Breeched baby / External cephalic version (ECV)

[topbird]

Hi

I have an appointment with a consultant tomorrow as junior is breached. This is one of the procedures they may recommend - it is trying to force the baby to turn by external manipulation.

Did anyone else have this done, or have to see a consultant due to a breeched baby at 37 weeks?

Just wondering what to expect?

I am already spending loads of time on my hands and knees or with my bump in the air and my head on the floor etc... or on a birthing ball leaning forward and every thing else you are meant to do and no change yet!

TB x

 

[Natural mamma]

My babe was breech on and off til the last minute (little bugger) i never opted for the turn...i have heard it is somewhat uncomfortable. I did however go for accupunture which worked a treat. The pressure point is on the outer edge of your little toes get your partner to press hard for about 3 mins as many times in a day as you can stand

Also i took pulsatilla 200c to help turn him.

I hope your baby moves for you soon

Goodluck tomorrow

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Good luck for tomorrow.I have read in other threads that the medical intervention your having can hurt a lot - or even put you into labour.

 

[zebrastripes]

Oh great, i'm going for an ECV next Monday

 

[topbird]

good luck zebra stripes - let me know how it goes!

 

[X5OT]

A good friend of mine had her first baby 3 weeks ago. They found out he was totally breech (bum engaged) at 37 weeks. They discussed ECV but the medics opted for a planned C-section at 39 weeks. Although she was disappointed, she decided to have the c-section instead of ECV as felt it was the option she was more comfortable with.

Hope all goes well

 

[libs]

my sister's baby is breech atm although she has a little while yet - her midwife has also advised her to bounce on a birthing ball, or the edge of a soft chair, and to stand in the pose as when you're doing squats (if you know what I mean) and just bob up and down gently.

God knows if it'll help but its worth a try

 

[AllieW]

My Sheila Kitsinger book says the following:

"How External Version is done:
You empty your bladder and lie on your back with your knees drawn up. The doctor will probably do an ultrasound scan to find out exactly how the baby is lying and listen to the heart before and after turnin the baby. You may be asked to lie on a sloping examining table with your legs up and head down for about a quarter of an hour before the manouevre, so that the baby is encouraged to move clear of the pelvis. Spend this time relaxing deeply. Use abdominal massage to help release your tummy muscles and use your breathing to help you as well. The uterus often contracts when the doctor's hadns are pressing on it, and this makes it more difficult to turn the baby.

When you feel the doctor's hands on your tummy, release and flow towards the touch. Give a long, slow breath out and let your lower tummy bulge out in a great wave as you do so. If the version is successful and the baby turns, walk around for an hour or two so that there is the best chance of fixing the baby head down. Some babies turn back into the breech position. Seven times out of ten, external version at 37 to 39 weeks is successful. But if the baby tips back again you will have to accept that it prefers this position: discuss with your doctor what sort of delivery you will have."

Taken from The New Pregnancy and Childbirth, Choices and Challenges, p241-3.

 

[zebrastripes]

good luck zebra stripes - let me know how it goes!

Thanks, will do =]

 

[rusks]

My boy was discovered breech at 36 weeks i also had other complications as my baby was small for dates and i had low amniotic fluid. they will only do the ECV is such circumstances that you and your baby are healthy and you fully understand the risks i.e it can prematurely start your labour etc. i don't know anybody that has opted for it but i watched it on the telly and it looks quite uncomfortable and i also understand it has a low sucess rate.

 

[topbird]

Appointment with the consultant did not go well! He was very arrogant and really rough with me. He tried to force me to have the ECV and was totally unwilling to discuss any other alternative. Would not even discuss the procedure with us and got very aggressive and confrontational when we tried to ask questions. At one point I was laying on the bed with him and 4 students surrounding me, so DH could not even see me and he shouted at me until I cried! I actually thought he was going to try and just do it there and then, my bump is still throbbing from when he examined me and that was 3 hours ago!

Ended up having to agree to at least make an appointment to have it done or else he was not going to let us go. He booked us in for tomorrow so unless I have a huge change of heart over night I will be cancelling the appointment in the morning. No way the bloke is going anywhere near me.

So, unless baby turns itself I will be having a c-section some point week commencing 23rd July. Got to make an appointment next week to see if it has turned on its own and if not will get a date to go in, but I am hoping my midwife can arrange this rather than have to go back to the hospital. Will ring her in the morning.

