Transverse at 35+3 - mw told me I'll be admitted to hospital if not moved by 37 weeks! Help!

[messylittlemonkey]

Hi there

Would welcome any support/advice/experiences please!

In a nutshell, I'm 35+3 with DC2. I'm booked for an ELCS at 39+3 following a previous EMCS.

Just been to mw (who is lovely, but vague) and when she palpated my bump, she said that LO is still lying across (has always been this way). Her next words were "you do know they'll have you in hospital if it hasn't moved by 37 weeks". Great.

Now, I know from my own research that transverse babies have to be delivered by cs and I don't have a problem with this as I'm already booked for one, but what I don't like the idea of is having to stay in hospital prior to birth to be monitored. I have a four yo DD and would hate to have to leave her for any protracted period.

I hope that if I do have to go in at 37 weeks, that they'll bring my section forward. That would be fine!

MW gave me no more info, no advice about getting LO to move, just said it still has time to turn. I was a bit thrown so didn't ask her any questions. She seemed pretty relaxed anyway!

Sorry for the ramble, but if anyone has any experience of transverse lie (wether it turned or not), I'd love to hear from you!

Have you looked at Spinning Babies ?

Hi CMOT

Thanks, yes I have looked at that website so will try some of those 'moves'!

Don;t see why you'd have to be in hospital at 37 weeks? Do you have a history of really speedy labours?? Any other complications? Are you hours away from hospital???

Even if baby is in the wrong position if you start labouring or waters break there would still be time for you to get to hospital for your section.

My DD was breech, had a planned section for 39 weeks, no-one ever mentioned going in earlier. As it happened my waters went early and i had a EMCS.....but a very laid back one!

I'd take it with a pinch of salt and ask for another opinion.

It certainly used to be the norm. The worry was if the waters went, the cord would come down and there would be an emergency at home.

Today I think it is dependant on lots of variables such as childcare provision [how quickly can you get to hospital] and how quickly an ambulance could get you in.

Dr's are balancing the risk of cord prolapse [unlikely in the longrun but very far from idel] and the risk of SCBU admission/feeding/etc if deliver early, and so on and so on.

Time to speak to a consultant me thinks! Get yourself an appointment at your booking hospital, so you can start to plan for possible scenarios. Hopefully bubba will engage or fix in a longitudinal lie in the next few days

yes, this sounds normal to me (sorry). My Mum had this but waters broke just as she got to the hospital - she was wheeled down for an EMCS with the MW's hand on the cord (this was 30 years ago though)

colleague at work had it too, was stuck in hospital from 37weeks. Think they induced her at about 38.5 weeks, but can't remember exactly.

sorry I don't have better news, good luck with the baby spinning

So do you think cos my DD was breech, not transverse that would have meant cord prolapse wasn't a worry?? Got me scared thinking what could have happened!

cord prolaps is more of a risk with a transverse baby - there's more room around for the cord to fall through first. if breech or head down then the gap is plugged by the buttocks or head.

there is more chance of a cord prolapse with a transverse lie, it can be an issue with breech too, but more so with transverse, i think Treedelivery has summed up the siutaion v well

should your waters break, you need to call an ambulance , get on the floor, chest on the floor, bum high up, so if there is a prolapse, you are reducing pressure on the cord.

My DS was transverse but moved a lot. I was classified as having an unstable lie because DD had also moved to an odd presentation during labour. I was not told I would need to be admitted, but then I was also booked for ELCS at 37 weeks anyway for obstetric cholestasis.

when a baby is ;lying transverese there is nothing in the pelvic, so the cord can float down. This can happen with head down or breech too, but is less likely because of the good design process.

Thing is though, it is unlikely in all situations - very much a what if scenario. So MummyTumble shouldn't really give it much more of a thought, and messy should try be cool too as a)the baby is likely to turn and b)if it doesn't the waters are still most likely to not rupture before the section.

Hence sitting about in hospital was such a PITA. But talk to consultant and see what their vibe is.

Gawd my typing - apologies!!

Thanks for all your advice!

I think procedures do vary from place to place. I have no history of early labour, so hopefully if it doesn't move in the next couple of weeks, I'll be able to talk to the ob and discuss practical solutions that don't involve staying in hospital unessecarily.

We'll see!

The more I look into this, the more I wonder why my mw is waiting another fortnight before reassessing by which point I'll be 37+3.

Most info online suggests that a cord prolapse is a very dangerous thing, so if my waters do go and I need to be rushed to hospital, it could be a very scary situation.

Not sure how to go about arranging a consultant appointment as most of my care has been led by community midwife at local health centre - haven't seem ob since 20 week scan!

Alternatively, I could go back and see mw next week at 36+3 instead of waiting.

What do people think?

Is it possible that the midwife meant that you'd be referred to hospital for assessment by a consultant rather than for admission? My second baby was breach and I was sent by the midwife to be assessed by the consultant at about 36 weeks. It was just day assessment though and I was sent back home. My son was born 3 weeks later by elective c section (previous emergency c section due to pre-eclampsia and consultant reluctant to attempt breach birth).

Don't worry about it, I was told the same thing because my baby was breech at 35 weeks. Luckily bump turned by his/her self - you've still got plenty time!

The midwife would have ment in hospital for a consultation about what to do next. That would involve a scan and a chat about next steps - nothing major!

OP - Transverse is generally more worrying than breach. (sorry, I don't want to worry you) I would speak to your MW at 36+3 and see what she says. Bump could well have turned by that stage and an examination may well reassure you, either that or it will still be in a transverse lie and you will be able to ask more questions about prolapse/admissions.

Thanks, PureAs

Thanks also to those of you who mentioned breech babies, but transverse is different.

I wouldn't be stressing about breech, but I know that a transverse lie can result in a cord prolapse if my waters go which is why they will admit me to hospital so that I'd be in situ if that happens.

MW def said 'keep you in hospital' and my research backs this up!

You're welcome.

I didn't want to overly worry you, but also didn't want the posts saying 'don't worry about it' to make you complacant about it. (no offense to those who posted, but it is very different)

forgot to say earlier, but second the advice about if your waters break early - on all fours, bum in the air, to relieve pressure on the cord, and get someone to call an ambulance.

You will be absolutely fine, baby will most likely turn. These precautions are there for a reason though

Hope all goes well! x

apologies for crap spelling and grammar there!

I was admitted at 37 weeks with a transverse lie because of risk of cord prolapse. Right PITA. I sat there for 2 weeks with daily monitoring, awaiting my planned cs, then dd decided to go head down at the last min and they sent me home again.

If you waters do go unexpectedly, you need to get on all 4s with bottom in the air, and call an ambulance.

Thanks Porto!

Sorry you had to go through all of that only to be sent home last minute.

The things we do for babies, eh?