28 weeks, head up and facing the world... but I don't need to worry right?

[Indadhanu]

Ok, I am pretty sure I am going to get 99.9 (if not 100%) of people telling me what I already knew and wasn't even worried about before my midwife appointment yesterday.

My bub is stubborn, and it seems she'll be the one to do everything at the last minute (a bit like me ). I wasn't worried about the fact that shes semi-posterior at 28 weeks (she's just got her back on the right side of my tummy, though she swivels back-on-back most of the time, cheeky thing). I wasn't even worried about the fact that she is 'breech' (though I thought it was too early to say thats she's breech because she's only 28 weeks...?).

Anyway, as you can see I wasn't worried. I was 'breech' until 37 weeks so my mum told me. Babies can turn and then turn back so it really didn't worry me because she moves so much I figured she'd get there in her own time.

So anyway, midwife appointment yesterday, she feels bub and tells me what I already knew, she's stubborn and 'breech', and that we'd have to think about what we want to do if we have to have a breech bub.

Which kind of threw me, because i'm only 28 weeks. I mean really, she's got 12 weeks (give or take!) to turn roll and groove her way down there (and knowing my girl she'll go head down then turn again and then decide at the last minute she'll be head down... she's just cheeky, I can feel her cheeky energy when she stops kicking when people touch my belly, and then start again as soon as they take their hand off ).

Anyway, my hospital doesn't do breech vaginal births, only c/s, so thats our option said the midwife (uh, option...?). We can do a manual turning but the m/w doesn't recommend it (she doesn't like the risks or the muscle relaxant they use). But we can always drive an hour and a half when I am in labour to Brisbane because they sometimes let you have a breech vaginal birth.

I walked out of the appointment thinking "whatever, she'll turn" and rubbing my belly... of course until Shel said "she was talking like she should be turned right now... should Bubble have turned by now? What if she's breech?". So now I'm stressing.

But why am I even stressing? She's 28 weeks... 12 weeks is plenty of time to turn right?

[~Trish~]

I can't give you any advice about breech bubs, but there is a great website called spinningbabies (put a dot com at the end) that shows you ways that you can encourage your baby to turn. Both my sister and my close friend had success when using the methods.

I hope she turns soon!

[meow]

I wouldn't stress but I would absoultey do the stuff on spinningbabies like posture etc.

[{sarah}]

Start with OFP now & get that little gil moving I say. It cat help to get into practice with all the positions to move her vertx & anterior (head down, back to the front). Check out spinningbabies.com - Home for some great ideas on how to get her into the right spot. One really important thing to do IMO, is to not recline back when you're sitting. Lean forward on the lounge with cushions behind you, sit on a fit ball, have you carseat upright. It makes a huge difference, my posterior baby turned in a week of me consciously remembering to not recline

Having said that though, 12 weeks is a long time to get her to move so I wouldn't be stressing too much about it just yet

[~Raven~]

Caleb was in the breech position when I had a scan at 27 weeks and before that he was transverse. My memory is a bit hazy at how many weeks till the next OB visit (I'm guessing 31?) but he was head down then.

There is plenty of time for her to turn

[Arimeh]

My midwife said to me on Tuesday that bubs don't start getting comfy till about 32 weeks... and even then they can change position - so I wouldn't worry too much... start getting around on your hands and knees - that may help

I'm sure all will be fine..

[sassy123]

no advice just wanted to say how much time has flown seems just like yesterday i read u were preg. ur belly i looking great. i hope everythign goes well

[Tobily]

Most first babies turn head down by 30-32 weeks. First ones generally turn down earlier and stay down, because your uterus has less "give" - not being all stretchy from previous pregnancies.

I wouldn't worry about it yet but maybe think about becoming more aware of your posture and definitely have a look at spinning babies - it will help you to understand how and when babies turn and what you can do to help.

A client of mine recently had an ECV at 37 weeks - if it didn't work was going to refuse a caesarean (knowing that the hospital she's going to has an OB experienced in breech birth - this is important but many middies and OB's have never attended a breech birth and so try to manage it like a cephalic birth - which is downright dangerous. So definitely best to go where there is someone who understands it and has experience).
Where was I ... duh oh yeah the ECV worked and no dramas at all. ECV is considered safe when done by someone experienced. Me personally, I would have that ANY day over a c/section if a vaginal birth wasn't an option. I'd look into it yourself and make up your own mind.

Good luck...don't worry it'll be cool.

