Vaginal breech delivery

Meredith - thank you, thank you, thank you. My email is in my profile and I am more than happy to swap numbers to chat with you. Send me a mobile number (if you like) so I can SMS and not disturb Logan unnecessarily.

I knew you had alot of pressure from outside sources re: going the c-section option and I am feeling the same pressure. My MIL just wanted to check there was no issue with the cord (no more than usual at this stage). My mother is still a little worried (from her tone) but knows better than to question at this stage (I might bite her head off!!!!) Even the supposed educated staff I work with are all fearful of breech from the 2000 study with significant flaws. The mention of ECV was enough to have them give me *looks*. I think they think I am mad.

The ECV was not too bad. My OB averages more than one per week so he is more than experienced in turning the little dears - if they will turn. It seems they either turn easily or not turn at all ... and I have the latter!! Poor little love has his head stuck under the placenta and ribs. We need to check if this will be a delivery issue too.

My desire for a natural birth is mainly related to the recovery and the time to our next conception. I am getting older and it pushes me towards subsequent c-sections if the births are close together, not to mention my difficulties in conceiving anyway. It is this concern that *people* just don't seem to understand. I want to get pregnant again and not have to consider waiting for a designated time to allow for uterine healing. I also have issues related to Caitlyn's birth and I don't want my only experience to be the birthing of a dead baby - but that is a WHOLE other discussion :rolleyes:

We have an appointment this afternoon to talk to the new OB to try to nut out the options. My current OB would do it but is not supported by the hospital policy. He discussed with us the non intervention approach to breech - no induction (yay - I don't want one anyway), no augmentation (double yay) and the benefits of spontaneous labour even if I need a c-section. The private OB will do breech delivery in the same hospital with all the back up on hand 24/7 if needed. Unlike your original OB mine has been a gem and refused to refer me to anyone who is c-section happy. ECV was my last resort and the acupuncture / moxa / positions didn't help. I wish he was supported to deliver but at least I am not out of the running yet.

Did the episiotomy take long to heal?? And how was your recovery?? I guess that is one of my concerns. I wasn't really wanting one but it may be a compromise I need to make for a vaginal breech delivery. What position were you encouraged to be in for delivery?? I think it is the mental preparation I need the support for to make me informed, aware and not fight the essentials.

Thank you again for making contact :hug: I hope to get an email from you soon so I can chat further - assuming this afternoon has a positive outcome .......

Michelle, you may not feel this is relevant to you, as Nicholas was a cephalic delivery, but I also ended up with an episiotomy. I really didn't want one, but Nicholas was very 'stuck' (almost 4 hour second stage, we were lucky not to end up with a caesar!), so I feel that it was an adequate compromise. I was adamant in not wanting a caesar, for a number of reasons, unless it was absolutely necessary, so I am so pleased that I didn't end up with one.

Yes, the recovery was uncomfortable, but nothing that some pain relief couldn't help, and I was certainly able to get around okay. The worst of it was over in a week, and totally pain free two weeks post-delivery. As far as I'm concerned, that is far preferable to a caesarian recovery. (Of course, I'm guessing here!).

I hope that helps, and I wish you masses of luck this afternoon!

Thanks Sez :hug: It is relevant because it is still an episiotomy with the recovery that comes with that. A small fear of mine after seeing one done as a student nurse (I know - you probably don't feel it at the time but the image is clear in my mind!!!!) But it is a compromise I am more than willing to make for a vaginal delivery option. And thank you for the good wishes.

Michelle, I have no experience myself (apart from the fact that I was a vaginal breech birth all those years ago!) but my gf has had two sets of twins, both times one was breech.

She had an epidural both times because her Dr was worried that if he needed to manipulate the second baby a great deal to get them out, it would be quite painful for her. The second time she really didn't want an epidural, so they came to the compromise that it would be put in, but not turned on until they assessed whether she needed it or not. In the end she did have it, but enjoyed most of her labour without any pain relief.

I'm no expert, but I think obs are more likely to deliver a twin breech than a singleton? Perhaps because twins are usually preterm and therefore smaller? Not sure. Her first breech baby was born at 34 weeks and he was only 4lb something, the second was her third daughter born at 36 weeks 5 days and she was heavier at almost 6lb.

Michelle, I know you probably know this already, but you really don't feel it at all! I had NO idea when he did it!

Not sure if this will help but apparently the man to talk to/consult about natural breech is an Ob called Andrew Bisits. He is located at the John Hunter hospy in Newcastle. Not sure if you can call for some info or maybe your caregiver could talk to him? He does it routinely and advocates for it if there is nothing else wrong.

He just gave some lessons to my midwife team in case an undiagnosed breech ever turns up at the Birthing Service (bound to happen one day) :D

Good Luck

Hi Michelle. My first baby was due yesterday, and is breech, and I'm preparing to try for a vaginal breech delivery. I was wondering how birth ended up going?

I ended up getting to try the vaginal breech. We got to 6cm dilated with just water for pain relief and remote telemetry so I could stay in the shower. Unfortunately I think my anterior placenta really had him stuck and we ended up with an emergency c-section due to foetal distress. I loved my labour and in the end the c-section did not concern me. The positives far outweighed the surgical option. My son got to choose his birthdate, he had the hormones of labour for the stimulation it provided, I got to experience normal labour and loved it (I know - some think I am very weird :D) and he was born safely which was my only real concern.

It was important for me to be able to try and have that wish supported (and it was) and how we ended up delivering was going to be dictated by my parameters - normal commencement of labour without augmentation or epidural. It goes forward quickly (relative term) and smoothly we go for the vaginal breech or we go for the surgical option if he was distressed. My OB was more than happy with my guidelines (he was prepared to be a little more interventional to try to get the breech delivery) and for that I will be forever grateful. He was a gem.

Best wishes for your birth :)

Thanks, Michelle for your reply. It sounds like my plan is very similar to the one you had. I know I'll be much more accepting of a caesar if I have tried for the natural delivery and it doesn't happen. And, like you, I am much more comfortable with my baby coming when it's ready to come, and I also want the experience of labour. I think your experience sounds really positive, and I think I'll also feel good if I end up needing the caesar, knowing that I gave my body a chance at a natural delivery first.
Thanks again, for letting me know how you went. I appreciate it!

Hi you can get more information on breech birth and a good video of a physiological breech birth at homebirthdotnetdotau

Thanks Telky. It was a positive experience and I am hoping to repeat the process as soon as possible. Now I just have to sort out my VBAC and hope the next little darling doesn't get stuck like its brother :rofl:

Good luck with your next little one, Michelle. Let's hope next time they come head down!

Thanks, sirhocco, for the link. I watched the video, and I must say how refreshing it is to see people treat breech deliveries as "a version of normal", instead of making you feel as if it's freakish. I watched a breech birth video at the hospital during the week (a birth that had occurred at the hospital), and it made me feel confident as well. I think it depends very much on where your information is coming from, as my local hospital regularly delivers breech babies, and they have been extremely supportive of my wish to try and avoid a caesar, and have made sure I am well informed of what is involved with a breech birth. I know that for most people with breech babies (delivering in a hospital), they are told they have to have a caesar. It just makes you appreciate supportive midwives and obs who are determined to pass on the skill of the breech delivery.