Vaginal breech delivery

[MeredithD]

Hi Michelle - wow - can't belive Alf is almost due. Sorry, haven't been able to keep up with the old threads - babies do tend to eat up all that spare time!!!
As you probably know, Logan was a drug-free, vaginal breech birth. Sorry, no birth story officially written on BB. I have 3/4 written it but haven't got back to finishing yet.
Brief version:- Logan persistently breech from 26weeks. I tried acupuncture, moxa, positions etc etc although was not keen on ECV so didn't try that option. Changed OB's at 34weeks to Lionel Steinberg who is experienced and supportive of breech births. My previous OB was elective c-sec only (very adamently against vaginal option I must add!!) Lionels rules were - spontaneous labour (will not induce breech), NO epidural( doesn't like to slow down labour and wants women to be able to push) , baby not oversized, frank breech position only (would not deliver footling), Labour progressing in timely fashion, continuous monitoring (I managed to get out of this one). I was happy with all these rules.
I had a show and semi regular BH's on saturday night and into Sunday morning. I was 39weeks. By lunch time all fizzled out. Monday morning woke up feeling great but dissapointed no progression. Went for long walk, cleaned house, had acupuncture. That night had dribbling of waters around 7.30. BY 10pm contractions starting and became pretty full on by 12.00 am At hospital around 1am. Thimgs pretty intense by then. They wanted to have CTG on full time but Logan was moving a lot and I wasn't comfortable so very sensible midwife agreed to intermittent monitoring. HR was always fine.
I had a lot of back pain through labour (think his butt and pelvis were grinding against mine). I spent most of my time siting backwards on a chair,leaning against the wall. My DH and kelly aka Belly Belly (my birth support) spent most of the night pressing heat packs against my lower back. By the time OB arrived in the morning I was 9cm dilated. He broke my waters and bam things just took off from then. Once bum was out, he elected to do episiotomy to allow for manipulating legs etc. The only scary part is once baby's torso is out - the cord is then compressed and they call time. Apparently, to be safe, bubs must get all out within the next 7mins or risk oxygen deprivation. I am sure you are informed of this risk. We had no troubles. Lionel did his manipulations and Logan was all out within a few mins. Born screaming with apgars of 9 and 10.
I was tired but otherwise no problems
Whoops, I said that would be brief!! Sorry but I am quite passionate about this subject because I was pushed at all angles (family,medicos etc) to just have a c-section). Ultimately that would not have been the best thing for me or probably Logan.
I don't want to push you in any way but I think you should stick to your dream of a natural birth so long as you feel safe and under good care.
If your bub stays in that frank breech position and you can find a good carer, I say GO THE VAGINAL BREECH. At the very least, give your body a go at spontaneous labour and see how things progress. A good carer will be able to monitor you and bubs closely to be sure everything is progressing ok. If not, there is always the back up of an immediate c-section. It is still better for baby to have gone through some of labour (rather than elective c-sec) and for yourself also. If you have no.2 you will labour like a second time mum even if you went to c-sec. My OB was fabulously supportive of the natural delivery but also mindful of safety. If he had said its time to give up and go to surgery then i would have trusted and agreed.
Please fel free to PM me and/or we can exchange phone details and I am happy to talk to you direct. Your precious bundle will be here soon - enjoy every moment!