If bubs was breech - could you tell?

[Arimeh]

Ok quick question for those of us that have had a breech bub. I'm getting a lot of pressure on my ribs at the moment, and have never had it at this stage of pregnancy before, just the feeling of feet stuck in the side of my ribs from about 36 weeks with my other previous pregnancies.

So I'm wondering if this bub is actually breech, because I feel it so early (somewhere in the 20's )

I also feel kicks all over the place, down low, both sides etc.. but also little movements under my rib cage. I don't remember ever feeling this pressure, so I'm just a bit worried that it could be breech - which would totally screw up my plans for a VBA2C!

So did you "know"that your bub was breech, or was it no different feeling to any other pregnancy?

[*TripleJ*]

no idea but i had a lot of pressure in my ribs and my bub was head down the whole pregnancy well at least from 13 weeks when i had my first ultrasound hope u find the answer ur looking for and good luck for your VBAC

[Arimeh]

Thanks J

[Michelle71]

The low kicks mainly were the hint in the "20's" Let me know if you want to know more about the later signs. DS stayed breech and DD flicked from transverse to breech at 36w and breech to head down at 38w.

[SweetPea]

DS2 was breech till about 35 weeks and I could feel his head under my right ribcage, very uncomfortable! It was a hard round lump and felt quite different to what it's bottom would have felt like, and I also felt him pushing off on my left hip with his feet!

You could ask your obs or midwife to check the baby's position for you. I asked and was told not to worry that he was breech until after 36 weeks, as it is very common for subsequent babies to 'float' around for longer than first babies.
All the best for you VBA2C!

[*suz1*]

Hi Mel,

DH was frank breech. He was transverse at 19 weeks. I'm 20 weeks now with #2 and feeling low kicks (ultrasound tomorrow so I'll know where bub is), but didn't ever feel them low with DS. By 30 weeks, you could actually see his head under my ribs, which got really uncomfortable and made it hard to breathe. He wasn't much of a mover and my placenta was anterior, all my kicks were higher than my belly button including 'hiccups'. He ended up 'undiagnosed' because the midwife thought at 36 weeks he turned. Doppler showed the heartbeat down in my pelvis (but it was an echo) and palpation was difficult because of the anterior placenta, but they should have realised the head was too firm to be buttocks Like Sweet Pea they told me not to worry before 36 weeks. They can do an external cephalic version but I couldn't have one because I went into labour at 38 weeks and my waters had broken leaving me with almost no amniotic fluid.

[Arimeh]

Michelle - when I had my OB appointment at... 19 weeks I think it was, bubs was transverse - which none of my other two had ever been, both of them were head down from the beginning. Does this mean a greater chance of bubs being breech if they are sorta "floating" around instead of being head down from the get go?

Thanks to everyone else for their experiences too

I forgot that I had a midwives appointment this morning (whoops, gotta go get ready I guess!) so I'm sure she will be able to plow through the fat on my belly and let me know.. lol

[Janie]

LOL Mel good luck!

FWIW, a friend of mine was concerned because her second bub was breech as she approached 37 weeks. She was devastated the day she was going for her check up because she was convinced that bub was still breech and that they would want to book her in for a c-section. But as it turned out bub had most definitely moved and was head down! She couldn't believe it, she was positive bub was still breech!

So there's another story to add to the list

[Pretty Butterfly]

Babe, dont stress just yet!!! I know, easier said than done..

My last 3 were either breech or transverse up till 36-39 weeks... Harmony was planted VERY deep into my pelvis with her butt, and still turned, (about 38wks?)!!!

Transverse at this stage is better than breech, bub may be headed to "head down" possy! Half way there!! You can rub your belly in the downwards sweep when you massage or moisturise too. If you find where bubs head is, some frozen veg on there can make them head down further too!

eta... I could tell where my bubs were that were breech, transverse... but they were babies # 4,5 & 6!!!

[Turkish Delight]

My son was born transverse lie at 37.5 weeks.

I was constantly being told by the midwives up until by 37.5 weeks that he was head down and everything was honky dory. I had an obs look at me at my 37 week appt and he said that my bub was breech. Asked if he was kicking up near the ribs or down below and i said that most of the movement was down below. He was constantly kicking me in the bladder and had to go to the loo every 30 mins.

I told the obs, how could that be as my son was always heads down at all my appts. He said that the midwives may have mistaken his bum as being his head. I was send straight out of his office to have an u/s. The u/s showed that he was transverse lie at that point. Went back to his office and he said that i need to go home and come back to the hospital as i was being admitted in that night. He could not risk me going home and waiting weeks before labour onset. I had my son by c/s a few days later. He was born transverse. I count myself lucky that the obs reecognised my son as being breech/transverse otherwise he may not have been alive today if i had gone into labour at home and waited hours for the contractions to get closer together and all the fluid drained out.

GL.

[Lulu]

don't forget to look at the spinning babies website!

ETA - TD, doesn't the fluid regenerate?

[Arimeh]

Back from midwife appointment, she couldn't feel exactly where bubs is (too much fat on me, too little baby.. lol) but she said it is definitely NOT head down. After she explored down there, I told her neither was my bladder anymore.

So yeah, gotta wait and see I guess!

[~clover~]

Hi

Just thought I'd tell you about a mates twins...more for a bit of reassurance than anything
At I think 35 weeks the girl was head down, the boy breech...36 weeks, they switched completely! He was head down, she was head up...37 weeks...Both head down, her engaged, ready to go. 37+4 both born vaginally!

Just figured if they both had room to move that far (in a size 6 body!!!!) at that late stage, I wouldn't be too worried just yet

[ksp]

ETA - TD, doesn't the fluid regenerate?

During pregnancy, yes, but once the membranes are ruptured any more fluid produced would just continue to leak and you need a really good amount of fluid for an ECV.

[Doing my best]

At my appointment at 28ish weeks, bub wasn't head down, but when I was there at 33 weeks he was.. So still plenty of time for him/her to turn without your dreams of VBAC being placed in limbo..

[Turkish Delight]

don't forget to look at the spinning babies website!

ETA - TD, doesn't the fluid regenerate?

I guess not Lulu. The obs wanted me in hospital quick smart. He didn't want to take any risks. I went home and packed and was back in the hospital within the hour. They had a bed and everything for me. They wanted to wait a week for DS to be 38 weeks, but his size was good enough, so i had him the next day (i think!)

[Jakabella]

Bella was breach till 38 weeks and then she turned her self and was 3/5th engaged but also was posterior which they didnt know till I have been in labour for 12 hrs and then she was stuck with her head on the side and had to have a c/s - but goes to show she was breach for nealy the whole time but turned by her self. I also had my placenta in the front so it muffled the kicks and they felt like they were coming form eveywhere so I was confused as to where she was lying!

Hth - bub will spin in time I bettcha!

Kate

[Michelle71]

The issue with transverse lie is if you go into labour and your membranes rupture there is a risk of the cord prolapsing. Admission is required until the baby turns to a favourable / less risky position (head up or down - there just needs to be something *solid* blocking the exit). There is no need for a c-section immediately but there is the need for monitoring and an operating theatre immediately available until that change in position (or labour ) occurs.

Mel - the transverse position at this stage isn't an issue. Your uterus (pardon my description ) is floppy and stretched after 2 other bubbas so there is more room to hang around. DD was my third pregnancy and stayed in transverse until late in the pregnancy. I mean, why would you hang upside-down when hammock is soooooooo much more comfortable