Breech at nearly 37 weeks - timescale for ECV?

[Meandacat]

God, I seem to have nothing but questions right now....

Just been to the midwife yesterday at 36+4 and although baby was head down two weeks ago, s/he is now breech. And has been for at least the past week, now I know where the head is (right under my right rib cage).

Midwife has told me to get down on all fours as much as possible over the coming week (going to be a laugh as I am still working) and she'll see me again next week, by which time I'll obviously be 37+4.

If the baby is still breech by then, would there still be time for an ultrasound and ECV? I really want to avoid a c-section and therefore want to have every opportunity for baby to turn. I just want to be sure that in trying to encourage things to happen naturally, I'm not scuppering my chances of turning by other methods time-wise.

Also, anyone have any tips for turning baby apart from all fours?

Most units will not see you for a presentation scan until after 37 weeks because there is the potential for spontaneous version to cephalic. Your midwife will refer you next week if baby is still breech, plenty of time for a scan and to schedule an ECV. I know it will seem a big deal to you, but my local hospital has a whole afternoon list dedicated to performing ECV by a team of very experienced midwives.
Good luck.....and it's worth trying all the old wives tales....frozen peas on the head etc etc good for a laugh if nothing else!

Frozen peas?! LOL!

Thanks for the explanation and reassurance. I'll wait and see then.

Have you thought about contacting an acupuncturist for moxabustion. It is a very gentle treatment that involves burning a herb near an acupuncture point to encourage baby to turn. It is far more likely than ECV to work and is also more gentle. I think the success rate is around 70%. Trying googling it, it may be worth a go.