ECV??

kmcconnell87 · June 2015

Hey ladies-
At my 34 week appointment last week, my doctor told me that my son is in the breech position. She said that if he doesn't turn by my 36 week appointment, my husband and I need to decide if we want to have ECV done to turn him or if we want to schedule a c-section for week 39. I really want a c-section to be the absolute last resort, but I am not sold on ECV either. From what I've read it only has about a 50% success rate, it can be pretty painful, and it can cause some complications for the baby. Has anyone had any experience with this before or is going through it now?

pixieprincss · June 2015

You have loads of time and loads of options and at 34 weeks, your baby probably has loads of room. I am surprised that your provider is evening putting a timeline on anything at this point. Here is some evidence-based info about all of this: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/what-is-the-evidence-for-using-an-external-cephalic-version-to-turn-a-breech-baby/. ECV is a fairly gentle procedure. It isn't lemonade and cookies, but it is a heck of a lot easier than surgery. But, there are also lots of options outside of that that I'll mention as part of my story below.

An OB successfully moved my transverse DS1 at 37 weeks. We used an OB for that pregnancy and he hadn’t done a version in two years and my doula had never seen a successful one, so we were leery it would work. But, it did! It felt like forever while they were doing it but it apparently only was 1.5-3 minutes total. I was shocked when they told me how quick it was! I put my Bradley relaxation practice to use and did visualizations, deep breathing, and releasing all tension to get through the pain. (Yours may be longer, they have twice as far to push your baby around.) The MW I have used for the other pregnancies is VERY positive and comfortable with them. It really does seemed to be an underused, rather gentle tactic (esp. because if baby doesn't move readily, you stop so as not to force something that might cause harm).

Before the version we tried several low-tech ways to get LO to flip: moxibustion, all of the spinningbabies.com tricks, doing hot and cold, music and light, going swimming and doing the flutterkick, doing handstands in the water, spending time in the inversion position, etc. We were planning on the Webster technique with a chiro if it didn't work. Also, if it didn't work, we planned to wait for labor to start rather than scheduling a c-section to give LO as much time as possible to turn (provided we were staying healthy) and let early contractions perhaps motivate him, etc. Transverse babies are in danger during labor because of cord prolapse, so I would not be allowed to labor long, but with a breech baby you may be able to labor for a good while before doing the c-section and that labor might just motivate him to flip. This You Tube video helped me feel prepared:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AM6wDwTjmc

The other great thing to try is chiropractic adjustment with a provider who specializes in pregnancy, namely someone certified in the Webster Technique as I mentioned above. My other two babies have also spent a fair amount of time transverse and adjustment has been very helpful. It is the #1 thing I can suggest. I'll also sing the praising of swimming and water aerobics. The buoyancy does wonders for baby's ability to move around.

Lalala2326 · June 2015

My sister and I ended up being pregnant with breech babies the same year oddly enough. She was about 4 1/2 months ahead of me and attempted at ECV. They ended up tearing her placenta, and she had to have an emergency c-section under general anesthesia. There was pretty high risk for the baby at that point and there were concerns about brain damage due to the tear and the time trying to get him out. Fortunately he ended up 100% okay, but my sister's incision was hip to hip (cause of trying to get him out quick), she was crazy groggy after her was born and doesn't remember much of the day he was born.

When it came time for me to decide if I wanted to try and ECV, I opted out of it. I did all the spinning babies stuff and anything else I could find, and none of it worked. We gave DD till her EDD and then had a planned c-section. Turns out she had a cord around her neck pretty much anchoring her in place that they missed on the ultrasound (they did look). My recovery was a lot better than my sister's, I was awake the whole time, and I remember all of my daughter's first day. I'm satisfied with my decision.

I will say both me and my sister had anterior placentas which does make it more risky for an ECV. She had had 2 previous babies though which usually makes it more likely the ECV will work (more room), and my fluid levels were low end of normal making it less likely it would have worked.

You just really need to look at all your risk factors and possible outcomes, and see if you are comfortable with with the risks. There is no right answer.

amberrmariee20 · June 2015

My mother had my sister turned inside of her, she said she wished she would have done the c section. She said it was the most painful thing she's ever felt and she was all bruised.

cubberss · June 2015

My baby is breech and my MWs have talked ECV. In the meantime I'm doing everything I can: ice pack on the top of my bump with a hot pack under, seeing the chiro once a week, moxibustion every day, lying inverted on my ironing board, leaning over my birth ball, forward inversions off the couch, and sleeping on my left side. I'll also be seeing an acupuncturist.

If none of this works I'll attempt the ECV. My MWs have already scheduled me a 'positioning' u/s at 36 weeks so I can book into the clinic at the hospital if I need to. Hopefully baby flips on his/her own!

If baby still doesn't flip I'll attempt a vaginal breech birth at the hospital.

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