Has anyone gone through this (pregnancy)?

Question

I got my ultrasound today and found out that my baby is breach. I am so scared because this has never happened to me before. I haven't dialated more than 1 cm. in the last 3 weeks. The doctor says that if I don't dialate he will have to get a c- section . I am 37 weeks pregnant. Should I worry. Has anyone gone through this? Will the baby turn around. He weighs 6 lbs 6 oz today.

Answer 1

About 3-4% of babies at 37 weeks gestations are breech.

Breech is a commonly used word to refer to a baby who is not in a head down or vertex presentation. Usually this means a baby who is bottom down. .

It is more common to have a breech baby if:

If you've had several babies before.

You have excessive amounts of amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios).

Your uterus has growths or anomalies.

Your baby has anomalies.

Your placenta is low lying or you have placenta previa.

Babies will usually begin turning head down between weeks 28 and 32, and continue to turn on their own even during labor. There are ways to increase the chances of your baby turning to a head down position.

Non-medical Methods

Tilt Positions.

These are probably the most frequently heard about. You can do it the easy way and use an ironing board lying on the couch. Place your feet up and your head down. The theory behind these is that your baby's head, the heaviest part of his or her body, will disengage from the pelvis and baby will turn head down. It's generally recommended to do this 20 minutes a day until baby turns. Some women report dizziness from being in this position. Always discuss this or any other exercise with your midwife or doctor.

Light/Music.

The use of light or music directly at your pubic bone is to encourage the baby to come towards the light or sound. Many women report success with this and this has no side effects. For a nice touch to this you can have your partner talk towards your pubic bone, again to encourage baby to move towards the sound. Do this as often as you like until baby turns head down.

Water.

Some claims state that diving into a pool or simply being in a pool will encourage baby to turn. Again, no real problems noted from being in a pool. Double check about the diving.

Acupuncture.

This has been used along with moxibustion for success in turning breech babies. The biggest difficulty here may be finding someone who practices these techniques.

Chiropractic Care.

Chiropractors skilled in certain techniques may be able to help turn the baby. Check with your local practitioner for more information about the Webster Technique.

Medical Methods

Homeopathy.

Homeopathics, generally pusatilla, have been used for centuries in assistance in turning a breech baby. However, speaking to a knowledge practitioner is a must when trying to use this to help turn the baby.

External Cephalic Version (ECV).

External version is generally done around 37 weeks. To be a candidate one must have adequate amounts of amniotic fluid to cushion the baby. The most common way to see this performed is in a hospital with fetal monitoring, ultrasound, and many times IV medications to relax the uterus. Performed prior to 37 weeks and you run the risk of premature labor and many babies may have turned on their own. The biggest risk to the ECV is separation of the placenta which rarely occurs mostly due to the guidance of the ultrasound. There are also potential complications with cord involvement. Recent studies show that epidural anesthesia may actually increase the success rates of external version, which are stated to be between 65-70 in an experienced practitioner.

Still Breech?

Say you've tried all of these and your baby is still breech. What does this mean?

There is actually a lot of misinformation about the mode of birth for breech babies. Many people will tell you that the only method of delivery that is safe is an elective cesarean. This is absolutely not true. Many of the problems that were once thought to be caused by the vaginal breech birth where not actually caused by the birth but by something prior to the birth. About 50 of all breech babies are currently being born vaginally (though this statistic varies drastically from practice to practice). Many criteria have to be met prior to considering a vaginal birth for a breech baby, though even the experts disagree on what they should all be. Generally speaking your chances of delivering a healthy breech baby vaginally increase with the following:

Baby is frank breech (feet straight up).

You've had baby(ies) vaginally prior to this birth.

Baby is not thought to be excessively large.

You have no pelvic or uterine anomalies.

Some breech babies are generally better off being born by cesarean. Only your practitioner can help you determine if your baby is one of them. This would also not mean that all of your subsequent babies would be breech or necessarily be born via cesarean section

Answer 2

Look into acupuncture, sounds crazy...but it worked for my sis-in-law.

Answer 3

I have not gone through this.. but as far as i know the chances the baby will turn is slim to none.. but there is always that possibility! I would not worry because as long as your baby comes into this world safe and sound it doesn't matter right? A c- section is scary, but so is a natural birth either way its a scary experience. He may still turn so dont give up hope and you can still dilated. Your only 37 weeks pregnant that leave you with 3 weeks maybe. LOL. I am due in 2 days and well i was only 1 1/2 cm dilated and 80 percent effaced and today lost my mucus plug so i take it i dilated more? Who knows. thats the thing that sucks. YOU NEVER KNOW!! Good Luck and dont stress out!  

Answer 4

I hate it when people have a few more weeks to go, and the docs start scaring them with talks of c-section!

Case in point - on this last pregnancy I had, on the day I delivered, the first child was breech in the AM.  By 9PM, he was head down and halfway out the door.

Besides which, if you don't dilate naturally, they can still induce labor without resorting to a c-section.  You still have options.

Mind you - I still had c-sections on both my pregnancies.  The first was performed after 28 hours of unproductive labor.  The second was performed because I was actually carrying triplets.  Although I desperately wanted a natural delivery at least ONCE (including no drugs), I am now a firm believer that c-sections are not as scary as many people think they are.

Answer 5

Please, don't worry.

Don't let your obstetrician intimidate you. You're not supposed to be dilated at 37 weeks. Some women don't start dilating until they are in established labour, others start dilating days or even weeks before (especially if it isn't the first baby). The cervix can dilate quite suddenly, or it can happen gradually. Everyone is different, these things don't happen according to schedule.

As for the breech issue there is a chance your baby may yet turn. Especially if you give him/her a helping hand. Here are a few things you can try to encourage this:

- swimming

- walking

- yoga (only if you've been practicing regularly throughout the pregnancy)

- acupuncture/acupressure (very effective!)

- kinesiology

- heat therapy, place a hot water bottle or heat pack on your lower abdomen and a cold pack on your upper abdomen to encourage baby to turn away from the unpleasant cold sensation

- play pleasant music or sounds (like a bell or fathers voice) between your knees. Some babies will turn to hear the interesting sound better.

- lying on your back with your hips raised for a few minutes then slowly get up on all fours and crawl around for a few minutes.

- an external version. This must be done only by a qualified midwife or doctor.

Failing all that, if baby is still breach, you don't need to have a c-section unless baby is in a transverse/shoulder presentation (lying sideways across the cervix, which is physically impossible to birth) or if the cord is prolapsed or the baby's head is facing the wrong direction (looking up towards your head) this is where c-sections are a godsend.

Many, many women have given birth naturally and safely to babies in the breech position. See the sources below for more info.

Good luck and happy birthing!

Answer 6

Similiar situation with my mother. When she was about to have a c-section at that very moment, the baby turn. She was able to give a natural birth.

Just keep your hopes up.