Can a baby flip during labor?

[kayjayjay]

I'm just having a hard time with this. A friend of ours just had a baby by c-section due to a breech presentation. According to them, the dr. checked her about midway through labor and said she felt the head and everything was progressing normally, and then some time later she checked again and said she felt a rump. They didn't ask for a second opinion, just agreed to a section.

According to this dr, the baby was head down going into labor, but somehow flipped between the earlier check and the later check. I really am having a hard time buying that. Does anyone know if this can actually happen?

[pamamidwife]

I think it's really hard for babies to flip in labor, though not impossible. the sheer force of the contractions could make it difficult.

that said, I as a provider, have felt what I thought was a very HARD head that ended up being a very firmly engaged butt. only when the mom was pushing and frank meconium was coming out did I suspect a breech.

it's not common for babies to flip suddenly in labor, but I think it is more plausible for the provider to admit that they quite possibly made a mistake (very common) in presentation. it's why vaginal exams aren't always the best guage of whether a baby is head down vs head up.

[sapphire_chan]

And why all providers should train in vaginally delivering breech presentations.

[Hayes]

yep
Had a friend, babe was definitely vertex. Had an US just before her due date. Baby flipped when she was VERY far along in labor, around 8 cm. Her doc, like LOTS of docs at the same hospital, don't have insurance to cover vaginal breech births. So off to the land of c-sections she went.

[KittyKat]

My brother was confirmed head down by U/S in the morning. Mom got something to dilate her cervix and see if that helped her labor get going. It did, she labored well, eventually they broke her water. That evening when she was complete and feeling pushy they checked her and my brother's BUTT was presenting. Since she was already about to push him out, and he was smaller than the largest of the older siblings, they "let her" have him vaginally... in an OR with the anesthesiologist right there (like they were going to what? push him BACK IN and do a c-section?) Anyways, mom pushed him out with no problems except for some bruising on his poor butt and feet.

My brother has been doing things his own crazy way ever since LOL!

Kathryn

[Emilie]

my mw does breech births routinely.
i did not know women "could" have breech babies vaginally!!! I am so glad to know that now!

[kayjayjay]

Thanks for the replies. I thought that the strength of contractions would make it hard for the baby to flip. I guess it's possible that this dr. told the truth. otoh, I doubt she would admit that she'd possibly made a mistake.

Too bad they couldn't just deliver vaginally, but that just isn't done in hospitals around here.

[lacysmommy]

There is a lady at work who told me her baby was breech in labor, and her midwife had her do something that helped the baby move to vertex. So it works either way I guess!

[Raven]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

And why all providers should train in vaginally delivering breech presentations.

Amen to that!!

I gave birth to a breech baby (unassisted) and it was the easiest of my three births. I'm not saying all breech births are easy - but not all vertex births are easy either.


All three of my babies were breech (the first was transverse) and I had ECVs with the first two (after unsuccessful attempts with pulsitilla (sp), lying in different positions, accupunture and a host of other things) and it really bummed me out.

Anyway, back on topic

[3daughters]

I know of two similar stories here (PA). Both times mothers were admitted in labor and were given c/s because it was discovered that the baby was breech in advanced labor.

One of those friends is the type of women that gives birth naturally because she has no time for drugs once she gets to the hospital. She says that she'd choose a med-free delivery over a c/s with epidural any day.

[MamaTaraX]

Babies can flip during labor. I beleie babies know how thye need to come out. If thye flip from vertex to breech, they must have a reasn and we shouldn't mess with them. Contractions are powerful enough to turn babies too. Babies can turn all kinds of ways. My OP baby flipped five minutes before he was born. It does happen.

Namaste, Tara

[MamaTaraX]

Originally Posted by Raven

I gave birth to a breech baby (unassisted) and it was the easiest of my three births. I'm not saying all breech births are easy - but not all vertex births are easy either.

Yeah, but didn't that labor last like 5 minutes? No matterwhat position, that baby was flyin out!

Namaste, Tara