Anyone had a Breach birth by Caesar?

[GlassHalfFull]

Good morning ladies,

Am currently 35 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child at age 39. Have had a few issues this pregnancy including a clot in my left leg and dreadful problems with veins.

Saw my midwife last week and was told they think the baby may be in a breach position.

Options given were: Go to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle for a vaginal breach delivery, have a Doctor perform an E.C.V. which is where they "gently"? try and turn the baby at 37 weeks (only successful in 50-60% of cases), or the last one being a c-section.

Would welcome any personal experiences bubhubbers may have had.

In the meantime, am he will turn himself before D-day.

[meggs]

Hey there,
Congrats on your soon to be new arrival!!! I found out my baby was breech at 38 weeks during a scan..I chose to have a c sect as I didnt want to go through trying to have a vaginal birth only to end up with an emergency c section anyway and my baby had a huge head too even the theatre staff during my section said I couldnt have done it naturally so that made me feel better that i made the right decision... Im not sure how possible it is that they turn either so I took the least stressful option for both myself and my bub...

Good luck!!

[Zoey]

I had my little one via C/S at 36 weeks as she was breach and I had PE. I wasn't given any other options, and due to the swelling from the PE needed a General.
Personally I wouldn't go for an ECV because of the risks involved - a planned c-section with a spinal or epidural is what I would have chosen if I didn't have the added complications.
Good luck with whatever option you choose

[JabberJaw]

I had a c section for a breech bub just 5 months ago, she was firmly engaged bum down, to risky for breech birth and they did try to turn but it was hurting me to much, lucky i had the c section as she had the cord wrapped around her neck quite a few times and i am unsure what could have happened to her had the turned her. Go the c section i believe it would be a safer option and believe me i am not one to reccommend them under normal circumstances!
I had no trouble bonding etc like you read about and i didnt feel i missed anything through having a c section, the doctors assured me that you still release all the same hormones as when you give birth naturally. I was just happy to have my baby safe and well.

[maeve]

There are some fabulous breech births on youtube if you are interested. Well worth watching

Also, the latest research actually suggests that in fact the outcome for a breech bub is not significantly improved by having a c-section over a vaginal birth. If you are interested I can find the links for you.

[KatiesMum]

Firstly - at 35 weeks there is still time for bubs to turn. Read and research carefully about ECV's and decide if you want to have one. Go to spinningbabies.com - they have some great tips

Secondly - the key for you here is to do the research and decide for yourself what you want to do. Even if you end up with a c/s, making the decision for yourself will help you come to terms with it much easier.

Thirdly - google 'term breech trial' and read the research and the critisms of that.

The Term Breech Trial was a major trial conducted 10 years ago with the purpose of determining whether or not it was safer to have a vb or a c/s when bubs was breech. Over 1100 women in 26 countries participated - and the results were very conclusive.
- Of the women who had a c/s 5% or 1 in 20 babies had a significant injury or died.
- Of the women who attempted a vb that rate went up to 20% - or 1 in 5.
It was concluded that c/s is much safer. Since then the vast majority of breech births have been delivered by c/s .... resulting in what we have now being a substantial lack of obs and midwives with any experience delivering breech bubs vaginally.

There are some pretty major criticisms about this trial.
Things such as the fact that it was totally random which method you were assigned to - so basically anyone who was committed to a vb (and was therefore much more likely to be successful) didnt take part as they could have been assigned a c/s. There are questions over the experience of the midwives in some countries and the clinical directions in relation to how to deliver and whether or not induction was appropriate.

Have a read for yourself and decide whether or not YOU think that the issues raised affected the results.

Fourthly - if you want to read about an inspirational vaginal breech birth (at home) - read Duchessa's birth story (link in her sig).

I just cannot stress enough how important it is to do the research and make this decision for yourself and not have the decision forced on you by someone else.


For the record - my bubs was breech. I had a c/s and was really happy with it - because the decision was truly mine and was what I believe was the best and safest for me and my baby.

[jaktel08]

i had a c section with my dd 7 weeks ago and she was breech.i was given the chioce of turning up he then changed his mind when he realised i was 38 +6 weeks.i ended up having the cs the day i saw the ob for the first time.

bub could turn before your due but my advice is to ask to wait till your 37 weeks and if bub hasnt turned by then,then make your choice.

good luck hun

[Kirstlea]

My first child did not turn until 38 weeks so I was able to have her naturally but my second well he was a problem. His bum was firmly implanted into my pelvis and there was no way he was going be turned.

They tried but he kept arching his back against them, well thats what it felt like. It didn't hurt and they were surprised at how much I could handle so they tried really hard to get him to turn.

Once it was realised that he wasn't going to budge they didn't give me a choice they told me I had to have a c/s. They wouldn't even give me an extra week to give him a chance to turn on his own so I was pretty peeved off as I was only 37 weeks at the time. I still felt that he would do it but they didn't want me to go into labour as my previous two pregnancys were only 4 hr labours so they were worried about not having enough time to assess the situation.

I ended up having him 12 days early as they preferred an elective ceasar over an emergency one, apparently there is a difference.

Hope it all works out for you

[MattJess11]

I am 34 weeks pregnant and my baby is sitting in my plevis with his legs pointing straight up so they are in frount of his Head.

My Doctor is tilling me that the best idea is to have a c section but I am just trying to find out some information first. My doctor told me that I have to have another appoinment when I am 36 weeks, if my baby is not turned by then I have to book in a c section because of the way that he is growing and we dont want him to get to cramped in that possition.

I have been looking at natural ways to get him around like turning but I am not sure if this is the safest thining because he is not just breach, his bum is wedged in my pelvis. I need some advise and some ideas and/or if I should even concider anything else or should I just go with what the Doctor Says I should do???

[JabberJaw]

I am 34 weeks pregnant and my baby is sitting in my plevis with his legs pointing straight up so they are in frount of his Head.

My Doctor is tilling me that the best idea is to have a c section but I am just trying to find out some information first. My doctor told me that I have to have another appoinment when I am 36 weeks, if my baby is not turned by then I have to book in a c section because of the way that he is growing and we dont want him to get to cramped in that possition.

I have been looking at natural ways to get him around like turning but I am not sure if this is the safest thining because he is not just breach, his bum is wedged in my pelvis. I need some advise and some ideas and/or if I should even concider anything else or should I just go with what the Doctor Says I should do???

get a book to read and lay down with head down and bum up in the air as much as possible! It didn't work for me, but has for others. Or goggle 'spinning babies" for other info