Question for you all...

B

Beets

Cathlete
Hi everyone,
I am entering my 36th week and just had a prenatal appointment yesterday. My midwife was checking the position of the baby and as of now it is breech. I am hoping that over the next 4 weeks the baby will rotate into proper position. My midwife gave me some "exercises" to do to help the process like lying on my back with my hips elevated, placing an ice pack on the top of my belly and headphones w/music at the lower part of my abs to get the baby to migrate to the music and away from the cold, and also doing pelvic tilts on all fours. What I am wondering is if any of you have been in this situation and if the baby eventually rotated into position in time. I have an appointment for an ultrasound next week to check the amount of amniotic fluid, shape of placenta and actual position of the baby. If the baby is still breech at the end of next week then I will be scheduled for an external manipulation to try and rotate the baby externally. I really do not want to have C-section if at all possible so if anyone has any suggestions or stories to tell, I am all ears! Thanks in advance!
 
Beets, I hope others can give you more positive responses, but here is my experience!

My baby was breech from 6 months onwards and never moved. I was given a couple of exercises -- the lying on back with hips elevated and pelvic tilts on all fours -- but they didn't do anything. I went into hospital for the external cephalic version on July 23 at 37 weeks, and that didn't work either. I hadn't been expecting this, but my hospital visit ended up being 4 hours: they monitored my baby for awhile, took some blood from me, put an IV in and basically prepared me for surgery (in case something went wrong during the version and an emergency C-section was required). The actual turning was one of the yuckiest things I have ever experienced: uncomfortable and painful and weird (and my abs hurt the next morning, boy oh boy!). My doctor was able to move my baby about 5 inches, but she wouldn't budge beyond that. And an hour later, she had reverted to her original position with her head under my right rib cage! After the turning attempt, they monitored both me and the baby for an hour, both at rest and with me walking around (still with my IV pole). My doctor told me that because I had a low amount of amniotic fluid and because of the baby's position, it was extremely unlikely that she would turn on her own. I ended up having a C-section on August 14, but at least I had 3 weeks to prepare for it mentally.

I hope your experience goes better than this! My doctor told me that about 50% of versions are successful -- it depends on how much amniotic fluid you have (more is better), what the baby is doing with his/her limbs (folded up is better than extended straight out, which is what my baby was doing), and which specific breech position the baby is in (it's more difficult if the only thing they can grab onto is the baby's bum).

Good luck.

P.S. The C-section wasn't that bad. Yes, I have a scar, but I never had to go through labour or delivery! I went into the hospital at 6:30 a.m. and was a mother 3 hours later. (Was supposed to be 2 hours, but they had to redo some of my blood work so I had to wait). My recovery wasn't bad at all.
 
Thanks for your input Stebby! I am hoping that my ultrasound on Wednesday will show some good news---either that the baby has turned or that I have LOtS of amniotic fluid and room for the baby to turn on its own or at least have the ECV be successful. I am not afraid of having a C-section I just was looking forward to going through the whole birthing experience--pain and all--rather than just lying on a table, numb and having them pull the baby out of me. I am praying that the baby will flip on its own over the next few weeks. Keep your fingers, toes, eyes, legs, whatever you can cross, crossed for me!!
 
In 1988, my second child was found to be breech. I didn't do any exercises, but was scheduled for an external version in the hopes of avoiding a section. The version didn't work and was uncomfortable, but nothing was lost by trying. Hopefully your baby will be vertex by your next visit, but if not, a version is a reasonable thing to try. If they turn, they turn. If they don't . . . . .

I did end up w/ a section, but it was fine. I'm an OB nurse and I think it's much more difficult to recover post op if you've had a long labor, pushed for a few hrs., etc. Your midwife sounds very reasonable. So much of the birth process is just plain unknowable. Researching your options and then being flexible will help you have the best possible birth experience.

Good luck!
Valerie
 
Hi Stebby and Obrn,
Just a quick update: had an ultrasound yesterday and the baby is still breech--frank breech that is. The doctor said I have plenty of space in my uterus and that I have lots of amniotic fluid so if I decide to try the external cephalic version I have everything going for me, not that it guarantees success. I have an appointment tomorrow with my midwife and we will discuss the next move. I'll keep you posted. IN the meantime, I will continue doing my exercises and hope that the wee one decides to turn on its own.
 
Beets, glad things are sounding so promising! You do still have time for things to work themselves out naturally, but it's nice to know that there's a good chance of success with the version should you need it.
 
I'm confused here. Almost every woman I know (including myself) that had a c-section labored and pushed for many hours before the c-section was deemed necessary, therefore they got a double whammy. I exercised through my entire pregnancy and am no wimp and had a nightmare recovery from c-section. I would recommend avoiding a c-section if at all possible. It is NOT AT ALL EASY! Anyone who finds recovering from major abdominal surgery on absolute zero sleep is certainly to be admired though.

Either way you will get a beautiful baby that will be the light of your life forever. You will feel like the luckiest woman on earth to be so blessed.

Good luck to you and I hope it goes smoothly for you no matter how the baby gets here.

Lisa
 
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