Baby in breech position @ 39 weeks

Just after some positive thoughts or good news stories about breech babies...

I had a check up with the birth centre a few days ago @ 39 weeks, the midwives and my doctor have been telling me for months that the baby is in the head down position, but after I told the midwife about a change in baby's movements (not a decrease, just felt different) she referred me to an ultrasound where it turned out that baby is in the frank breech position (and maybe has been all along??)

I had an ECV yesterday which wasn't successful at turning the baby (maybe in part because we are already at 39 weeks?) I have been having acupuncture and acupressure massages for the past three weeks to prepare for a natural birth, but obviously we haven't been trying to turn the baby. I now have moxibustion sticks to use at home and will be having acupuncture every second day plus oesteopathy to try and coax the baby head down (as well as using a variety of inverse positions).

The midwife at the birth centre told me that they don't perform vaginal breech births at the hospital and that the only option was an elective c-section; the obstetrician at the same hospital told me that I could have a vaginal breech birth if I wanted it and if I presented in labour they would organise an obstetrician who was happy to deliver a vaginal breech birth however he recommended a c-section as it is my first baby and baby is estimated at almost 4kgs. I'm not sure I feel comfortable with this hospital anymore and I get the impression that they would be trying to push a c-section onto me, particularly if I turned up in labour and they weren't in the mood to organise a breech obstetrician. The midwife and obstet seemed quite surprised that I declined to book in an elective c-section date (I figure if it did come to a c-section that it is preferable that it occurs when baby is ready, not when it's most convenient for the doctor).

I have heard about an obstetrician at another public hospital in Sydney who is in favour of vaginal breech births and we have an appointment with him this week to discuss our options as if we can't get baby to turn. I'm not feeling very confident that baby will turn as I was also born breech, via c-section... I would very much prefer a vaginal birth for the baby due to both short-term and long-term health outcomes for both baby and me (although if this specialist said for some reason that a breech vaginal birth was too risky for the baby then of course we would listen to that).

Would love some reassurance from people who have had positive breech birth experiences or who have been able to get babies to turn this late in the pregnancy...

Hi Katiecoop,

Well I have a couple of positives. A cousin of mine just gave birth to her first baby in Adelaide breech. Another gf of mine is lining up for a breech baby very soon with support from her OB and independant MW's. She had planned a homebirth but will now birth in a private hospital. A gf of mine recently was planning a birth at home and her bubba felt like her was sitting differently and she realised bubba was sitting breech. So she followed an old MW remedy for breech and got in a hot bath(as hot as feels comfortable to you, get out if you are uncomfortable) and put a bag of frozen peas on the babies head at the top of her fundas and bubba turned. I think you have a chance of that happening if you only noticed a change in bubbas movement recently.

I know quite a few other women who have birthed their babies naturally when breech. There has been a recent study done by the Canadians which shows outcomes/risks for breech babies is the same for c/s as for vaginal birth and like you said the positives for you and baby are really important.

Spinning babies is a site that you could look at to help you get some ideas on how you could turn this bubba and you would not be the first mum to change care providers late in pregnancy. Don't feel like you can't do that.... there are lots of women who have thanked their lucky stars that they have trusted their own instincts about that sort of thing. And birth is the first place a mother should learn the lesson that she should trust herself to protect herself and her babies.

I personally would contact a doula or independent MW and have some extra support at this time and also reach out to people in the birthing community to find out who knows of a breech supportive dr or birthing unit. You will find one if you look.

Good luck love!!! Remember breech is just another variation of normal! There is nothing wrong with you or your baby. Don't trust the readings about how big your baby is either. they are notoriously inaccurate, and besides you could quite easily birth a 4kg baby breech. So remember, trust yourself, get support and find someone who wants to help you birth your baby the way you want to birth your baby!!