known breech- wwyd?

[danou]

Hello ladies,

After months of planning a UAHB, I have received some disturbing news - after gp palpitated babe seems to have moved into breech position. I *know* that babe can and likely will turn again. I also *know* there are several things to do to encourage optimal positioning.

My question for you... what would you do? Continue with UAHB plans and trust all will go fine?
Ask a MW for assistance? (not an option for me)
Go to hospital and battle heavy handed interventions and informed refusal etc?
Other ideas?

Thanks for your input. Any NB breech stories?

[healnmom]

Careful!

I delivered a breech baby naturally in 2002. I labored at home until she crowned. We didn't know she was breech. We called an ambulance and barely made it to the hospital where she was delivered immediately upon arrival by an ER Dr. who was trained in "the thrid world" (as the nurse put it). The nurse said we were lucky because the other Drs weren't trained to deliver natural breech. I say "careful" because my baby didn't score well on the APGAR and needed minor assistance to breathe.

That experience (combined with a negative and very medical birth in 1997)gave me the confidence to trust myself/body for delivery of my third in 2008. I read and reread the Birth Book by Dr Sears and prepared myself to stand up for my needs/wants. I ended up having the oncall Dr. refuse to deliver my baby after I requested no IV port be placed in my arm and requested not to have to lie on my back. I asked for an ER Dr., but he called my regular OB in.

[ursusarctos]

I've read several UC breech stories. Laura Shanley had one at least and there are others around if you search. Breech is a variation of normal.
I would recommend reading about breech birth. Ina May Gaskin has a comprehensive section on delivery of breech in Spiritual Midwifery that you may want your husband (or whoever will be with you, if anyone) to read. Also I think Emergency Childbirth has a section on it. Heart and Hands by Elizabeth Davis also has a section on breech, and it focuses more on letting the baby come naturally rather than on "delivering" the baby. She particularly mentions waterbirth as a good way to birth a breech baby as the water keeps the body warm (preventing the cord from contracting) and provides support, as well as keeping the mother relaxed.
Good luck!

[boheime]

Breech is just a variation of normal, but it isn't treated that way in a hospital. I would continue with my UC plans, and listen to my body and baby.

[Astraia]

Originally Posted by healnmom

I say "careful" because my baby didn't score well on the APGAR and needed minor assistance to breathe.

I've read this is fairly common for breech babies- they can score poorly on APGARS and are slow to start but usually do fine with a few rescue breaths or blow-by O2, etc.

Ive been thinking about this as well, and after hearing about a recent vaginal breech delivery in my area (done in the cold OR, mom with an epidural and on her back, the dr sweating and terrified, cord cut and clamped instantly, etc).... idk, id almost feel more comfortable on my own. At least I know "hands off the breech" and to keep the cord intact.

But it's a really tough call... I really don't know what I would do.

I do think that an understanding for delivering a breech baby is a must for any UC- if the baby is coming, then in some cases that baby is COMING regardless of whether the ambulance will get there in time.

[gossamerwindweb]

I would have continued with my UC and known that if there was some issue, we all know cpr, and could call 911. Also, I would have read a ton of breech UC stories. There are a lot of them actually

[gossamerwindweb]

oh yeah, and go to spinningbabies and see if I could get the little one to turn vertex.

[fyrebloom]

I plan to birth mine at home unassisted even if he comes breech. The thing is you DON'T touch the baby and you need to listen to your body. I have a mw backup and she asked me about this today. I told her I'm comfortable birthing a breech at home but asked her what to do if baby's posterior. With Breeches, they generally will rotate into the right direction if you give them their space. Standing up in a very warm room (we're going to get a space heater) or birthing in the water are optimal for allowing baby to get into the best position. She said listen to my urges and the baby and my body will tell me what needs to be done. She rocks .

[Ruthla]

There's no way I'd step foot into a hospital OB ward with a known breech, not unless it was for a planned c/s due to TRUE medical indication (ie: something else is wrong other than the baby's position.) I wouldn't feel safe birthing a breech baby in the presence of a "medical professional" who didn't know what he or she was doing, and who could CAUSE the baby to get stuck by mismanaging the birth.

Everything I've read about "the right way to handle a breech birth" is essentially pulling on the baby the way the mom would if she reached down and did it herself. So that's what I would do if I couldn't find a competent birth attendant. My first choice, however, would be to have that competent midwife there with me, especially if she was willing to be very "hands off" unless I requested otherwise during labor.