[*PinkLilly*]

I wouldn't worry at all. At my 27 wk app my lil' one was transverse (which I might add was VERY uncomfy), by at my 30/31 week app, it had turned and is now head down.

My sugesstion is to just keep your cool, and she will turn in her own good time.

[hannahfroodoo]

my twins still managed to somersault at 32 weeks so there is a lot more room in there than we realise!!

[principessa76]

I read somewhere that 30% of babies are breech at 28 weeks with that number reducing to only about 3% at term. You've still got plenty of time.

[Jewel]

When I had my 30wk appointment the other day, even though our bubbas head is down, it still could change, and he even said he wouldn't be worried if the bubba was breech or on the side at 30wks.

Good luck and I hope your little bubba turns around.
xx

[AndiE]

Hi there,

IMO you've got plenty of time. From memory, my bub went from head up to head down at about 33-34 weeks. So plenty of time for your little bub to turn.

Just one thing to add to this thread ... if you're planning on drinking raspberry leaf tea you might want to hold off till your bub turns. From what my ob told me, the tea tones/exercises your uterus, and therefore a toned uterus may (note: MAY) prevent a breech bub from turning. My Ob asked me to hang off RLT until my bub turned. After he turned, I drank the stuff like there was no tomorrow. Anyway, another Ob would probably say something different (you know what they're like, conflicting advice everywhere)but some food (hmmm, maybe that's beverage) for thought.

Don't stress is my advice. Good luck.

Cheers, Andie

[indie24]

My nephew didn't turn until 33 - 34 weeks.

[*Belle*]

Leasha - hon, I understand why you are worried. I think its fine though she hasnt turned yet, but Sarah has great advice looking at the website to get ideas on how to get her to the right spot. My bubs only turned about a few days ago, but this is my 2nd pregnancy so totally different. Dont let her scare you into making a decision about a c/s hon, its way to early for that decision.

ETA: I just looked at my pregnancy journal when I had Julia my first pregnancy to term and this is what I wrote - at 28 weeks no mention of turning head down but at 32 weeks this is what I wrote: Julia's head is not engaged as yet, but she is head down bum up but her spine is about 45 degrees to the right of my belly button soo maybe soon she will be engaged. Hope it helps mate.

[paradise lost]

Leasha when i first saw this i remembered that my DD was ALWAYS head down, but when i went and looked in my book i see they didn't even write that down (and never mentioned it to me) until i was 34 weeks. So although they checked before then, it obviously wasn't worth them writing it down, though perhaps she was head-down even before then.

My SIL had an ECV at 38weeks. They scanned the cord and bubs to see where everythng was, then half turned her, re-scanned, completed the turning, then put her on continous foetal monitoring for a few hours to make sure bubs hadn't been stressed out by it all. It was a shock for them to discover the boy they were told they were having at the 15 weeks scan was a GIRL and they spent the next 3 weeks swapping their blue clothes for pink! She was born vaginally at EDD+11 after a medical induction (her ob liked to induce at EDD+10). ECV is not dangerous if it is undertaken by an experienced person with care and they listen to bubs or scan while they're doing it. It has a 60-65% success rate which cuts out ALOT of breeches and depending on who does it you don't have to take any muscle relaxant if you don't want to. SIL's Ob just warmed his hands well!

Go to spinning babies and do a whole lot to help bubs turn now, and practice your labour relaxation techniques so you can use them if needed during any ECV you might have in the future.

It is probably wise for all parents to consider all outcomes, even the rarer possibilities. I was a planned (and successful) homebirth, but i had both hospital and c-section birthplans, JIC. BUT there is a difference between planning and worrying. I wrote them in good humour, feeling 99% positive i wouldn't need them, and in the end, i didn't.

Bx

[Tobily]

It is probably wise for all parents to consider all outcomes, even the rarer possibilities. I was a planned (and successful) homebirth, but i had both hospital and c-section birthplans, JIC. BUT there is a difference between planning and worrying. I wrote them in good humour, feeling 99% positive i wouldn't need them, and in the end, i didn't.

Bx

I agree bec. I get nervous when I work with mums who are birthing in hospital and don't want to think about their wishes for a caesarean in case they have one. I am a realist - and the reality is with our c/s rate it's not a rarity, or a minute possibility. It really is better to at least give it some thought, rather than be totally blindsided by it at the last minute, that's just so much harder

Sorry leasha I still agree too early for you too worry yet, just making a general comment