Anyone else working on turning a breech or transverse baby?

[bodhitree]

I found out at my appt on Tuesday that my baby was breech, after being vertex for like six weeks. After freaking out over it for a day or two (because no one in my area will do a vaginal breech birth and if she doesn't turn it'll be a C-section for sure), I'm starting to calm down a little and be cautiously optimistic that we'll get her to turn. I've been doing all the things you're supposed to do, like inversions on the ironing board and seeing a chiropractor. If she hasn't turned by my appt on Tuesday, I'll be finding an acupuncturist as well.

The chiro I'm seeing says he has a 100% success rate at getting babies to turn before 37 weeks (I'm 36 weeks right now), and I think she might even have turned already but I just can't tell. I'm spending a lot of time poking at the lumps of baby in my belly and trying to figure out just which parts of the kiddo are where.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else was dealing with this...

[BennyPai]

A friend of mine visited a person practicing homeopathy and was given a remedy. During the hour-long drive home, she says she felt the baby turning.

[heamae]

At my app. with my MW two weeks ago she agreed with me that the baby was breech and I have been working on getting him to turn. Saw and OB today because he was feet first and the MW said unless he brought his feet up I would have to have a CS. Well the OB said thinks the baby is head down. I have been trying to tell and Im not sure!!

[bodhitree]

Originally Posted by heamae

At my app. with my MW two weeks ago she agreed with me that the baby was breech and I have been working on getting him to turn. Saw and OB today because he was feet first and the MW said unless he brought his feet up I would have to have a CS. Well the OB said thinks the baby is head down. I have been trying to tell and Im not sure!!

It looks like you've still got quite a bit of time, so I hope your baby moves into a good position! : Yeah, I really can't tell if mine has flipped or not. Sometimes it still feels like a head at the top of my belly, but a lot of the time it feels way too big to be a head. Last week we did a really quick ultrasound to determine for sure what the baby's position was, and I'm sure we'll do the same thing at my appt on Tuesday just to be sure.

[jenholle]

I'm with you but I'm over 38 weeks now. I've been seeing a chiropractor, I did moxibustion two times, inversions and hands and knees daily, prayer/meditation...all to no avail. I started about 36 weeks. I will also need a c-section as babies neck isn't tucked so there is too much chance for spinal cord injury during birth, plus my cnm and the docs in her practice don't do vaginal breech deliveries and I'm not switching at this point. Hopefully ALL of our babies turn!!!!!
Wanted to add that I can't do external version either due to the neck position

[Asher]

Originally Posted by jenholle

I'm with you but I'm over 38 weeks now. I've been seeing a chiropractor, I did moxibustion two times, inversions and hands and knees daily, prayer/meditation...all to no avail. I started about 36 weeks. I will also need a c-section as babies neck isn't tucked so there is too much chance for spinal cord injury during birth, plus my cnm and the docs in her practice don't do vaginal breech deliveries and I'm not switching at this point. Hopefully ALL of our babies turn!!!!!
Wanted to add that I can't do external version either due to the neck position

Peeking in from May DDC, can you tell me where you found the moxibustion? I don't even know where to look! Not too worried about needing it, yet, but would like to have an idea where to find it in case mine continues being transverse.

[bodhitree]

Originally Posted by Asher

Peeking in from May DDC, can you tell me where you found the moxibustion? I don't even know where to look! Not too worried about needing it, yet, but would like to have an idea where to find it in case mine continues being transverse.

You would need to find an acupuncturist who knows how to use moxibustion to try to get babies to turn. If my little kiddo hasn't turned by my appt on Tuesday, I'm going to talk to the woman who taught our childbirth class, who is an amazing doula and who seems to know all the people locally who specialize in pregnancy care. I'm sure she'll be able to point me to an acupuncturist. Otherwise, you could try posting in your tribal area to see if anyone could recommend a local person for you to go to. Or you could just try calling any acupuncturists in your area to see if they know how to do it.

jenholle, how's it going? Is your baby showing any signs of budging? Are you going to have to schedule a C-section soon, since you're getting close to your due date, or will you wait to go into labor and see if baby has turned at that point?

[jenholle]

Asher: I found mine in the phonebook I called a local acupuncturist and asked if they did moxibustion. She did and has had success so off I went. I "thought" they turned baby, but the next day the head was up by my ribs

Kristin: No success. Baby was breech today. I started contracting and having some early labor signs last night (kept me up for several hours!) but they petered out today. I did go in and actually had an NST b/c baby was moving so wildly and thankfully baby seems good on the monitor. My c-section is scheduled for 4/2- only 2 days before my EDD. In some ways I'm hopeful I do go into labor so that baby can turn if he/she is able, but I'm scared to go into labor. Babies head is cocked weirdly to the side so a vaginal deliver wouldn't be good at all. Plus labor went pretty quickly with DD. We'll see how it goes. I may end up moving the c-section up a few days if I'm feeling too anxious about it. I want to go into this at peace with things even thought it's not what I wanted. KWIM???
Hopefully your baby turns for you!!!!!!! Sending lots of prayers that he/she gets into that head-down position ASAP!