 

[zebrastripes]

Topbird-- Uh oh, I hope mine isn't so bad. I didn't even get asked if I actually wanted an ECV or not. I was at the clinic in my village today, my midwife was having a poke around, and she said she didn't think an ECV would work for me, as my abdominal muscles were so tight. And I trust my midwife more than my consultant.
Don't blame you for opting for a c-section- to be honest, I'm sorely tempted to do the same. I've heard that sometimes they can turn the baby a bit, so that it's still breech, but they can get it out with forceps or something.... I am NOT having them use forceps on my baby... bjut it sounds the sort of weird thing they'd try to make me do :S

 

[Xena]

I feel your pain - I just found out yesterday that my baby is measuring 39 weeks and lying transverse, so I'm being rushed in for a scan on Friday to see what's going on.

 

[valentine]

Hi topbird,

I'm so sorry to hear that your meeting with the consultant didn't go well - they are such arrogant barstewards, aren't they!?

Make sure you do what feels right for you and your DH - parental instinct is undervalued in my book when it comes to labour and birth. Let us know what you decide and maybe chat to your m/w if that will help.

Will you still make the wedding do you think - is that this weekend?

Thinking of you.

Valentine xxx

 

[mrs_tommo22]

TB Im so pissed off for you! how dare the consultant treat you like that?
He had no right to be rude and should and has a obligation to answer any questions you and your OH may have had and should of explained the procedure as thewre is a high risk of labour starting etc.
I really hope you have the balls to tell him to piss off if he starts being rough and agressive, poinrt out to him hes a doctor and with that comes caring and compassion.Something this bloke seesm to have missed at med school

 

[trixipaws]

Appointment with the consultant did not go well! He was very arrogant and really rough with me. He tried to force me to have the ECV and was totally unwilling to discuss any other alternative. Would not even discuss the procedure with us and got very aggressive and confrontational when we tried to ask questions. At one point I was laying on the bed with him and 4 students surrounding me, so DH could not even see me and he shouted at me until I cried! I actually thought he was going to try and just do it there and then, my bump is still throbbing from when he examined me and that was 3 hours ago!

Ended up having to agree to at least make an appointment to have it done or else he was not going to let us go. He booked us in for tomorrow so unless I have a huge change of heart over night I will be cancelling the appointment in the morning. No way the bloke is going anywhere near me.

So, unless baby turns itself I will be having a c-section some point week commencing 23rd July. Got to make an appointment next week to see if it has turned on its own and if not will get a date to go in, but I am hoping my midwife can arrange this rather than have to go back to the hospital. Will ring her in the morning.

thats horrible!

my daughter was breech until 35+5 weeks and i didnt like the sound of ECV, i can sympathise with u saying ur bumps throbbing, my bump was very sensitive when i was pg i used to hate it even when the MW examined it to determine her position, i found it very uncomfortable indeed. i hope ur baby turns over next few days topbird, and yours too zebrastripes.

 

[AllieW]

So sorry to hear of your bad experience with this consultant. I presume you'll be putting in a complaint?

 

[topbird]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your comments.

I phoned and cancelled the ECV this morning, our feelings did not change on the subject over night... I hardly slept a wink weighing it all up and I am confident we have made the right decision for us. The baby has been in the same position for such a long time, at least the last 8 weeks, that forcing it to move seems wrong and my gut feeling is it will just turn straight back again anyway.

I had to ring the day unit and was relieved to find that there are some human beings at our hospital. Spoke to a really nice woman who has arranged an appointment for us to go back next Tuesday to discuss the c-section. She then explained how it would work, what the appointment was for etc... Section is likely to be some time 4-5 days after our appointment, so week commencing 23rd July. Just hope I don't get the same bloke for the c-section now!

ZS - sorry if I have freaked you out, this is just my personal opinion on it, if the ECV is right for you - go for it - only you know how you feel about it and I am sure not all consultants can be this horrid. But don't think you don't have a choice, especially if your midwife is saying she doesn't think it will work. I think the guy was astounded that some one actually stood up to him and questioned the procedure, got the impression he was not used to woman having an opinion.

Xena - Good luck on Friday - just noticed our due dates are only a day apart! not that I guess that means anything anymore. Let us know how you get on.

V - Yes we will be going to the wedding now, baby is still floating way above my belly button and facing downwards (spine is pressing against the bottom of my ribs) so chance of it engaging and labour progressing naturally are exceptionally slim. We are going there and back in a day.


TB x

 

[mrs_tommo22]

All im guna say is topbird you never know whats going to happen in pregnancy and labour.
The baby may turn for you shortly and then you can have a smug grin all to yourslef.
I hope it does as Im very anti c sections just becasue they scare the hell out of me.And for the recovery time as well and the problems that stem from it, ie difficult bonding and bf etc.

Please baby topbird move!!!!

 

[maybebaby]

My son was breech until 36 weeks and turned by himself. My brother was breech for practically the whole of my mum's pregnancy then turned all by himself at 40 weeks (then was 3 weeks overdue!!!)

So it is possible. Good luck