turn the baby - much later on though?
I'm 34 weeks tomorrow and hvae no idea which way up mine is Have a MW appt on Tuesday so she might be able to tell me then

Hi,

My Ds was breech at your stage too and a few weeks later, whilst I was sitting on my bum doing nothing, I just felt a big movement and my tummy did a big in and out shape. Next time I went he was completely head down. Loads of time. The reason he/she is mucking about is there's still plenty of room to do so.
On the other matter, your delivery last time sounded hellish compared to my painless 5 minute emergency c-section!! I know it's not the choice of most people and it wouldn't be my choice this time as Id like to know what a natural birth is all about since Im going to all this trouble to bake a baby!! My waters broke (no contractions) but I started to bleed heavily so I was rushed into theatre and he was delivered as I said, completely pain free and fast. It's really nothing to worry about and the after math is made easy with loads of pain killers for a week. I just sat around getting to know my baby feeling a bit stoned and unusually happy!! Just let it all happen, we can't control it! xx

DD3 was breach much later than this and I was told by midwife to lie upside down supported on sofa with head on floor and feet up over the sofa and in the air, if you get me. I had to stay like this for 30 mins. It was uncomfortable and I had to get DH to help me get upright again afterwards (and much giggling), but within an hour massive movement inside and she was head down. Well worth a go, as its free and easy. Don't do it unless someone else is in the house, or you might get stuck upside down!

actually the other night I was kept awake from 2am in the morning by a few things, one of which was the baby movbing around, and what felt like grabbing on to my uterus by the handful - could that have been him/her turning?

What worked for me was spending evenings watching a film draped over my big bean bag so tummy was hanging forward - a birthing type ball would work too.

Also spend lots of time on hands and knees, or even forearms and knees (bum up in the air) - 10 minutes a day my yoga teacher recommended. She also suggests making sure when you sit that your knees are lower than your hips so the pelvis is tilted forward - sit on an extra cushion if necessary.

However now this one is head down it's so damn uncomfortable I almost wish it would go back to transverse. It kicks my ribs, sticks it's bum into my lungs (major breathlessness) and felches my bladder

thankyou for all the advice so far! I'll definitely have a try of all these techniques, dh is buying me a beanbag today!

My baby was breech from 34-37 weeks. He decided to turn round of his own accord as we were waiting to see the consultant to talk about what to do.