External Version?

[evillager]

I am 35 weeks today and my babe is in a transverse breech position. As far as I can tell from her kicks, she has never been a head down position. In a effort to avoid a c-section my midwife is pushing to do an external version at 37 weeks. I'm really not comfortable with that idea, but I also don't want a c-section.

Has anyone out there had an external version? What was your experience?

Thanks.

[isabchi]

try to crawling... or acupuncture...
Good luck

[Stace]

Visit the Spinning Babies website. They've got a lot of stuff you can do at home to try and help turn the baby. A chiropractor may also be able to help. Exhaust every option you have before doing a version, because oftentimes if it's not successful, you'll end up with a section right then and there.

[Kalopsia]

I've never had one, but personally, I would go with a c-section rather than an external version-the potential risks far outweigh the possibility of getting the baby to turn this way, IMHO.

[Maia's mama]

My DD was breech, which was discovered at 39 weeks. I went to the chiropractor, acupuncututist, did ironing board excerises, wore a crystal, did visualizations of head down babies, went to the local YMCA pool and did flips, and finally had a version. None of it helped turn her- and I did have a c-section. She was beautiful, healthy (a 10 on the apgar), and very eager to breastfeed. (She is now 4 and still VERY willful!)

I am now 35 weeks also, and I am a bit concerned about the position of this baby. If it is also breech I will do everything I did before (plus maybe the webster technique), and then at 37 weeks I would have a version. It is a bit painful, and there is a chance of having to go in for an emergency c-section, but I have know people who it has worked for, and from what I know if you wait longer than 37 weeks, it is much less likely to be sucessful.

So stay positive and try everything you can to encourage a vertex position, but I would suggest even scheduling a version- and if you decide not to do it you can always cancel. For me, I would much rather try everything I can not to have another c-section (although as I said, I still did have an overall positive birth experience with one). Good luck!

[maxmama]

I've had three versions, two unsuccessful, one successful.

Both the unsuccessful attempts were on my son. That was painful. Very painful. The successful version with my daughter was easy as pie.

I would always choose a version over a section for breech, myself, having had two c/s (the first for breech, the second for nervous obstetrician). But YMMV.

The terbutaline (to relax the ute) will make you very shaky. This is normal.

[~Megan~]

I would try other therapies first (moxibustion, chiropractic, accupuncture, homeopathic) before doing the version. I've had a version and it was extremely painful. Not only that its actually quite dangerous and not all that successful.

I'd also feel trepidation birthing with a provider that didn't give me more options for turning that baby and that completely ruled out vaginal labor for a breech position.

[cmili]

I would always choose a version over a section for breech, myself, having had two c/s (the first for breech, the second for nervous obstetrician). But YMMV.

The terbutaline (to relax the ute) will make you very shaky. This is normal.

:nod

My first baby was breech and was successfully turned (by version) at 37 weeks. I tried lots of the other things listed but none worked.

Second baby was head down.

This baby is breech and from what I can tell NEVER moves to the head down position. If she is still breech at 36 weeks I will schedule a version for 37 weeks.

[andreac]

I had a successful external version at 39 weeks with my daughter. We tried EVERYTHING to get her to turn before making that decision...tilt board, cold packs, Webster, moxabustion, accupuncture, you name it, we did it. We got lots of movement with some but she never quite made the flip. My MW was upfront when we hired her that she wasn't comfortable attending a breech birth, she had no experience with it (she was a relatively new MW).

I know everyone's experiences are different, but mine really wasn't bad, not painful at all. I felt a wee bit stretched right as she went past transverse but nothing I would really call PAIN. The OB I saw was very experienced and very gentle. He was upfront that he wasn't going to force it, just help her along a little, but that if she wasn't going to turn easily, she wasn't going to turn at all. Her heartrate was beautiful throughout and we were in and out of the hospital in less than 2 hours.

I think that if you have the option of a vaginal breech delivery than the risks may not be worth it, but if you are facing a c-section (as I was, my only other option was the Farm, which was just too far away), then the risks of the version are certainly lesser than those of the section.

Ultimately, you need to do your own research and decide which set of risks are acceptable to you. :hugs and I hope that baby decides to turn on his/her own!

[evillager]

Thanks for all the input! When I asked my midwife if there was an alternative to a version that we could try first (besides the ironing board, which I have been doing), she did offer the name of a chiropractor. Has anyone had experience in turning a baby with a chiropracter/Webster's Technique? I've never really had a great experience with a chiropractor, so I'm pretty skeptical.

Until then, I'm making an appointment for a version at 37 weeks and we'll see what happens. It can always be canceled...