[bodhitree]

Originally Posted by jenholle

Kristin: No success. Baby was breech today. I started contracting and having some early labor signs last night (kept me up for several hours!) but they petered out today. I did go in and actually had an NST b/c baby was moving so wildly and thankfully baby seems good on the monitor. My c-section is scheduled for 4/2- only 2 days before my EDD. In some ways I'm hopeful I do go into labor so that baby can turn if he/she is able, but I'm scared to go into labor. Babies head is cocked weirdly to the side so a vaginal deliver wouldn't be good at all. Plus labor went pretty quickly with DD. We'll see how it goes.

Sorry to hear that you're not having success getting your baby to turn. Sounds like he/she must be stuck in there pretty firmly if the weird head position isn't changing.

Originally Posted by jenholle

I may end up moving the c-section up a few days if I'm feeling too anxious about it. I want to go into this at peace with things even thought it's not what I wanted. KWIM???

Totally! I'm trying to do the mental/emotional gymnastics necessary to keep preparing for a vaginal birth, in case my baby turns, while still making my peace with the idea of having a c-section and all that that entails. Yesterday at my appt baby was still breech, and "completely crushed" is not too strong of a phrase to describe how I felt about that. It's like I'm pre-grieving the loss of the natural birth I've always wanted. What makes it worse is that this will probably be our only child, so it's kind of now or never, you know? So I'm really working on finding a way to make my peace with the whole situation.

Originally Posted by jenholle

Hopefully your baby turns for you!!!!!!! Sending lots of prayers that he/she gets into that head-down position ASAP!

Thank you! Right back at you!

[ShineliketheSon]

My baby was breech for a long time but has been head down the last two appointments. However, I still keep up on doing things to keep her head down.

I do pelvic rocking/tilts every day, sometimes more if I feel braxton hicks coming then I always do it as this helps them turn...

Relaxing as much as you can too can help, maybe get a massage or go to the spa for some relaxation time... (I know it'd be hard to relax thinking about a CS.)

Also not being on the sofa too much, and using the birth ball as a chair is supposed to help baby align.

Good job on teh chiropracter and accupuncture! Here's praying baby turns for all of you with upside down babes!!!!

[jenholle]

Originally Posted by bodhitree

Totally! I'm trying to do the mental/emotional gymnastics necessary to keep preparing for a vaginal birth, in case my baby turns, while still making my peace with the idea of having a c-section and all that that entails. Yesterday at my appt baby was still breech, and "completely crushed" is not too strong of a phrase to describe how I felt about that. It's like I'm pre-grieving the loss of the natural birth I've always wanted. What makes it worse is that this will probably be our only child, so it's kind of now or never, you know? So I'm really working on finding a way to make my peace with the whole situation.

Kristin: I completely understand!!! I broke down a couple of appointments ago and just cried. I was lucky to experience a natural birth with DD and if this is your only child I'm so sorry you have to go through this grieving process One thing I will say is that since you are 36-37 weeks there is still time for you. I met with the OB who will do my c-section today and she was great. She also said that ALOT of the breech babies she's seen turn at 36-37 weeks. Unfortunatly for me she said she's seen very few turn past then...Keep up the good work and I'm again sending you some serious TURN BABY TURN vibes!!!!

[bodhitree]

Thanks, Jenny. I'll be 38 weeks in a couple days, so I'm really starting to feel like she isn't going to turn. I'm going back in for next appt on Monday and will probably end up scheduling an ultrasound for later in the week to see if it looks like an external version will be possible. The thing is, though, that it sounds like they (the docs in the practice with my CNM) prefer you to have an epidural for the external version, in case the baby goes into distress and they have to do an immediate c-section. I asked my midwife last week how often that happens, and she couldn't give me numbers. So I'll have to see if I can get more specific information out of the OBs before I decide if I'm going to go along with that. And if the version is successful, then they suggest that you have an induction, since you're already there, you already have the epidural, and if you go home and wait to go into labor naturally, the baby might turn back. I really need more specific information about all of this before I can make any decisions, you know?

Are you still considering moving up your c-section date? One way or another, at this time next week you'll be holding your baby! :

And Shine, thanks for the suggestions. I'm already doing pretty much all of that stuff, except the massage, which is probably not in the budget given all of the trips to the chiropractor. I'm glad your baby seems to be staying head-down!

