Turning baby head-down manually at 35 weeks?

pechezncreme06 · January 2012

Dr. today said that if baby is still breech in 2 weeks they may turn the baby. I will be 35 weeks. Wouldn't it just be better to wait? Kinda stressful on a baby.

SheenaNash1 · January 2012

I'm no expert but yeah that seems early to me. I've heard of manually turning the baby but not that early. I'm sure if you dont want them to try it you can tell them. Do what makes you comfortable!

RobinIan · January 2012

Can't the baby still flip themselves at that point? I think I would ask to wait.

SassyRedhead · January 2012

Hmm that sounds early...and painful to me. I'd be looking for a 2nd opinion. Baby still has 5 weeks to turn.

kmiller1012 · January 2012

I have heard there are some positions and things you can try to do to get the baby to turn on their own. I don't know what they are since DS wasn't breach and I haven't found out yet what position this baby is in. I would research it and try that first b/c I heard them manually doing it can be painful, but I would imagine it is easier at 35 vs 37. I know they will get to a point where the Dr can't do anything to help.

kmhunt11 · January 2012

I agree. Unless you've got something else going on where he thinks you'll need to deliver very early, baby still has plenty of time to turn. I would put him off.

LilyPotter218 · January 2012

That was when they tried on my cousin. Told her that at 35 weeks there is still room and waiting any longer it may be too tight in there. That if it was successful at 35 weeks he would likely stay put, again, b/c it is starting to get tight.

Her's failed. By 35 weeks it was already a lost cause. She tried a bunch of things at home too. One that almost worked, she got in a warm bath and put a bag of ice up by his head. He tried to flip but there was just no room

ETA: My cousin is TINY, so that may have had something to do with it!

Mattel · January 2012

I was just reading about this in my WTEWYE book this morning. LO has been vertex for about 7 weeks, she was still this way on Tuesday at our u/s. When we went in Friday for another u/s, she had suddenly turned and now she's breech. So, I was reading about the version and in my book they said it's usually done at about 37-38 weeks when the uterus is still relaxed. Maybe it varies by doctor?

jkjohnsonwedding · January 2012

No expert here but I agree with the others who said that there may just not be much room after 35 weeks. I'd assume that is why they want to try and flip your baby then. At 40 weeks your baby should be what, 2 1/2 lbs bigger? Yikes!

u_rica77 · January 2012

They told me at my 30 week ultrasound that they will do another ultrasound at 37 weeks and if he hasn't flipped by that point they will try the manual turning. I haven't been able to talk to my doctors about this yet but I really don't think I want to do it. I've talked to people who've said it's extremely painful and there's always the chance it won't work or the baby will turn back. At my practice, they also do the procedure in the hospital in case your water breaks, which means a possible c-section that day. I think I'd rather take my chances that he turns on his own and have the c-section at 39 weeks if he doesn't.

Agape2007 · January 2012

My first son was breech and they tried turning him at 38 weeks. I picked a doctor within my practice that was willing to try to turn him and if it didn't work he would just do a c-section then and not make me wait. Some of the other doctors said they would make me wait. At this point I was already dilated to 5.5/6 cm and on modified bed rest so I didn't want to wait any longer.

So they gave me the epidural and then tried to turn him. It was not successful so we did a c-section.

But whatever you do, don't let them try to turn your baby without some pain medication. They had one nurse pushing him up internally and a nurse & doctor pushing on the outside while watching on the ultrasound. But even with the epidural when they got higher on my ribs it was painful so I cannot imagine without some pain killer.

jenimitch · January 2012

I am in this boat but they won't turn my little guy til 37 weeks. I have had a history of problems on the right side of my body pre pregnancy, and as baby has grown he is only centered and to the left and has never been anything but breech. I'm thinking there is a reason he is this way cosnidering my history so I am conflicted about the procedure. The ECV looks tough on both mom and baby and I would almost rather do a c section at 39 or 40 weeks than try a procedure my doc said is only effective 55% of the time..... It seems like many ladies on here do think they will turn on their own though, so here's to hoping! GL.

JENVALENTINE1981 · January 2012

Seems like you would still have four weeks that baby could potentially flip back again. With my last pregnancy my daughter decided to flip from head-down to transverse two days before induction and I was freaking out thinking I would need a c-section but right at the last minute she flipped back again. I would think the doctor would just want to keep an eye on the baby's position and wait and see what the baby does on its own closer to delivery time.

Want a personalized experience?

Turning baby head-down manually at 35 weeks?

Re: Turning baby head-down manually at 35 weeks?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards