breech presentation

jessy30

Hey

I'm 37 weeks now and it occured that my baby boy is in breech:(
The midwife felt this position when I had a regular check up.
Then she scheduled an extra scan for me in rotunda to make sure if it's 100% breech.
And it definitively is
They gonna give us one more week coz there's still a chance the baby will turn.
We are booked for a consultation at a breech clinic in rotunda in case the baby 'don't change his mind'.

Has anyone been offered to try to turn your baby to the more favorable head-down position?
This procedure is known as an external cephalic version (ECV).
They do this in breech clinic in rotunda.
Am just wondering if it really works Is it safe for a baby
Has anyone got any experience with this clinic???
Would you recommend this method???

crazy cat lady

ECV can be very successful if there is enough room for the baby to turn. It will be quite uncomfortable for you and I think one of the risks is that it can bring on labour - Not that this is a problem at 37 weeks!

If you decide to have the ECV you will then need to be monitored by ecg for a little while after, just to make sure all is ok.

I'm not sure what the Rorunda's policy is on vaginal breech deliveries, I know that most would recommend C-Section for breech, so I guess how strongly you feel about having a normal delivery will impact on your decision to try an ECV.

Some would recommend kneeling on all fours as much as you can and gently rocking can sometimes help the baby to turn naturally.

I'm not entirely sure whats involved, but Moxibustion is also used to correct breech presentation. This isn't offered in hospitals as it is an alternative therapy.

EileenG

I turned a breech baby by spending an hour doing handstands in a swimming pool. Not elegant, but it got the job done.

I had planned to ask my chiropractor to do a procedure to turn the baby. It turned from the pool, so he didn't need to, but he studied up on it, and said that since then, he's done it three times, and in each case the baby turned within 24 hours.

Other things which may help: putting bags of frozen peas at the top of your belly, where the head is, to encourage it to turn. Lying on a slant board, head down. Playing loud music at the head.

If the baby is full term, a vaginal birth is possible. You need to be closely monitored, stay on all fours or similar position until fully dilated, then deliver in a more upright position (full squat or kneeling upright) but it is possible. The real danger with breech babies is when they are premature, and their small bodies can slip through before the cervix is dilated enough for the head. This isn't the case with full term, full size babies, but most hospitals prefer not to take chances.

horselala

Hi Jessy30,

My DD was breech too, I was offered the ECV in OLOL but choose not to try it, after telling my consultant my decision he told me if I was his wife he would just have advised me to have section, but he left the decision to me. I was too afraid of any miniscule risk on top of the risks there are with birth or sections anyhow. I didn't try hanging myself upside down, etc. I thought whats meant to be, will be. My daughter was breech from 24 weeks and never turned!

Please let me know how you get on and if you choose the ECV. I wasn't aware of a breech clinic. If you do choose the ECV just be confident in the consultant - find out how many attempts they done, what the percentage of successful ones was, did any return to breech before delivery.... these were all questions I asked but I think I had my mind made up.

regedit

ECV is safe in the sense that there will be a medical team on standby and the foetus's heart rate will be monitored to assure that he/she is not in distress. If something goes wrong a C Section can be done within a few mins. There are a few contraindications o the procedure (i.e if the baby is to big and uterus to small, bicornuate uterus or any other uterine abnormality, multiple pregnancy and possibly most dangerous if the cord is wrapped around baby's neck).
Talk to the medical team and ask them to explain everything. Do not be shy to ask questions. Remember that there's no daft or stupid question. There are only stupid answers.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do and I hope you have a healthy child.

silja

Haven't had one myself, but have a few friends who had an ECV and it worked, but a couple found it really painful. Less painful than a c-section recovery though, I am sure!

You can try some of these exercises at home, they are supposed to work really well: http://spinningbabies.com/

eviltwin

I'm 35 weeks and my baby is breech. Going into the Rotunda today for a check up but I can feel myself he hasnt changed position

To be honest I've decided not to opt for ECV. I have spoken to a few independant midwives and while it is usually successful the risks are too great and to be honest I dont rate the Rotunda doctors and their experience with it.

The fact its done in a room at the labour ward doesnt exactly inspire me with confidence either so I'm not taking the chance. Baby will do what he wants to do and if he turns he turns

I know its a lot easier than a section - on Mum - not sure if its the safest or best option for the baby though and I've waited 12 years to have this kid so I'm not taking any risks.

jessy30

Thanks a lot girls for your replies!!!
It means a lot to me to get your feedback.

We've not decided anything yet.
We just have 'a feeling' that we won't take a chance.
What's meant to be, will be.
Either way I' ll give a birth the most important is that our bundle of joy will be with us pretty soon. That counts!!!
But we still are going to discuss the options with the doctors.
And then we'll decide.

lalalulu

Hi Eviltwin.. Can i ask what are the risk's to the baby with the ecv?

eviltwin

lalalulu wrote: »

Hi Eviltwin.. Can i ask what are the risk's to the baby with the ecv?

They are very very small risks

My main concern is that the cord can get trapped around the neck of the baby or the plactea can come away or it can cause the waters to break. I'm only 35 weeks and they wanted to try it today and I just feel at this stage its too soon

I've had bleeding on and off so I didnt want to risk it.

They are tiny risks - most people are fine - and the more experience the doctors have the better ... I'm just a natural pessimist anyway so its not something I was prepared to chance "just in case"