Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

Hey guys, I'm 36 weeks preggers and was told that my baby is breech. My doc gave me the option of an ECV to "turn the baby" or C-Section the baby doesn't turn on it's own. Have any of you had experience with this? If so, can you share your input/thoughts on eith ECV or C. TIA

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

Are you a first time mom? Do you weigh more than 150 lbs? What kind of breach baby do you have? I would look at spinningbabies.com and read about their tips and tricks for turning. I was not a candidate as my son was a frank (tush) footling breech baby. One foot and his tush was down and the other foot and head were up. It makes a big difference knowing the position of your baby. When I read about ECV it was supposed to be very painful.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

Yes, I am a first time mom. Pre-Pregnancy I weighed less than 150, but I'm over that now. Unfortunately, I don't know what kind of breech the baby is. Did spinning babies work for you? Or did you end up with a C section? If you had a C, how was it? Recovery time?

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

For my son, I went into labor on my own as my water broke. I partially delivered a foot/tush, and had an emergency c/s. I had an extremely complicated pregnancy with prolonged bed rest, many complications, and a difficult postpartum time because of muscle atrophy and newly discovered allergies (latex) so I am most likely not the best person to ask about it. It took me a good three months to get back to normal. My second pregnancy - DD was a transverse breech - and was a scheduled repeat c/s. My recovery with her was a breeze. I was able to stand up in a wedding party 18 days later. My best piece of advice, as soon as you can after a c/s stand up and walk. You will not feel like it, but the earlier you start walking around the better you will heal and the faster you will recover. I would much rather a planned c/s than an emergency c/s.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

thank you, that advice is helpful.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

Do you know if the baby was breech the entire time? My DD is 8 months old now. She was breech my entire pregnancy. I tried the ECV because I was so terrified of a C-section. The ECV hurt a lot and did not work. I think there is a much higher success rate if the baby was not always breech. If you want to avoid a c-section, it is worth a shot. It hurts but its tolerable. I ended up with a planned c-section and it turned out fine. So if you are OK with a c-section, it is better if it is planned in advance.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I would definitely look at spinning babies website. I tried a lot of those recommended stretches. Also I've heard of something called the Webster technique which is done by a chiropractor. Also, there are forms of acupuncture that can supposedly help/get the baby to turn. My LO was breech too and I would have attempted all of this if given the opportunity, but I ended up going early (35 wks) so didn't have the chance. My ob did mention the external version to me as an option but not until after 36wks. I think I would have definitely gone for it. I was very nervous about having a c-section - had a vaginal delivery with my 1st- so I was adamant about trying anything and everything to get the baby to turn. In the end, between going early and my water breaking at home, my options were limited and I had the c-section. Everything turned out fine though.

Good luck! Hope the baby turns for you! I've heard lots of people say their babies turned in the last few weeks

Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I refused the external version. All the material I read online made it sound quite terrifying and painful - IMO. DD was frank breech - her head and feet were in my ribs - tush down.

I opted for the planned c-section, and while it was no walk in the park, I felt like it was a good option for me. Recovery wasn't terrible - the first week you're in pain, but after that it becomes tolerable. The one annoying thing is that My stomach is numb above the scar area - I've lost touch sensitivity. I'm 8w pp - it may come back - it may not.

Fm me with any questions

Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

My sister had the external version and it did not work. The dr was able to flip him and he turned right back. She had a scheduled csection.

Had a friend the same thing happened.

Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

My baby was breech. I had the ecv done but it didn't work. It did hurt and I felt sore the next day or so. I don't regret at least trying because I really didn't want a csection, so at least I tried everything I could to try to make her flip. I also did things like putting ice at te top of my belly, playing music at the bottom of my belly, propping my legs up above my belly... But my little girl was staying put. In then end I had a scheduled cs and it wasn't as bad as I was worried about.

Message edited 5/2/2013 6:15:58 AM.

Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I did some research on turning the baby and decided it wasn't for me. I ended up having a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks (baby was breech from 28w on).

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I don't want to scare you, but if you decide to try the ECV (version), DEMAND a 3d ultrasound first.

You can read my birth story, but the short story is...my baby was breech and I was offered a version. I kept feeling DS try to turn, but he'd get about halfway and come back to breech. So I decided that if my baby didn't turn, there must be a reason and I opted for a scheduled c-section. I wound up going into labor 4 days before my scheduled c, and had an emergency c-section.

It turns out that my son had the umbilical cord wrapped tightly around his neck 3 times. You can only see a cord wrapped around a baby's neck using a 3d ultrasound. Had I chosen to have the version and they would not have seen the cord wrapped, my son would not be here today. I am thankful every day for the decision I made to have the c-section.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

My nephew was breech and my sister did the turning manuever and it didnt work. She said it was incredibly painful. Just my opinion but I would not do it.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

DD was frank breech until 36 weeks and change. We opted not to go for an ECV and I also had an anterior placenta so I technically wouldn't have been the ideal candidate. I did some yoga (there some poses that will help flip the baby) and a couple of days of it, DD flipped on her own

I even had to schedule a c-section because everyone felt the chances of flipping was slim since I was so far long.. but work on it and keep trying!

Message edited 5/2/2013 8:59:41 AM.

Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I had my twins by c-section. I had already elected to have a scheduled C section because of the bad odds of needing one or birthing one and then needing a section for the other. But I ended up going in and having the section early because of Pre-E. The section itself was very easy, It was mostly scary. I was scared of the spinal and just the whole thing in general so compared to how it was in my mind, it was very quick and easy. The lead up was the terrifying part.

