When is being breech a concern?

[Zee]

Im almost 33 weeks and I had a birthing centre appointment yesterday and was told bubs was breech... she said he was bum down so he would have to be Extended or Frank breech or Flexed breech.

I thought nothing of it as I know there is still plenty of time for him to turn but DH had some questions for me tonight and I had no answers cause I didnt ask.

At what stage would it be abit of a concern? Say he is still in breech position at 36-37?

Does this mean I can elect for a c-section if he is still breech at this point (im going public)?

How is a ECV done? For what I know, I would prefere not to go down this path nor would I like to try and have a breech birth.

[Trillian]

Once you get to 36-37 wks they will start talk of either trying to get your baby to turn or they will suggest you leave as is and have a c/s. The success rates for ECV are negligible and from what I have heard about them, they can be very painful and uncomfortable for you. You could visit Welcome to Spinning Babies! for some tips on how to help bubs to turn around, or you could try some acupuncture or Bowen therapy.

[Cally]

DD was found to be breech at about 30 weeks (can't find my chart now). The ob tried an ECV at 37.5 weeks which was unsuccessful. I was booked in for the c-section immediately after the ECV. I live in a country area and would have had to travel over 2 hours to a hospital if I had wanted to proceed with a breech vaginal birth.

ECV was a bit uncomfortable while the ob was doing it as they are pushing fairly hard on bubs bum and head, but stopped the moment he decided it wasn't working.

[*Efjay*]

I think I wouldn't bother with a EVC & just try all the things suggested on the spinning babies website. For me if bubs was still breech come full term I would still try a vag birth. But only because I am **** scared of the idea of c/section!

[rufalina]

Unfortunately my hospital has a no vaginal breech birth policy... they do c-sects...
I would be trying all the spinning babies techniques to get bubs to turn. Mine has been posterior, and with some good positioning I have managed to get him to turn more anterior.
Good luck!

[Tobily]

I'd be starting to encourage baby to turn in the next week or two if it hasn't done so by then. Most babies are head down by 34 weeks, some will still turn after this but the likelihood starts to really drop off the further along you get.
Spinning babies is an excellent resource, it's pretty much the one stop shop as far as this subject goes.
If a vaginal birth isn't an option either at the hospital, or because you don't want to, then if you want to avoid a caesar you really have two options. Either make a commitment to turning the baby yourself and/or have an ECV. I had a client recently who had a breech babe still at 37 weeks - she had the ECV and it was successful and it was not at all an unpleasant experience for her. Went on to have a normal vaginal birth a few weeks later. ECV has about a 60% success rate which I'd be happy to take my chances on if it was that or a c/s It is considered safe when done by an experienced practitioner.
You can also try accupunture and moxibustion (done by chinese medicine practitioners) in conjunction with any of the above. This also has a pretty good success rate.
Good luck and hoping none of this matters in a few weeks

[Julie Doula]

Zee, all the best. Many babies are still breech at 36 weeks. Some turn, some don't, in which case it's a choice of vaginal breech birth or c/s.

Here is some info that Cara, another doula, posted elsewhere (thanks Cara). I hope it is helpful to you and your dh as you make decisions.

Methods of Turning Breech Babies. Acupuncture and Homoeopathy - pulsatilla is the sub-lingual drops
remedy from the homoeopath for turning a breech
. Moxa Sticks - purchase either from Health Food shop or Birth International Home Page or from naturopath
. swimming
. cold peas low on the abdomen
. Chiropractic manipulation (Webster's technique),
. Visualisation (imagine baby turning)
. talking to baby,
. playing music low on the abdomen,
. Turning somersaults in a pool.
. Lying on an ironing board (or other flat surface) that is tilted so feet are higher than head. Refer to New Active Birth book by Janet Balaskas.
. Reflexology
. Relax! Yoga, Pilates
. Obstetrician can do an "External Cephalic Version"

Breech Resources
AIMS - Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services Homepage

One midwife's collection of breech turning info.
http://gentlebirth.org/Midwife/breechcl.html

Attending a breech birth.
http://gentlebirth.org/Midwife/breechbr.html

Turning a breech.
http://gentlebirth.org/Midwife/breechtn.html

A great site on moving breech babies, and info on posterior positions too http://www.spinningbabies.com/pregnancy.html

More than you could ever hope for from the UK midwives
Breech Birth: UK Midwifery Archives

About 500 birth stories with clear descriptions.
http://www.breechbabies.com/hospital_breech.htm

International Caesarean Awareness Network
International Cesarean Awareness Network

Try and get hold of the book "Breech Birth Woman-Wise" by Maggie Banks

It's still just another variation of normal. The "rules" for breech are Hands Off (never touch a breech babe during birth), warm room/waterbirth, upright position, breathe through contractions until bottom is on the peri, you have approx 8 mins from when the umbilicus is birthed until the breathing reflex kicks in.

