c/s - lets discuss my case and trusting my OB

rkto

Just for kicks.  lets discuss my case and see what we have all learned.  I like an educated debate.

I am only 35.5 weeks, so things could change, but as of today, my baby is breech.  I am having another u/s next week and the following week to see if she can turn.  If she doesnt turn, the doctor said we will probably have to do a c/s

Also, my baby is measuring big (with a growth u/s) 90th percentile.  If she measures more than 95th percentile, they will also suggest a c/s. Although, they said I can try vaginal if I want first.

I am high risk technically, but there is no reason that I shouldnt be able to do a vaginal delivery (if the baby was the right way round and small enough)

what do you think? most people will say wait and see.  Lets pretend I was 38 weeks with the same information.

just as a discussion topic. 

 

rkto

i have to go to work - sorry I shouldnt have started a post and run.  back in a few hours.

mikeyswifey2011

I would say if you are 38 weeks with a breech baby your gonna end up with a c/s, i dont think there is anyway around it. If you are 38 weeks with a big baby then i woudl try because those ultrasounds are so far off sometimes!! Thats my opinion!!! good luck and i hope baby turns for you!!!

lwogsland

I too have a large, breech baby..which I scheduled a c-section for 40 2/7 weeks when I was about 35 weeks along,...my Dr (who I work with in labor/delivery) trusts my judgement and let me choose if I wanted to schedule, wait, or try an external version.  I'm not comfortable with a version. 

If my baby were vertex, he would not make me schedule a c-section just because the baby is big, but we would go into labor knowing that it's a possibility.  We would just use our awareness that the baby is large to monitor for any signs of possible shoulder dystocia or cephalo-pelvis dysproportion (baby wouldnt fit)...i.e. failure to descend, turtling sign, etc.

The only reason we scheduled a c-section is so we have a set date and the scheduling book fills up, and if the baby is still breech, we would prefer to deliver on a scheduled basis...should the baby flip, everything shall change

julieb1218

I was in your same situation but I had an u/s on Tuesday and he had flipped back head down. Such a relief b/c now hopefully that means I don't have to make that decision. I hope your little one moves too. Mine flipped sometime between week 36 and 37 and they had told me they thought he was too big to flip but I guess he proved them wrong. I can't remember what percentile he is but he was measuring 6lbs 13 oz at 37 weeks 3 days so he isn't small.

I think your baby can turn at the very last minute even so if you really don't want a c-section I would say schedule it if he stays breech but then have an u/s right before to make sure things haven't changed and you can deliver vaginally.

I also would understand Dr. pushing a c-section for breech but for size reasons I don't really get that one b/c I know plently of women who have vaginally delivered BIG babies and been fine. So I say if he flips head down and you want to go for it (no matter how big they say he is, which those measurements can be off anyways)

Good luck and keep us updated!

karinothing

RTKO - you know how liberal I am when it comes to birth ha ha. So here is my advice

1. Big baby - I would have ZERO issue trying to have a big baby vaginally. If a vaginal birth is improtant to you (I know its scary) I would say go for it.

2. Breech - I would not feel comfortable attempting a breech vaginal birth as a FTM. My half sister just had one (without drugs) and it was easy peasy no problems, but it was her 5th kid. Her baby did flip to breech at 40 weeks so it is always possible (babies can even flip during labor!). I would likely schedule the c-section and then ask for an ultrasound prior to the c-section to determine the babies position.

I would ask doctors for explain the risks factors for a vaginal birth vs. c-section based on my high risk factors. Like remember sunrocks, they told her it was actually safer for her to deliver vaginally given her specific high risk factors.

chikinyellow

I say that although you can trust your OB, the measurements can be off by quite a bit.  The baby can still turn at this point, or you can see if they will to a procedure to turn for you (not all doctors do this).

He sounds trigger happy to me though.....

