Possible breach, conflicting opinions. How do I tell who's right?

[mrswee]

Hi I'm 33 weeks pregnant and was told last week at my midwife appointment that my baby was breech.
I had been to see a consultant a few days before and was told my baby was definetly head down.

I know babies can still turn at this stage and I guess she may have turned in between appointments but all my kicks have been in the same areas all of that time so I am confused!!

I am slightly over weight so it is not so easy to feel around or watch kicks and tell exactly what is what....
But I feel like I get wriggles very low down and bigger type kicks near the top of my bump to the right a little.

I have also been feeling hicc-ups very low down and no where else??

My midwife put on my notes that I was breech and said that if she hadn't turned by my next app at 36 weeks then they would have to look into 'options'

I am happy to try acupuncture and/or reflexology, but how do I know if it is worth spending the money if I don't really know if I am breach or not?

I have tried crawlling bout the floor and being on my hands and knees but do to SPD this hurts quite a bit so I'm not sure if I should be bothering with that either if my baby isn't really breech!

How do I tell? is there any way of telling? are the kick patterns and hicc ups a good sign or not?

I should add that my midwife is very scatty and spends very little time on anything and I am not 100% confident in her.

sorry for the long post!!

I am in a similar situation as I am 32 weeks & my baby is consistently transverse. I have been reading up & am beginnng to be anxious - but I don't think i would be in your position.

Firstly, it does not sound convincing that your baby is breech. The way you describe the kicks sounds more cephalic to me. Whatever these "options" are - don't let them do anything to you without a scan! Under any circumstances! That's the only way to be sure. You don't want them attempting to turn an already cephalic baby. And if you're hoping for a natural birth & they talk you into a section, please FGS insist on another scan at the last minute.

However, with breech babies, 33 weeks is loads of time for them to turn.

It seems that transverse babies (consistently so, rather than ones who are on their way from breech) are much more likely to stay put and much harder to get into position. I am now freaking a little bit about this because for trasnsverse it seems 32 weeks is already late to be doing something, whereas there is apparently little point doing anything for breech babies before about 36 weeks.

I wouldn't worry yet in your position - honetly. For now, just look after your SPD. Get to 36 weeks & if baby seems to be breech you can start on your OFP exercises & ask for a scan.

Thanks for your response. I am wondering wether to have a private scan to find out, though I would leave this till a bit later on and try and see if I can get my midwife to send me for one first. They are not to keen on extra scans in my area.

I do know someone who was transverse right up until four days before her CS was booked, her baby turned all by himself last min and she gave birth naturally. I hope something similar happens for you!

The thing is my midwife did not even check to see where the actually head was, she just said 'well that's definelty not a head down there' and didn't continue checking my shape to find out the position after pressing low down and having doubts about it being head down. She took about less than a min in total to do the whole check.
So for all I know I could be Transverse..!! Though my shape does seem to be pretty much all out front.
The consultant took her time over the check so who knows who is right!?

ask for a scan at 36 weeks

i am 32 weeks - baby has been all over the shop - transverse, breech and now seems to be all over

there is loads of time for baby to move

mog is right - don't let them do anything without a scan as that will give you a definitive asnwer

I'm all at front too - you wouldn't think baby was transverse to look at me. But baby is extremely curled up!

Thanks so much for the last minute turning story that's what I need to hear!

Continue campaigning for the NHS scan - I am pretty sure they ought to offer you one before they start suggesting ECV/CS etc. Good luck! Have to agree your mw doesn't sound that thorough!

Ask for a scan (prob wont do it now as baby could move but at 36/37 weeks)

They may not be keen on extra scans but they will have to scan before/while doing an ECV so there is no need for a private one. You could go to an ECV appointement and discvuss it with dr after seeing scan and stil decline it at that point, they wont do a ECV/offer a caesarian without scanning you

Doesn't matter at this stage as other people have said but an ECV/CS for breech is never done without a confirmed scan breech just prior to the procedure. If they still suspect breech at 36 weeks they will scan to confirm and if it is confirmed they will then discuss ecv(turning the baby fron the outside) first. Just before they started to try that the would scan again in theatre to confirm baby hadn't turned inbetween. Don't worry about it until 36 weeks but some people say that regular walking (not to tire yourself out, just normal healthy exercise) and rocking gently on a gym ball can encourage breech babies to turn and you there is no harm in trying if you wanted to.

A private scan would be a complete waste of time and money at this stage as baby's position at 33 weeks does not reflect where it will be when it comes to be born.

Mrswee,

Your baby is probably breech, cephalic, transverse and oblique all in one day at your gestation. Don't worry about it. Definately no point in a scan at the moment.