Turning a breech baby manually - external cephalic version

[laetitia85]

I went to see the midwife today, she thinks the baby is no longer breech, however he still has plently of time to turn. I hope he doesn't.

I asked her what would happen if he turned in the breech position again. she said the doctor would either turn him manually (procedure called External Cephalic Version) or offer me a ceasarian. I don't want a ceasarian but I wouldn't want my baby to be turned manually - it looks awful on pictures and the midwife did say it was an unconfortable and sometimes painful process.

Has any of you had this done? what choice would you make if your baby was breech? ceasarian or manual turning?

 

[trixipaws]

melissa was breech up until i was 36 weeks preg- i was told about ECV and c-section. tbh i didnt like the sound of either of them they both freaked me out a bit. the ECV more for some reason i felt it might traumatise her- i mightve opted for the section actually. luckily she turned tho thanx 2 lots of sitting forward with my knees below my hips, bouncing on my birth ball and sleeping on my left side. i still did this even after she'd turned, just so she didnt turn back!

 

[Redshoes]

Lovely to hear your LO has turned laetitia85
In answer to your question, I'd personally let nature take its course, LO's can turn right up until during labour.
If my LO didn' turn, giving birth to a breech baby doesn't bother me, what would bother me is that MW's aren't trained in breech deliveries anymore as they mostly go to c-section these days.
If you don't want to leave it I'd try the ECV, and see what happens next, birth isn't predictable, and taking one step at a time makes it easier to deal with each step, whatever it might be, that's my opinion anyway

 

[jayne]

My little boy Nathan was breech and i was offered an ecv or c section, i chose an ecv. I was very nervous about it but it was over in about a minute. The doctor turns the baby then they do a scan again to check baby is ok and check heartbeat etc and then i went home. Im so glad now that i had this as i was lucky and only had a 3 hour labour and Nathan was fine.

 

[laetitia85]

My little boy Nathan was breech and i was offered an ecv or c section, i chose an ecv. I was very nervous about it but it was over in about a minute. The doctor turns the baby then they do a scan again to check baby is ok and check heartbeat etc and then i went home. Im so glad now that i had this as i was lucky and only had a 3 hour labour and Nathan was fine.

so it desn't take long? ok that's reassuring. I thought it would be a real struggle for the doctors

 

[Moomum]

Maisy was breech and I declined ECV and opted for a section.

I really didn't like the idea of ECV.

 

[jayne]

Honestly mine only took about a minute, it felt like the doctor was just pressing my belly feeling for the baby and then he said its done. I was shocked because i had heard that it was painfull to do. Having said that a friend had it done and said it was painfull and they didnt manage to turn her baby after it.
I think it depends on how much room and fluid is left, I had quite alot of fluid left so maybe that was why, they did say to me that there was a high chance that they wouldnt be able to turn him as he was a big baby (9 and a half) but luckily they did.

 

[Vickyleigh]

Summer was breech from 30 weeks until the end of the pregnancy because I refused to let them try and turn her.
It looks awful and apparently it's really painful and comes with complications.

 

[Kylie1007]

Maisy was breech and I declined ECV and opted for a section.

I really didn't like the idea of ECV.

I have to say I'd be more inclined to go this way too...Mine was breech at the last midwife appointment and I don't feel as if it has turned yet.