OUKap

I would be fine with scheduling the c/s and then waiting until the end to see if the baby had flipped. I would then try vaginally if the baby flipped.

e_delo

I say lets wait and see...even if you were 38 weeks I'd still say wait and see...you could go to 42 weeks, which would give the baby another whole month to flip. NTM, there are a lot of things that midwives do to flip babies, why aren't doctors suggesting any of those things? Doctors deliver breech babies in other countries all the time, the only reason they won't here is because of law suits. I just think waiting (keeping in mind that you could still end up with a CS) is the best thing to do

jiffy-pop

I would give it until 39-40wks for baby to turn. As for baby's size, women have been having big babies for as long as there have been humans. I would try vaginal birth until the doc sees that it for sure will not work and then do a c/s if the vaginal didn't work out. They are often wrong about baby's size anyway. This is just a FTM opinion so take it with a grain of salt.

ETA: I would not attempt a vaginal if baby is still breech at 40wks...just making that clear.

Liz4444

I think, even if it wad 38 weeks, you should wait to see if the baby flips.  If it doesn't, then obviously go with the c/s.  If it does and it's based on size, if the baby is in the 95th percentile, and it's what the Dr recommends I would do the c/s. 

Have they said anything about your hips and if your body may be too narrow and if the baby's shoulders are very broad?

ellewoodsSC

Try doing the non-invasive exercises to help maneuver your baby into the vertex position.  (Downward facing dog, kneeling on all fours, etc, some recommend certain swimming exercises) .  Hopefully there's still some time and room to turn. 

Saemilyn

Vaginal birth is important to me so:

I would do everything I could to flip baby. All those poses already mentioned plus a trip to a chiropractor, mine told me there's something he can do to flip um, or an acupuncturist. Even still I would be discussing with Doc the possibility of vaginally delivering breech.

The big baby thing bugs me! Their guesses can be off by 2-3 lbs in both directions. Unless you're known to have an itty bitty pelvis (like, they've measured it via scans), you could deliver a 10lb baby vaginally. 

 

MereB

Not sure if you're they type with "birthing values" but I would schedule a c/s as close to my due date as possible and see if the baby flips.  I say this because laboring for days just to end up with a c/s sucks- it would've been better just to schedule a c/s (in my opinion).  

With my first I had placenta previa that didn't move until week 38, so my OB really wanted me to try vaginally (by that point I had totally accepted my fate of a c/s).  I was OK doing vaginal, or OK doing a c/s, but I really didn't want to do both.  Of course I ended up in labor for days just to get a c/s (which I would've performed myself if my OB didn't tell me there was nothing else we could do).  

Thankfully this pregnancy is a much easier decision.  Baby is transverse, I have placenta previa again, and the county doesn't allow VBACS. . . if only all decisions could be this simple.

 Oh, I wouldn't let size be a deciding factor for a c/s. . . I've had some little friends deliver monster sized babies.  You never know if you're the one that can deliver big baby until it's show time.

spedi

My baby flipped sometime between last Thursday and today. A big flip...he rotated and flipped.  So anything is possible. 

He is vertex now.  That said I have GD and he has a birth defect.  I cannot go past my due date, so we scheduled a RCS for 39w3d.  (same day of gestation my DS was born). If I go into labor naturally before that, I get to labor. If not...I RCS. 

Big babies don't scare me. Breech babies scare me :0)  I'd ride it out!

rkto

thanks for all the comments.

I will obviously wait and see.  my doctor said wait and see also.  I would, however, much rather have a scheduled c-s than have my water break and have to have a spur of the moment c/s because of the breach thing. I know first time labour is usually long, but not always.  That to me is risky. So if next week, the doctor suggests a c/s due to breech baby, I will go with it.  I may ask if we can do a quick u/s before the procedure to see if it is still required.

As far as my high risk goes, I have no reason to avoid a c/s. 

However, I would rather try to go vaginal so I can lift my baby, vacuum and drive right away (my friend had to wait weeks to drive - how annoying~!)