Looking for discussion from anyone who HAS ATTEMPTED OR DONE a vaginal breech delivery. I have reviewed the research in the US on it and don't need the conversation about csections as I am not interested except as a last resort for baby's safety. I'm attempting turning baby on my own and there is discussion of a version by an MD/Midwife next week BUT I have a possible uterine anomaly so it may not work...Have a midwife that is well versed in breech deliveries and will be discussing our options with her on Wed. Right now need to hear from moms/grandmas/ etc. who have done it or know someone who has and what outcomes/techniques or whatever (negative outcomes ok to discuss).
THANKS!
UPDATE: Have attempted all methods of turning (spinning babies.com, chirpractic,crawling, positioning)except accupuncture and handstands in the swimming pool or an External Version. The baby has been Frank Breech since 23weeks and has not shifted position much more than going transverse ONCE at 27weeks then back to butt down. We are currently at 34weeks on bedrest for preterm (if I am up I actively contract and just spent 4+days in the hospital for labor)and high BPs as well as I only have ONE kidney that's starting to show major stress. The OBs will not allow us to go much past 36wks due to periodic low fluid levels (were at 2 in the hospital but up as high as 8 before going home now drifting again to about a 6). Because of only one kidney the MDs are concerned about a misshapen uterus which wouldn't surprise me. This baby does not do ANY huge movements altho moves plenty for rolling head around and shoulders so I know it is fine...I don't have hope that we'll be vertex/cephalic @term because we probably won't make term and haven't changed position in So long!
Sadly had to undergo a csection last night because there was NO amniotic fluid left and baby was struggling. Ended up finding out that I have only one side to my uterus and missing the L ovary, and tube besides my missing L kidney. Baby ran out of room to move!
I had a vaginal frank breech with my first child. we did not know he was breech until i was pushing thou. we asked the doctor to do everything possible before doing a c-section. They moved me to the operating room. i was told not to stop pushing until he was all the way out. I believe if they knew he was breech we would not have been allowed to have him vaginally thou. we did have him vaginal and he is just fine 8 yr boy now.
Lots of people have done this, contact me for some links etc :)
America is not very :( about it as docs and others like to control and interfere but the majority of the time it is not in yours or your babies best interest.
Extractions (caesareans) and repeat ones are very dangerous but that is kept very hidden :( I know I am a victim of those so very pro birth/homebirth etc :)
B., We had a breech baby and ended up delivering her c-section because she was double footling. We tried laying inverted, warm bath with bag of frozen veggies on the top of the fundus (baby will move away from the cold and to the warm), Version, candling my baby toe, you name it we tried it. Turned out her feet were stuck under her! It is possible to deliver breech, and the only way they will not is if the feet are presenting first. Frank breech(butt first), they will. Best wishes for a healthy baby and wonderful delivery!
While sad that you didn't get to try the birth the way you would have liked, ultimately it is happy baby and happy mommy, so congratulations!
Acupuncture is very effective in turning babies.
My first child was a vaginal delivery however there were complications because my uterus is tipped and I pushed for nearly 3 hours and ultimately had to have her vacuum extracted. Thankfully she was fine. My second girl was breech and would not turn. I decided against the version because not only is it very painful, there are risks to the baby with that also. I wasn't taking any chances. I know you don't want to hear it but we decided on a c section. I was actually happy to hear it because of all the complications with my first pregnancy. I actually went into labor the same day as my c section and would have delivered that day.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong with vaginally delivering a breech such as the head getting stuck or the shoulders not coming down. For me the risks of a c sections in a controlled environment made me feel more at ease.
I didn't have a breech baby, but I was born frank breech 34 years ago. That was in an Army hospital- I'm not sure if other hospitals were still doing it then or not. I was an average sized baby- 8 lbs, 2 oz, 21 inches long, and my mom is an average sized woman, but she ended up with a humongous episiotomy and some tearing that caused her a great deal of pain and problems. My ribs stick out more than I think they are supposed to, I think from the breech birth, but other than that I don't have any problems.
I know the main reason the doctors don't want to do breech deliveries vaginally is because there is a chance the baby could get stuck or have some injuries- dislocations, broken bones, etc. If you do end up trying to deliver breech vaginally, I hope you do it in a hospital so if there is a medical emergency that they can properly handle it. I know many babies don't turn until the last minute- that's what happened with my brother. They turned him manually (dumb IMHO- why would that work?) but he turned right back to breech, but right before he delivered he flipped around. Good thing for my mom, too! =) I hope everything goes well for you!
You can also try going to a chiropractor that is certified in doing the Webster techinique (baby turning technique). I am a certified chiropractor in Franklin WI if you have any questions, you can email at ____@____.com luck!
What kind of breech position is baby in? My first was breech, but was butt down with her feet up by her face so no natural delivery for us. We did try a version with her, but she wouldn't budge (her head was up under my rib cage). That was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever done...won't do it again. That said, some people have no problems with it. Also, if you do end up going with a c-section, there is the possibility of having a VBAC with the next child. I've had 2 successful VBACs. Congratulations on baby #2 and I pray everything goes well and smoothly for you!
I saw a chiropractor who specializes in pregnant women. He did some stretches with me and loosened my hips. I also played soft soothing music on the bottom of my belly. My daughter turned at 36 weeks.
B. - I have no experience (yet!) with breech babies, but i hear that the only way it can't be delivered is when both feet are up by the head, think pike position. But if one leg is down, then it is possible. When in pike, when delivery starts, the feet can splay out and get stuck on the pelvic bones.
Do yoga cats and cows, that can help turn baby too. Congratulations on your decision to not go straight to c-section but to do all in your power to do it the way generations before us have done it - naturally! Good luck!
Here's a youtube video of a breech birth at home, in the water. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD5939e5PZ8&NR=1
If you're on livejournal, there's a Natural Birth community that has a lot of great resources and stories of breech births.
Good luck!
I see lots of good things here. I am wondering why this is troublesome. You are still a month out and a lot of things can happen. Be patient. Do the chiropractor stuff (webster technique), inversion (on your own), pelvic rocks--most breeches will turn on their own in time.
I don't have an experience with vag breech delivery, but thought I'd share my birth experience. With my daughter who was breech until the day I had her (she was full term when she was born), we tried chiropractic, acupuncture, laying upside down on an ironing board as well as a version by a midwife and a version in a hospital with a spinal tap (I would never do the latter again). We then consulted a doctor who apparently has some experience with vaginal breech deliveries (feel free to contact me if you'd like his name--he works in St Paul). He said I wasn't a good candidate for vag breech birth (baby too big, first time delivery, etc), but he tried doing one more version. Both of the other versions were pretty traumatic, but he was gentle and/or my daughter was ready to turn. He gently turned her, and I immediately went into labor. I had a lovely non-breech home birth. Good luck to you! P.S. One of my midwives was on board with trying a vag breech delivery, but one thought it was too risky. I wanted them both to be comfortable with it if I was going to do it.
Sometimes baby's don't turn until later. You are not far enough along to be really be worrying about it. It sounds like you have another month or so to go. My baby didn't turn until after that.
I had a friend who had a breech baby. He was butt first. She said his legs were stuck above his head for a day or so after being born. She was too far into delivery for them to do anything about it. She went into premature labor with him and he was butt first instead of head first.
