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Natural Birth
Breech doubts (long)
I usually just lurk on this board and have gotten lots of encouragement just from that throughout the last few months. I'm feeling anxious and afraid for the first time in this pregnancy and would love any feedback or encouragement from this board.
I'm due this Sunday and found out at my last appt (Wed) that LO is frank breech. He was breech at 36 wks and my MW thought he turned at 37. There's some doubt he actually did and flipped back or that she made a mistake. Its a moot point to me (I'd rather not dwell on past and "what ifs" I have absolutely no control over). We've been referred to the birth center's consulting OB (who I LOVE) and she performed an unsuccessful ECV on Thanksgiving (thats right, an OB came in on a holiday at suppertime because she wanted to try it sooner rather than later-she's amazing). Now we are left with the decision to schedule a C-section or attempt a vaginal breech delivery. I was initially disappointed and upset that my MW would no longer be able to deliver and my birth center birth is no longer an option if he remains breech.
However our OB is skilled, experienced and comfortable with breech deliveries and so are her partners. She is confident that we are good candidates for a successful trial by labor: LO is frank breech presentation (the best for vaginal delivery), has proportional head size, I have good pelvic measurements, mom and baby are both healthy etc. She has been thorough in informing us of the slightly higher risks to baby in a vaginal breech birth. We have made up our minds to wait until I go into labor naturally, go to the hospital and take it from there. My SO is very positive about him turning at the last minute and us allowing him all the time he needs to decide to come into the world when he's ready. This being my first baby, he could reasonably not be ready for another week or two...thats a lot of time for a baby to turn. Lots of time for us to practice all the techniques we can. I also feel (and have read) that even a few hours of natural labor are good for both me and LO to experience.
The problem is this: I have an aunt who is a nurse and a few other people in my life who are vehemently opposed to this and don't understand why we aren't just scheduling the section. I've been (indirectly) called selfish and crazy. I'm pretty strong in my decisions most of the time, but because of those words "possible risks to baby" coupled with pressure from others, I'm having a lot of self-doubt. Just wondering if anyone on this board has any experience with breech deliveries or any words of wisdom or encouragement. Thank you for taking the time to read this!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Breech doubts (long)
i'm a nurse - and I think your relatives just need to shut up.
I also think you still have other options available to you, even with a failed version.
Check out the exercises at spinningbabies.com and see if you can get in with a chiropractor certified in the Webster Technique.
The combination worked for me.
Good luck.
"Smudge's Story - How to Grow a Dandelion" will return soon!
The Dandelion Archive
"If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn."
Will they repeat the ECV? I had a successful one (there's a link below or you can search breech in my blog) and have read that there's no reason to not try multiple times. I'd also ditto GenRN45 (I tried all of those things, they just didn't work for me. Webster has great success rates, though, as does moxibusion.)
I'm pretty crunchy on the birthing front, but breech births of 1st babies do make me a little nervous. Just because the head is the hardest part to get out. It took me 2.5 hours to push out my son's head (that was cephalic), and that makes me nervous breech wise. He did have a huge head, though (95% or something) BUT, if your doc is comfortable with it, I think that makes all the difference in the world.
I actually know a woman who did a twin birth with Baby A head down, baby B frank breech, and all went well until they couldn't delivery baby B's head. They actually pushed the baby back in, did a c-section, and baby B was 100% fine. So even if the breech goes "wrong," I don't know that it would necessarily be bad.
I don't think the OB would be willing to repeat it...there's not a ton of room around him...I've been told I'm "all baby". I'm not sure I'd be willing to do it again either-maybe I'm a wuss, but it was pretty painful. I did a lot of the spinningbabies techniques and saw a Webster-certified chiropractor at 36 wks when we first discovered he was breech, but then stopped cuz we thought he'd turned. So I'm back to doing all that stuff again.
If the breech delivery going wrong, I'll be laboring in an operating room (such a far cry from my warm, comfortable birth center room!) with an anesthesiologist on call in case of something like that.
I'm just really having a hard time with this decision...I've felt so confident and assured this whole pregnancy. Took Hypnobirthing classes and was so fearless and excited about my birth. I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me...I'm scared and unsure, but trying to remain positive while making the right decision.
"Smudge's Story - How to Grow a Dandelion" will return soon!
The Dandelion Archive
"If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn."
Your OB sounds awesome and trustworthy. Lots of women give vaginal birth to breech babies, and as long as your baby is monitored during labor, your OB will be able to get him out quickly in the event that something does happen. I don't think it's selfish of you at all to try and attempt a natural, healthy birth for your baby. In all actuality, it's really the opposite! Best of luck to you!!
It is 100% your choice, and you can just stop taking calls from your aunt until the baby is born, IMO. If you feel more comfortable with a section, go for it. From my POV, I would have given my right arm to have a "skilled, experienced and comfortable" OB to deliver my frank breech baby.
It sounds like you'd be in great hands with that OB. Personally, I would try for a breech birth and feel comfortable that they could do a C-section quickly if it ended up needed. That's one benefit of being in the operating room already.
It's simple. Just stop talking to your Aunt (and other nay sayers) until after the birth. I know it will be hard, but you don't need that right now.
I didn't have a breech baby, but I went past 42 weeks and had a homebirth, so I REALLY understand what you are going through. Someone actually told DH to his face that we were bad parents for not being induced. People can be very cruel when they think they are right.
It is rare for an OB these days to be skilled in breech births, so you are most likely going to get reactions like these. People don't like it when folks don't follow the general population- even if it might be the better option.
I think it is SO awesome that you this team of OBs who are skilled in breech births. I personally think you are very lucky to have this option at all and I would focus on that instead of the ignorance. And your Aunt IS obviously ignorant about this subject.
Just curious- does your Aunt even work in obstetrics?
First of all I just wanted to say I'm very glad you have an OB who is comfortable doing breech births. In our town, there are none and the hospital even has a policy against breech births. So just think about how lucky you are it's still an option.
Also, I would say trying for a vaginal birth is completely acceptable and your family does indeed need to STFU. They are NOT your MW or your OB and their opinion doesn't count here.
Stay strong and remember no matter what, when it is all said and done you will have a beautiful baby in your arms.
DD #1 passed away in January 2011 at 14 days old due to congenital heart disease
DD#2 lost in January 2012 at 23 weeks due to anhydramnios caused by a placental abruption
I can't tell you what option to choose, but I agree that you need to stop talking to people like your aunt either way. This needs to be YOUR decision, without the pressure from people like that.
Have you talked to your OB about the risks of doing a c/s and weigh those with the risk of a breech vaginal delivery? That might help you make the choice you feel most comfortable with.
Regardless of what you end up deciding, I think it's awesome that you have this option. My OB will also do breech vaginal deliveries but it's few and far between these days.
If I were you, I would be doing exactly what you are doing. You have an OB who is experienced in delivering breech, your baby is in the most favorable breech position for a vaginal delivery, you have good pelvic measurements, the baby's head size is proportional, etc. Why not give it a shot, you know? I think it's terrible that your relatives are giving you hell about your personal decisions and I'm sorry you have to hear that. I think you can do it though and I admire you for trying! Good luck!
Matthew Kevin
7/31/83-7/20/11
Met 1/8/00
Engaged 4/21/06
Married 9/29/07
Two beautiful legacies: Noah Matthew (2 yrs) and Chloe Marcella (8 mos)
Day Three
This!
If I'm remembering right, my OB doesn't do breech deliveries of singletons but he was willing to do one of my breech second twin (safer than a breech delivery of a singleton since the first twin "paved the way"; they were very close in size), and I was really glad to find him and that that all worked out! Definitely thoroughly talk through the risks and benefits of each of your options with your OB before you decide for sure.