Breech Baby Confusion/Questions...

[heldt123]

Hello all! Well, I've always thought that a breech baby needed to be turned or delivered via C-section. However, due to the downtime on MDC, I caught up on some birth story reading and now I'm confused. I've read several stories where the baby was born vaginally feet first and even butt first. So is the whole breech baby needs intervention a total myth or are these stories exceptions to the rule? I've also read many stories where the baby moved to a non-breech positon at the last minute or was turned manually or by other means. Could it just be the fear of breech births that tenses our bodies up so that birth is difficult if not impossible, or is some sort of intervention turning or otherwise usually necessary? Thanks, Jamie

[hotmamacita]

Well, it is my opinion that doctors today are strongly discouraged to deliver breech babies for several reason, mostly for malpractice reasons. THe hospitals are frowning upon vaginal breech deliveries and pushing c-births more and more. Forcing, imho.

I birthed two breech (frank and breech) babies at home. I had an excellent midwife. DH and I even got some training just in case the MW didn't make it in time and we needed to catch the twins.

More to share about breeches but I need to go for now.

[wasabi]

I guess the issue might be a little more up for debate with a first time mom with an untested pelvis but I absolutely believe a women who's already given birth can handle a breech birth no problem. As the previous poster mentioned this is mainly a malpractice issue. I was a double footling breech born vaginally 30 years ago. I was tranverse until the last second and could not have been born vaginally that way. I was 41+ week and weighed 9lbs13oz. So one I would always give my baby until the last second to turn and be confident that it was possible that they could. It could be that we tense up about it. It could also be that many docs seem to schedule a section at 38 weeks for breech cheating mom and baby of at least those last two weeks to turn on their own. I'd probably try every trick in the book to get my baby to turn but at the end of the day I'd trust my body to birth baby breech.

[alexia_i_aa]

Also, many caregivers simply don't know how to do it now (there are certain techniques useful for breech). Lost skill.

I think they induce so early because there's a higher risk of cord prolapse, which is a shame for MANY reasons (I just don't think the risk is that high), but for one, because babies can turn during labor.

Alexia

[brandywine]

My husband was born breech (bottom first) vaginally and unmedicated. My MIL told me she knew plenty of women who had delivered breech babies 'normally' when she was younger, but as said above, it's a bit of a lost art, and most doc's won't do it for insurance reasons.

Brandy

[heldt123]

Thanks for the stories! The breech stories that I read were mostly UC's and one hospital transfer, and since I am considering a UC homebirth, I thought that breech = transfer. Guess it doesn't always. Sooo many things to consider!

[PapayaVagina]

There's a fabulous new UC video of twins that is out and the second one is born breech. It's an amazing video.

[hmg7500]

i don't have any info about breech hb, but wanted to throw in my stories as well.

my mom (a tiny woman who weighed 120# at 9 months pregnant) birthed 4 of her kids breech-- and all were over 9 pounds. my brother and eldest sister were well over 10 pounds each.

i birthed my twins vaginally, even though we thought twin "b" was breech. my ob was trying to study up on breech births while i was in labor, since they don't teach much about it in med school anymore. my dd had turned vertex at some point in the last week of my pregnancy, though, so i did not birth a breech baby. i do have friends who have, though. as an aside, i was my ob's first vaginal twin birth EVER. apparently, most of the time, they just assume that multiples will be c/s.

[hotmamacita]

Originally Posted by hmg7500

i birthed my twins vaginally, even though we thought twin "b" was breech. my ob was trying to study up on breech births while i was in labor, since they don't teach much about it in med school anymore. my dd had turned vertex at some point in the last week of my pregnancy, though, so i did not birth a breech baby. i do have friends who have, though. as an aside, i was my ob's first vaginal twin birth EVER.

right on!

Here's the deal...if baby is frank or regular breech, then there is plenty of opportunity for cervix to open fully. But doc today have so many restrictions and I suspect, lack of training, so they are not keen on it.

A footling breech or transverse is another story although not totally a reason to panic, imho.

Find someone who is EXPERIENCED in breech. I made 18 calls to find someone who'd take my twins at home. And it turned out that her back-up OB was the best Peri- in the city which quelled naysayers fears...not that I cared at that point...

more to share but later...

[Fuamami]

I've just been reading these posts because when I went in for my prenatal visit today my baby was still breech (I'm 33 weeks) and the midwife told me I should try and turn it. If it doesn't turn, it seems like the major concern is that the cord might be wrapped multiple times around the neck, which is why it won't turn. So if it hasn't turned by next week, I have to schedule an ultrasound. If the cord is wrapped around the neck, then a c-section seems to be the only option. But I'm hopeful I can turn it, and if it won't turn, I'm still going for delivery as long as the cords okay. Anyone had this situation?

[Hayes]

I would be worried if I had a breech and were delivering with my OB. She is not trained to deliver breech babies, and has probably never done it before. My midwife, however, has taken some extensive training on delivering breech.

It is my opinion that delivery of a breech birth through the vaginal canal, with a qualified professional is MUCH safer than major surgery.

[liawbh]

There was a really good article by Ina May Gaskin a couple months ago about breech birth.