Once it was over, I had to wait several hours in recovery, I didn't get to see them for about 6 hours, except for briefly when they came out. It took a long time before they took the catheter out. Maybe 12-24 hours. Not that I wanted to get up and use the bathroom anyway but having it it made me feel inhuman and embarrassed. The first 24 hours was easy because they give you strong pain meds. The next 24 hours was rough because apparently when they do the section you can get air trapped in your body, which needs to come back out. So I had wicked gas pains and they won't let you eat solid foods until you fart. LOL I didn't eat solid foods from Thursday to Saturday night. That sucked.

The gas trying to get out was one of the worst parts. The other was the nurses having to come in and clean/dress the wounds and the bed sheets. It's embarrassing and hard to lift your butt in the air so they can get around you. Or maybe thats just because I'm fat. :O)

They gave me alternating pain medications and I could choose to take them or not. I took them off and on the second day and then every dose the third and fourth day. Didn't need them nearly as much after that. Because my girls were in the NICU I was in and out of my room a ton to see them and also because I had lactation consultant appointments. It was constant walking around the hospital and taking the elevators up to the NICU. (I delivered at Winthrop)

I have never had a vaginal delivery but I am sure as with everything it all depends on the birth and your body. My sister had terrible tearing with her first and she was in tremendous pain after that deliver. Her second pregnancy was a little easier even though she had twins there was a lot less tearing. As someone who is seriously terrified of an episiotomy I was more than happy to have the pain on my stomach vs my va-jayjay.

They encourage you to get up and move around. I didn't have much choice since my girls were in the NICU. I couldn't have my girls in my room with me the 5 days I was there which was for the best because I couldn't have handled it. However, I could see it being harder if you wanted your baby in your room with you and had to get up and down all day and night while recovering from the C.

Most of it was a huge blur though because first it is so surreal that I just had babies and second because I had to wake up every 3 hours during the night to pump and then get the milk up to the babies. They woke me up during the night because they had to do my blood pressure and check my sugars (gestational diabetes) so it was just constant action and very bad sleep.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

DS was breech from about 29 weeks on...I did decide on the version, which in all honesty was NOT FUN....After about 10 minutes of trying to turn him he got about 1/2 way and wouldn't go any further. The doctor made them stop because he was afraid of ripping the placenta. Within 15 minutes, DS was back in his breech position...I literally felt him pop back up.

Scheduled C-Section was a very easy thing for me...and I would recommend it to anyone. I have no idea what labor feels like and my recovery was great. I was back to normal within 5 to 6 days and only took Advil for the pain.

So after all that, I would say skip the version and stick with the c-section.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I am apparently in the minority here. I had a ECV and it was successful. Here's my story:
DS was in head down position until 39 wks. At 39 wks (Sun night), I thought I was going into labor-kept feeling a funny tightening. Then it stopped. Turns out, this was the baby flipping over. (This was my 2d baby, and he was born @9lbs 4oz, so his large size didn't impact his ability to turn!)
I found out on Tues at my reg appt that he had turned.
Wed, I went to the chiro (not webster technique), and then to an accupuncturist who did the moxibustion and some needles. Baby turned sideways but not down.
Thurs, I went in for the ECV. I went to L&D at Winthrop, met the dr and midwife there. Dr operated the sono machinery to ensure that baby was happy, and midwife did the version. Basically, this consists of pushing baby HARD so he goes down. They monitor the whole time. SHe pushed and pushed, and eventually he went sideways. She held him in place and gave us all a sec to rest. Then she pushed some more, and he literally popped back into a head down position after she got to a certain place (like, once she had pushed him to 120 degree turn, he popped into the last 60 degrees to the 180 degree turn). They continue to monitor for a while to make sure baby is OK, which he was.
Gave birth 4 or 5 days later to a perfectly happy healthy baby, vaginally, without drugs. My stomach did have some bruising, but way less painful that a c-section!!!!!!!!!!!

If I had to do it over again, I would do EXACTLY the same thing. I wanted to avoid a section at all costs.

I also looked into spinning babies, and did some of the exercises (lay upside down on an incline, put ice on the top of your stomach, play music by your lady parts, etc.) but they didn't work for me.

Feel free to FM me if you need more info (as if this hasn't been long enough! lol) GL!!

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I do medical malpractice and obv I only see the few bad cases but based on what I've seen and read I wouldn't do an ecv. My dd was breech and the dr recommended it. I was not planning to do it but went for the consult anyway with the perinatologist and turns out I wasn't even a candidate bc my fluid was too low. If you do decide to have it done, make sure it's done at the hospital and by an Mfm so if for any reason the heart rate drops you can get an emergency section if needed( very very rare that this would be necessary)


Eta- for me csection recovery wasn't too bad but I feel like I missed that moment of holding dc on me right after they were born but in the end all that matters is having a healthy baby. I opted for a repeat section for dc2 bc vbac scared me. The baby still has time to turn. One reason why I didn't want a section is bc I'm not positive anymore if I want three kids bc I don't know if I want my body to be cut open and go through major surgery a third time, but ideally, I would want another.

Message edited 5/2/2013 1:40:15 PM.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

DC #2 was frank breech. Head and feet up. he flipped after 37 weeks there's still hope.

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

I choose planned csection. My doctor was not exactly for turning her. And even if she was, i kind of felt the pregnancy was going good bd she seemed confortable in the position she was in. I kind of fely, why mess with nature?

Re: Breech Babies/ ECV/ Scheduled C-Section

planned csection for me,both babies were breech,i have bleeding issues, no brainer for me

my recovery was fine