Here is a great video of a breech homebirth.
Homebirth: Midwife Mutiny in South Australia: breech

[Zee]

Thankyou all so much for your help...

I will be showing DH as soon as he gets home from work.

Thinking about it abit more (if I still am breech) it I cant get bubs to turn myself I will get a ECV but I dont think I will even try with a breech birth.

Julie- Going to look at those links now

[frazaled1971]

i tried everything to turn my son ,we found out he was breech at 32 weeks and i did the same as you i came straight on here to find out how to turn him and i hung myself upside down ,did the frozen pea thing ,moxa sticks, accupuncture,changed the way i sat you name it and i probably tried it i even had 4 ECV's done and they all failed but wernt that bad this is bub number 6 so i had been through some pain before and the ECV wasnt as bad as i thought,i am very lucky and was having my baby at john hunter were they have an ob that dose deliver breech babies vaginaly,my son was in a good breech position as in bum presenting first but he was postirior and 8lbs 15 oz it still only took 4 hours and 43 minuets and was only slightly more painfull then my other births but sure its not for everyone so if the time comes and your bub still hasnt turned do what you feel best about.

[frazaled1971]

one more thing to think about i dont know if its the same for everyone but i was told if i wanted to do this vaginally then i could not have any pain releif just something else to add to the pot

[paradise lost]

Another thing to throw in here, the injury rate for cs breeches is high - about 1% of babies are cut by the surgeon's scalpel during a c-section, but it's 6-9% of breech babies. Obviously in a life-or-death situation this is just an unavoidable risk, but otherwise stitches on your birthday is a bit grim.

I'd try everything on spinning babies from now until 37 weeks, then try a few ECV's (as many as it took/was safe), and then i'd have a vaginal breech birth. But then there are very few reasons i'd have a c-section anyway.

The important thing to remember is that breeches, like posterior bubs are NORMAL but RARE. Not ABNORMAL. Just because a given Ob or midwife hasn't delivered many vaginally doesn't mean it can't be done or is especially dangerous. With a skilled caregiver outcomes for both possie and breech babies are great.

Best of luck hun, remember to talk to your baby. Rub your belly every day and ask baby to turn, tell them it's going to be safer and easier for you both if they come out head down, think positive head-down thoughts and do your spinning bubs exercises like crazy. If all else fails then your bub is destined to come in butt first, and that, when all is said and done, is a perfectly respectable way to arrive

Bx

[Zee]

frazaled1971- No pain relief... I wonder if id be able to give birth without it considering I cry when I have BT's LOL

Bec- Thankyou hun! OMG I didnt know about bubs possibly being cut... dont want my lil one having stitches on his bday at all I know you said its only a small percent but still.

Im not going to worry myself and believe that he will turn in time.. if not guess then I will decide whats best for us.

[chocolatecatty]

My friends bub was breech for the last few weeks and the ECV worked but after about one minute bubs flipped back (!), cheeky baby. She was booked for a c-sec but when the day arrived they did a quick u/s and found bubs had turned so she ended up with a vag birth. So yes, they can turn really late!

I heard a 'suprise breech' birth story a few weeks ago: her first baby left her with 10 external stitches, her second with 10 internal and 10 external and her breech baby (which was a homebirth) gave her no tears! So don't assume the worst (easier said than done, I know).

Good luck with everything you try

[Trillian]

I can vouch for babies being cut during a breech c/s birth. The daughter of one of MIL's friends had a c/s for a breech baby and he was in an anterior position and was cut from hip to hip across his back. Not saying this to alarm you at all, but something that can happen and to make sure that they can try to move baby up a little before they make the incision.

[Mugsy]

My baby boy was born nearly two weeks ago at home, exactly the way I wanted.
He was breech at 37 weeks, turned cephalic much to my joy, then turned breech again at just before 40 weeks! I was heartbroken at the prospect of having not only having to have a hospital birth, but also a c/section. The hospital was insistent that I book in then and there for the c/section and that I had to give up any hope of having him naturally let alone at home!
Luckily i had the most wonderful support and advice from my midwife, who reassured me that my baby just wasn't ready to be born and that we still had time for him to turn.
I had accupunture, moxa (both incredible) and did so much time in the bum in the air head down position. He turned just after 40 weeks on his own and was born 18 days past due date.
It was so scary being told by the hospital that there was no chance of my baby turning that late in my pregnancy, but he did, and with apparent ease, when he was good and ready.

All I can really recommend is to not rush into anything (i.e c/section), there is still time for your baby to turn on it's own.

Best of luck.

[sweetpea678]

Hi my bub was breach at 32 and head down at 34 so i would not worry you have time for bub to turn, i have heard many time of bub turning at around 35 to 36 weeks. Good luck.