Breech mommas and ECVs

BecksHRN

After reading @cbear47's experience with her ECV, I was wondering if any of you ladies have experiences to share as well? I'm 35 weeks and LO is breech. I've tried the spinning babies positions and other positions recommended by my OB.

What was your experience? What was your doc's opinion of doing a version? Were they hesitant or do they perform them frequently? How was the pain level? (Cbear47 sounds like a bad ass to me!!) TIA!

courtls22

My LO was not in position at my 36 week appointment but was head down by 37 weeks.  I know there's a chance he will move again, but thought I would provide hope that your LO will turn on their own before needing an ECV.

BecksHRN

Thanks @courtls22! I hope she does. Just trying to arm myself with info. Could you feel when yours turned? Some people say it's super painful and I'll know for sure - others say they had no idea!

mlynn333

I'll be able to share more after Wednesday, but here's the info I have going in.

My OB wasn't willing to do a turn until this week (38). Any sooner and the baby still had a pretty good chance on his/her own. He said at this point baby is folded pretty tight and it's unlikely LO would have the strength needed to unfold a bit and turn.

That being said, he gave me a 25% chance that it will work. My baby is measuring small, and I have a normal to high fluid level working in my favor, but being a first pregnancy was a pretty big disadvantage. He said the risks were pretty minimal, and those risks just meant an emergency C/S. not ideal, but if it doesn't work we end up with one anyway. He's willing to give it a try, and so are we! (But just one though - if it doesn't work we'll schedule the C/S)

My sister set me up for a very easy experience (her baby was just transverse and it was her 2nd pregnancy) so now I have more realistic expectations thanks to cbear!

courtls22

I did have some painful movements but his movements had become more painful in the last few weeks so I didn't think much of it.  His movements now don't feel much different to me either.  Some say that they feel more intense movement where the legs are and less intense by the hands, but I didn't notice a difference from him being breech to head down. 

cbear47

I just want to send happy flipping baby vibes out there!!! Good luck to ALL!!!

Magnolia+Mama

Our girl was breech at our 36-wk appt last Thursday. Also considering ECV and curious about the experiences of others!

kak808

My OB isn't really in favor of it, though he's more than happy for me to try other things, such as yoga, stretching, hands and knees, etc. I'm not really comfortable doing anything more hardcore than that.  Obviously no one wants a c/s, but if I have to have one, so be it.

MamaAllison

LO is breech and my OB, oB best friend and DH all were not in favor of a ECV, so I decided against it. I did try acupuncture, but so far no dice. I have a scheduled c-section and I'm trying to make peace with it.

boogerbearoriginal

From my reading it sounds like there's a pretty wide variety of experience in terms of pain - some women find it worse than others. Probably depends a lot on the baby/position/etc as much as anything else.

My Dr was very pro-ECV, and I posted this in the other thread but the ACOG does recommend it be tried before csection. Of course, it depends on the provider too - I'd be more wary of getting it if my Dr wasn't so confident in her skill in turning the baby.  From what I've read online the general success rate is 50-60% so I am willing to give it a try if I'm a good candidate.

I'd prefer to not have csection, so I feel like it's worth it to give all the options available a shot. If it doesn't work, or if LO flips back, then at least I can say I tried and not wonder "what if" afterwards.

My 36wk appointment is Friday, they'll check position then and if LO is still breech they want to do the ECV in the 37wk range. So I'd actually do it next week. Everything I've read it seems like a very low risk procedure that will give me a shot at avoiding a csection so I'm all for it. Especially since my Dr was very supportive of doing it too.

mlynn333

Just in case anyone was still considering this I figured I'd share my experience from yesterday.

The L&D nurses (lucky me I got two all to myself) started monitoring the baby and placed an IV line. I wasn't allowed to have food or drink all morning (in case of emergency csection) so placing the IV was difficult.

My four doctors arrived (yeah, it got crowded quick) and they did an ultrasound to evaluate baby's position. Once they determined their game plan, one doctor pushed the baby up (baby's bum had sunk down into my pelvis) while two others rotated the baby. The last doctor monitored the ultrasound to make sure baby's head stayed in a good position, that the cord didn't end up in the way, and that heartbeat stayed within an acceptable range.

DH was able to stand by my head and hold my hand for the procedure. They gave me a break half way through, and it was all I could do to keep focused on my breathing while trying my best to not tense up too much.

I won't lie - it was the most painful experience I've had in my life (poor DH was white as a sheet when it was all said and done). But, despite the odds it worked! We are now positioned for a vaginal delivery on the date of LO's choosing. They gave me oxygen as soon as they were done, and after an hour of resting and monitoring baby we were good to go home.

Today I am very sore, and every accidental brush against my bump makes me catch my breath. Overall I'm glad we did it though!

boogerbearoriginal

@mlynn333 Thanks for sharing your experience and YAY for turned baby!

jdubh

DD was breech and OB refused to try turning her, he said "There is a reason that position is more comfortable for her".

 

cbear47

@mlynn333 - Woot woot!!! Yay! I'm so happy for you! (And way to go LO for being such a tiny trooper, too!)