[jenholle]

Kristin:

Good luck with your decision about ECV. From what I understand the epi. is optional at my practice. I would have done it without if babies neck was in the right position. I "probably" wouldn't do an induction right away either. What I would do was bounce on the birth ball for hours, go for long walks, etc. all to get baby to hopefully stay head-down. But...since I'm not in the position to choose I sure wish you luck with your decision!! I go in tomorrow for a check with my CNM and am hoping baby might have turned (wishful thinking, but that's all I have now ) I started having some contractions last night- nothing regular, but enough to make me think something might have been going on. It made me really nervous. Nervous enough to think about moving that date up from Thursday...but, we'll see.

Good luck to you with your big decision and I'll keep hoping and praying for that baby of yours to turn!!!

[JenMidwife]

Originally Posted by bodhitree

The thing is, though, that it sounds like they (the docs in the practice with my CNM) prefer you to have an epidural for the external version, in case the baby goes into distress and they have to do an immediate c-section. I asked my midwife last week how often that happens, and she couldn't give me numbers. So I'll have to see if I can get more specific information out of the OBs before I decide if I'm going to go along with that. And if the version is successful, then they suggest that you have an induction, since you're already there, you already have the epidural, and if you go home and wait to go into labor naturally, the baby might turn back.

wow, I've never heard of that protocol before- that really stinks :

Big {{{HUGS}}} for the breech mamas... it really sucks to be doing everything that you possibly can & not having any luck. I wish you peace in you spirits as you accept things that are out of your control

[bodhitree]

Originally Posted by jenholle

I go in tomorrow for a check with my CNM and am hoping baby might have turned (wishful thinking, but that's all I have now ) I started having some contractions last night- nothing regular, but enough to make me think something might have been going on. It made me really nervous. Nervous enough to think about moving that date up from Thursday...but, we'll see.

Good luck to you with your big decision and I'll keep hoping and praying for that baby of yours to turn!!!

I hope your appointment tomorrow goes well. Be sure to come back and post an update! I'm still hoping both of our little ones will turn and we'll both get to have marvelous vaginal births! I'm also going back in tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be able to get my questions answered and come up with a plan.

Originally Posted by JenMidwife

wow, I've never heard of that protocol before- that really stinks :

It totally does. After thinking about it, I'm not sure if my midwife really meant that's what they would want me to do, or if she was just trying to tell us our options. Between me and DH being pretty upset and her maybe not being as articulate as usual, I don't think the communication was very clear.

Originally Posted by JenMidwife

Big {{{HUGS}}} for the breech mamas... it really sucks to be doing everything that you possibly can & not having any luck. I wish you peace in you spirits as you accept things that are out of your control

Thank you! At first I was desperately hoping and praying that my baby would turn herself back around. Now after two weeks of trying, I'm just praying to be at peace with however she ends up coming into the world.

[bodhitree]

Well, my appointment yesterday was better than the one last week. I felt like we actually communicated clearly and got some better answers, so that was good. We're going back in on Thursday for the ultrasound to check and see if I'm a candidate for an external version, and if everything looks good, we'll get that scheduled for next week. And I don't have to have an epidural! Yay! Turns out one of the docs in the practice encourages it, the other doesn't, but it's totally up to me no matter which doc I get.

So if the version works, I'm leaning towards staying and inducing right away so the kiddo doesn't have a chance to turn back, since if she does they will not try to turn her again. My mw says she has plenty of clients who have induced labors for whatever reason and still manage to give birth without epidurals.

If the version doesn't work, or if they find something on the ultrasound that makes them not want to try it, I'll wait to go into labor on my own and then go into the hospital. Probably will end up with a c-section in that case, but there's always the chance that she might turn on her own between now and then, right?

Jenny, how was your appointment yesterday? Any change, or are you still planning your c-section for Thursday?

[lj2blessed]

I found out at my OB appt yesterday that my baby is breech...I'm 39w4d though, so they scheduled my c-section for Thursday.

[bodhitree]

Originally Posted by lj2blessed

I found out at my OB appt yesterday that my baby is breech...I'm 39w4d though, so they scheduled my c-section for Thursday.

That must be disappointing. But I bet you're looking forward to meeting your baby tomorrow! :

[jenholle]

Kristin: Good luck with the version. I so hope that it works for you!!!
LJ: I'm with you- scheduled for a c-section tomrrow. Hope all goes well for both of us!!!!

[bodhitree]

Good luck tomorrow, you guys! I'll be excited to see your birth announcements and pictures of your little ones! :