- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
3rd Trimester
greenhope
member
ECV, would/did you?
greenhope
member
My OB offered an ECV for my breech baby and we planned to do one next week at 36 weeks. At first I was fine with it, but now I'm starting to wonder if a planned c-section would suit me better. The doc told me the risks are lo's heart rate dropping (resulting in an emerg c/s) and going into labour, as well as bleeding. At first I felt comfortable because it seems like the chances of these risks are small, but now I'm definitely worried about having the baby too early. I understand a c/s is major surgery, but with the chance of an emergency c/s should I just take the planned one?
What would you/did you decide in the same situation? Any other risks or pros/cons I should be thinking of?
Thanks
This discussion has been closed.
Re: ECV, would/did you?
Personally I'd try the ECV. The risks of ECV are pretty low and you have to consider that c/s has some serious potential risks, although these are pretty low too.
Something to keep in mind is that once you've had one cesarean, it can affect all your future pregnancies and births. So I think it's a good idea to avoid having one if possible.
Have you tried any techniques on your own to get the baby to turn?
I'm talking with my dr about this on Tuesday. I'm pretty confident after talking with one of my friends who was in a similar situation that I'm going to take the c-section. With the ECV all of the risks are on the baby, and I'm not comfortable with that. A c-section is major surgery, but I'd rather a planned one then an emergency one.
Another risk is placental abruption. I'm also told that this procedure is extremely painful and you are mostly prepped for a c-section before hand just in case.
If your baby is breech there may be a reason. My friend who ended up choosing the c-section found out at birth that her daughter was breech due to the cord being wrapped around her neck twice. An ECV would have resulted in an emergency c-section for her.
Yes, future pregnancies need to be considered also. I have tried breech tilt and have checked out spinningbabies.com. The tilts (in various positions) immediatly cause me to become light headed and a throbbing sensation in my head. I tried keeping up with it but it was just much too uncomfortable. I may consider a visit to the chiropractor.
I've heard of a few people that turned their babies by putting a big bag of ice on their bellies where the baby's head was.
GL
I personally am in the same situation where we are talking about having one done. my husband and I have been talking about it, bc of what we went thought to have this LO we are against it. My placenta is in a risky place and my chances of having an emergency c section is high. I have thought about it and decided that if this LO wants to turn and be delivery vaginally with no problems, then she will turn on her own. If she decided not to turn, then there must be a problem or a reason she is not turning, and I am not chancing loosing my lo bc she is breech and they want to turn her.
This is just my opinion, no debate - but just how i have been thinking about it - this must be a reason she is not turning and needs to delivered a different way.
I am so happy you mentioned that. I hadn't thought of it that way. I also think a planned c-section would be easier to handle then an emergency. Thank-you
Both DS#1 and this LO were/are breech. I decided to embrace the c/s with both and not attempt versions. Like the PPs, I've heard that they are painful, don't always work and can put you into an emergency situation for an early birth.
I haven't ever regretted the planned c/s. Especially since LO#2 is also breech, the Dr thinks there's something with my body that doesn't allow then to turn, so a version probably wouldn't be successful for me.
I would probably try the chiro visits first (Webster technique) - but if you want to do that, you need to start ASAP. It's not just one appointment.
If it didn't work, I would try the version. I do plan future pregnancies, and I don't want to get into a situation where I'm pressured to have more than one c-section if I can avoid it. There are risks, but the baby also has risks being delivered by c-section. I don't think that alone is a compelling argument.
Natural Birth Board FAQs
Cloth Diaper Review Sheet
Yep. C/s does have some risks for the baby too. C/s makes future pregnancies riskier for both the mother and baby. C/s also has some serious potential risks to the mom and so I think it's a bit disingenuous to act like the baby won't be affected by that and say "ECV puts all the risk on the baby and c/s doesn't." That's an oversimplification IMO.
OP, good luck with whatever you decide. Both of your options will almost definitely result with a healthy mom and baby and that's what matters.
I would probably just take my baby being breech for what its worth. The ECV won't guarantee that baby won't flip back to breech again after. I had a c-section with DD and my recovery was super easy. It was semi-emergent and I wasn't prepared for it, (dr's office, baby HR super high, off to L&D, baby out within an hour of entering hospital), and I'd probably rather go into a c/s knowing it ahead of time to prepare.
There are risks to everything, and I've heard ECV's are VERY painful. I probably wouldn't do anything that could potentially injure my unborn baby though, but that is me. Have you tried yoga poses and other things online to turn baby on your own?
My baby was still breech at 36 weeks and flipped at 37. My OB was hesitant to do an ECV because he is measuring in the 98th percentile. I had decided to skip the ECV based on her reservations and that if there had been complications, DH would still be in Afghanistan.
I would encourage you to keep trying the different positions even if only for a few minutes a few times a day. I also had a really hard time with them also and could only do them for maybe 5 minutes (vs. the 20 minutes recommended). My OB recommended the tilts and placing an ice pack at the top of my uterus. My doula swears by the chiropractor/Webster technique. I've heard being on all fours and crawling around works, too.
Good luck!
I go in tomorrow to check the baby's position. If she is still breech I am having an EVC next week.
While the risks you wrote are absolutely true, they don't happen to a large percentage of people. Another, con could be that they only work 50-60% of the time.
Despite these things, I personally, will try anything to avoid a c-section. If nothing works, of course I will schedule the c-section, but want to know that I've tried other options first.