Before going into labor, I would go to the chiropractor, try those exercises, etc, and see if the baby could be convinced to turn on its own. If it didn't work, I'd have faith that this is the position that's best for this particular little one, and birth him or her that way. I'd never consider any risky "turning" methods such as an external version (which can lead to a near-term, highly medicalized or surgical birth if something goes wrong during the process.)

[paxye]

I see by your location that you are in the "far north"... if ever that means Ottawa, there will be a Breech Conference 15-16th and Ina May Gaskin will also be speaking there...

I wish I could go!

Anyway... for the question at hand... I would stay home also. I already have no confidence in the system to have a natural birth in the hospital, I have even less confidence in a breech natural birth and in any case there are no hospital that "allow" breech births in the area either..

As others have said, it is just another variation of normal...

[kcparker]

What # baby is this for you? If it's the first, I'd be less game to go for it than if if you have a 'proven pelvis' and know how you labored in the past. Personally, I would want SOMEBODY who is trained to attend breech births around, just because there are more possible complications. Read Sara's story (post #2) in this thread:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1131007

I think if you decide to go for it, you owe it to yourself and the baby to do all the reading you can, get you and your partner very well educated about the risks and how best to birth - positions, what to do if baby isn't coming down relatively quickly, what to do if baby is not breathing well, etc.

Here's a very informative post by Rixa Freeze reviewing two books on breech birth.

I would also consider traveling to the Farm to give birth there. I have a pretty low tolerance for risk and would risk myself out of UAHB for breech, but I also think going to the hospital is incredibly risky if you don't have a trusted attendant and known quantity waiting for you there.

[fwlady]

I wasn't going to answer this at first, as I have had 7 head down babies. The biggest baby of them all would stand up sideways even up to the 35th week.

I agree with what everyone has posted. But, I would almost want to be surprised about it and plan to stay at home. But, if my DH knew about it ahead of time, and the drs told him that an automatic section would be needed, he would get really worried. I don't expect he would be on board about a UC at that point. He has been good about the UCs even though he is never totally on board about it. But, with a breech, he would be at his wits end. So, you may ask your husband about how he would feel about it too. Give him the good info about how vag breech birth is safer than a csection, but you wouldn't want him to blame you if something did happen. I know the risk is low if hands are kept off the baby, but there isn't trepidation about this for nothing. Kymberli

[Nikki74]

My midwife says that it's normal for a baby to be breech right up until labor, if it's not a first baby. Purely because after the first baby, there is more room in there and the baby often doesn't turn til the last minute.

I would probably carry on anyway, but be prepared to call for help if necessary...

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

as i've never had uahb or breech baby can't quite comment, i've had 4 hb's with mw's, however i think had any of babies been breach i would have done as much research as possible on natural breach birth and prepaired myself as much as possible i.e. learning infant resusitation etc and then if it came to it baby was still breach when it came to labour day i would most likely go with uahb as i wouldn't want to be made to have an eppidural "just incase" or a c-section, because us womens bodies are incapable of birthing a breach baby.

[mysticmomma]

Originally Posted by boheime

Breech is just a variation of normal, but it isn't treated that way in a hospital. I would continue with my UC plans, and listen to my body and baby.

:

[KristaDJ]

Originally Posted by boheime

Breech is just a variation of normal, but it isn't treated that way in a hospital. I would continue with my UC plans, and listen to my body and baby.

[weliveintheforest]

I would call a midwife for backup I think, but I'm fortunate to know a good one who knows how to keep her hands off a breech while watching that the baby has an airway while the head is being born. I would not put my dh in the position where he had to 'do' anything other than be there for me.
I would plan to deliver on all fours, or leaning over something, not laying on my back or standing up.

[indignantgirl]

I've had 3 head-down births, the last 2 of those were UC. If this babe were a breech, it wouldn't even be a question, I would continue with my UC. I wouldn't really want to know ahead of time, because that would give me too much time to psyche myself out. I would just trust that everything is happening the way it should, just like I would do if I knew the baby was head-down.

I also think since I've had 3, a breech would be far easier for me than if it were my first. Things stretch easier each time; the last one practically shot out of me!

[Asiago]

I was chatting with an EMS worker/paramedic the other day while waiting in line, and he said that he had delivered seven babies so far, two of them breech. He was so calm about about, and didn't make a big deal about the breech presentation. I was really impressed.

Whatever you decide I wish you the best, I hope baby turns in time, so you don't have so much stress. I am wishing you a wonderful healthy birth and baby.

[Serenyd]

One of the girls in my DDC just delivered a double footling breech today. I'm still like:
I can't wait to hear the story!