Transverse baby!

[Girlo]

Today I am 36w3d....and my little girl has been sideways for about 2 weeks now. Anyone else ever experience this.....or know someone who has?

I've done a bunch of reading online and have tried some of the old wives tricks to get her to turn.....to no avail.

My OB wants me to have an external version later this week. Anyone ever done one of these? Do they hurt a lot? I'd love to do it without an epidural, but I've read that it's worse than labor....
I have an appointment tomorrow for an ultrasound and an consult with a perinatologist to see if the version can really even be done. Hopefully the stuff I've been doing (shining a light down there, lots of "open pelvis" exercises, and the hot/cold sensations) has been working and it won't even be necessary! I'm not feeling her head on my side anymore.....but that's not saying that it's not there.

I'm just a little freaked out about a possible c-section. If she doesn't turn around and I go into labor....or my water breaks....a vaginal birth is out of the question.

I guess I just need some encouragement and hope that someone else has been in my boat and things worked out for the best and they had a natural birth regardless.

[dmariev]

all I can suggest is doing cat stretches. I don't really know much about a version is, but everything I have read about them sounds painful. I hope your LO turns, and I will be thinking happy turning thoughts for you! Keep us updates!

[HippieHugger]

Mine was transverse at about 35 weeks. I went to the chiro for an adjustment and she moved down to vertex. I'm keeping up with chiro care 1X a week now. HTH

[rivkah]

: I hope baby turns!

I have never had an external version, but have heard plenty of stories, ranging from "not as bad as I thought" to "pretty painful." I am very skeptical that it is worse than labor! Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I would give it a try. The worst thing that can happen is that it is ineffective. No harm in trying chiro and accupuncture also. There have been controlled studies showing that accupuncture is very effective in turning breech babies--I would assume that transverse maybe the same.

I really hope baby decides to move for you, and babies certainly do move at the last minute! I had a baby turn from vertex to breech in the last 4 weeks.

However, I think that in the case that you do have to have a C-Section (I think, but maybe incorrect that it is pretty much impossible to have a vaginal delivery with a transverse baby, unlike a breech), that you can be grateful that the option is open to you. It is hard to remember when so many C-sections are done unnecessarily, that it really is a life-saving procedure, and is usually very safe.

Good luck!

[prettyflwrs]

I am 37 weeks and 4 days and my little boy is transverse too. He has been transverse for several months acually. But today my doctor schedualed me for a c-section. If I can get him to turn then we get to cancel it but if he does not turn then a section it is, I guess. I have until the 16th for him to turn.

As for a version, I dont know. My OB did not offer it. I am wondering now if he should have.

[nerin]

definitely try other methods too, but i wanted to share that i had a successful version to turn my breech baby a little over a week ago. honestly, it wasn't even painful (though i will admit that my OB said she went extremely easily, so he didn't have to push too hard, if you kwim). i was so worried before hand, but it really was so much easier than all the stories!! and i tta -- completely worth it either way, if the alternative is automatic cesarean (which, of course, transverse babies are.....). i have also read that the success rate is much higher for babies who are transverse -- i saw more like 80 - 90% instead of the 50 - 60% for breech LOs, so that is in your favor! GOOD LUCK!

[Girlo]

Thanks for the feedback.

Yesterday I went in for an extensive u/s and a consult with a perinatologist who would be doing the version. The u/s was very revealing! My little, dainty girl is currently measuring 9lbs, 11oz! Of course, that could be off.....she *might* be as little as 8lbs. And this is at 36w4d!! In any case, she's in the big range for sure. Everything is measuring big - head is at 42w, abdomen is at 43w, and femur is at 38w.
And there's no GD. I was asked about 3x at the peri's office by different people if I'd had the Glucola test. Yup!! Sure did! Had a nice, low number too.....

So....now my dilemma is if I should go ahead with the version or just schedule a c-section? The peri told me that her success rate is about 50% (give or take) (that means baby did move, no stress to the baby, and baby stayed head down). Her success has been the highest with babies in the smaller range. That's not going to apply to me.
On one hand, I'd like to try to know that I tried everything to avoid the surgery......OTOH, everything seems to be pointing in the direction of me having a c-section in any case, so I might as well just schedule one and get it over with. I don't know what to do.

The blessing is that everyone is very healthy. My baby girl is perfect and gorgeous....just really big. I'm happiest about the perfect and healthy part.....it takes a lot of factors out of the equation.

I'm currently scheduled for the version tomorrow. I'll be in a L&D room in a hospital in Seattle, with an OR available just in case my water breaks or there's an abruption. There's about a 1% chance of either of those things happening, so I'm not worried there. I'll have an u/s to make sure she hasn't turned on her own in the meantime, and then get an IV with some terbutoline (sp? - it'll make my heart race and my uterus relax) and then the peri will go to town on me! She did say that she won't push it too hard. If the baby starts showing signs of distress, she'll stop. She'll also be closely monitored before, during, and after for distress. Plus, if they try and push her a few times and she's just not budging, they'll stop.

I should try the acupuncture. First I need to find someone here who does it! And then I need to try it fast.....time is getting close.
I also have weekly appts with a chiro already. They're more for me, to relieve my back pain and the numbness in my R arm (it's asleep ALL the time). He doesn't know how to do the Walker Technique, but has offered to find someone for me. I figured with the version, that would probably be at least as good, so I'm all set!

Anyhoo....please keep the feedback coming! It's all helping immensely and I do appreciate your thoughts and experience.