ECV or baby-spinning stories? Share 'em, please...

[catbus]

Effffffff. I'm 37w3d today and went in for my 37w appointment this morning. I just had an ultrasound a week ago to check fluid levels and growth (both of which were fine, baby was just settled lower than before). At that ultrasound, he was head-down.
Now? He's breech. Doctor verified with ultrasound when she couldn't find the heartbeat where she normally does. Crap crap crap. He's been head-down for so long that I didn't ever think he'd flip now.
So, doctor's going to schedule me to go into triage for an external cephalic version. Probably tomorrow. She's encouraging me to try home techniques beforehand in hopes that he turns back on his own.

Not going to lie, I'm a little freaked out. Obviously I want to avoid a c-section, but I've heard ECV horror stories. Also, as irrational as I know it is, I feel like I did something wrong to cause him to suddenly flip around at this point.

Anyone have a breech baby this late in the game and still turn it around for a vaginal delivery? Success with the spinning babies exercises? Please share!

[h]

I have two good friends who had ECVs. Neither were ultimately successful, but they weren't horror stories either--just failed attempts. I would not hestitate to give it a try.

One of my friends with a breech baby also tried the spinning babies exercises, acupunture, chiropratic care, and moxibustion. You could look into any or all of those.

You did nothing wrong to cause this! Hope baby turns!

[Saudade]

www.spinningbabies.com

My baby went breech between 5cm and 10cm so I wasn't able to do that. My SIL had ECV's with her first 2 babies and both were successful. She said it wasn't painful exactly, just lots of pressure.

[keh2oblue]

Mine was breech at 36 weeks. I did the inversion techniques from spinningbabies.com and found a chiropractor in town that specialized in the webster technique. Not sure if either of these were what did it, but he's been head down ever since. GL!

[karinothing]

My half sister's half sister (got that?) had her baby flip at 41 weeks. He flipped too breech the day before she went into labor. So you never know. Babies are pretty good gymnist.

[Deleted]

I'd also ask around if there are any local doctors that deliver breech babies vaginally. Recent research has shown it's not safer to do a c-section IF you can find a properly trained person to deliver breech.

[catbus]

Thank you all for the info. I really hope he cooperates and turns back around, because I don't want to think about doing a c-section or breech vaginal birth. Honestly, I know this probably isn't a popular opinion here, but I think I'd be more comfortable going through with a c-section with my current doctor than trying to find a doctor and facility who will deliver breech, AND actually push out a baby that way. Both options scare me, but the second would be different in every way from what I've been preparing for. Crossing my fingers like crazy that I don't have to make that decision.

For now, I've been on my cubicle floor doing inversions, and am about to make an ice pack to hold at the top of my uterus. Good thing I already told my coworkers what's going on, or they'd think I lost my mind.

[Deleted]

I don't think there's anything wrong with sticking with the doctor you're most comfortable with.

My sister delivered a surprise breech. She was only 37 weeks, they don't do u/s after 20 weeks in Australia, and her doctor thought the head was the butt and vice versa by feel. It all turned out fine for her. /anecdote

[jena]

Go to a chiro! It really does work, it did for me!

Sent from my HTCEVOV4G using proboards

[h]

Sept 4, 2012 14:36:55 GMT -5 catbus said:

Thank you all for the info. I really hope he cooperates and turns back around, because I don't want to think about doing a c-section or breech vaginal birth. Honestly, I know this probably isn't a popular opinion here, but I think I'd be more comfortable going through with a c-section with my current doctor than trying to find a doctor and facility who will deliver breech, AND actually push out a baby that way. Both options scare me, but the second would be different in every way from what I've been preparing for. Crossing my fingers like crazy that I don't have to make that decision.

I don't think there is anything wrong with not wanting to try for a vaginal breech delivery. A c-section would never be my preference, but neither would a breech delivery, and if those were my only two choices, I think I would pick the former as well.

[Willis Jackson]

I was a double footling breech born vaginally. In the hallway. On the way to the operating room.

Oopsies.

[catbus]

Sept 4, 2012 15:27:05 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

I was a double footling breech born vaginally. In the hallway. On the way to the operating room.

Oopsies.

Your poor mother.

[h]

Sept 4, 2012 15:27:05 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

I was a double footling breech born vaginally. In the hallway. On the way to the operating room.

Oopsies.

My co-worker accidently had a vaginal breech delivery at home unassisted. Her first child was born very quickly (like practically in the parking lot of the hospital), so she planned a homebirth with a midwife for her second child. She went into labor, they called the midwife, and minutes later the baby was coming and the midwife wasn't there. She called her husband into the bathroom to help, and he looked down and started yelling "It's a foot! It's a foot!" and freaking out (baby was head down the last time she was checked, and they had no idea it had turned breech). He called the paramedics, who arrived about the same time as the midwife. By then my co-worker was holding her perfectly healthy baby in her arms. She loves to freak people out when she tells them she had an unassisted breech homebirth.

[beachdweller]

I'd give the ECV a shot, but don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work and you end up with a section. I tried EVERYTHING to get by DD to turn (stood on my head, incense, all that stuff), but she wouldn't budge. I live in a smaller town and would have had to change docs and go to a bigger facility 1.5 hours away to try for a vaginal breech birth and there was no way I was going to do that. I scheduled a section and my water broke and I went into labor the day before the section was scheduled. C-Section was easy and c-sections for breech births make great candidates for VBACs if you want to have more kids.

[karinothing]

Sept 4, 2012 15:35:18 GMT -5 h said:

Sept 4, 2012 15:27:05 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

I was a double footling breech born vaginally. In the hallway. On the way to the operating room.

Oopsies.

My co-worker accidently had a vaginal breech delivery at home unassisted. Her first child was born very quickly (like practically in the parking lot of the hospital), so she planned a homebirth with a midwife for her second child. She went into labor, they called the midwife, and minutes later the baby was coming and the midwife wasn't there. She called her husband into the bathroom to help, and he looked down and started yelling "It's a foot! It's a foot!" and freaking out (baby was head down the last time she was checked, and they had no idea it had turned breech). He called the paramedics, who arrived about the same time as the midwife. By then my co-worker was holding her perfectly healthy baby in her arms. She loves to freak people out when she tells them she had an unassisted breech homebirth.

Wow! That is nuts.

Someone on PCE had a vaginal breech birth (it wasn't intentional), but she made it to the hospital.

[hannamaren]

I have heard acupuncture can do it.