ECV

Ok am bumping this as I've just come back from mw and baby girl is breech  

She said we've got 4 weeks for her to turn on her own, then we'll have a scan to see what's happening and if she's still breech then, we'll try acupuncture & ECV before booking in for a c-section at 38 weeks.

Is there anything I can do to try and help this baby turn before then? Does ECV hurt adn excuse my ignorance but how do they do it?!

I've read through this thread adn it doesn't sound like it helped in the majority of cases, or am I wrong?

REALLY don't want a c-section but my mw won't birth a breech and she said only 1 obstertrician in Wellington would even try and certain conditions had to be met first.

TIA

check out the spinning babies website - there is some great info on there... and dont panic!

oh and because it is your second child i think that the ECV would be easier on your body and possibly more chance of success. They basically just rotate baby with their hands by manipulating the outside of your tummy - having a scan to see where everything is first though.

Edited by Bizzy

38 weeks!!! Addie was 39 weeks 3 days when she turned - give bubs a chance You're only 31 weeks anyway, there's heaps of time.

You could compromise - a midwife suggested if Addie was still breech when I went into labour I could ask them to give me an epidural, prep me for theatre, then give the ECV a good go (more of a go than they would have without an epi, as I've heard that yes, it does hurt), and if that didn't work then they could go ahead and do the c section (and if it did they could wheel me back out and I'd try to push her out). I was all prepared to try that, I wouldn't have signed c section consent form until after they'd given ECV a go.

See if you can find a Bowen therapist down there, that's what worked for me (although it doesn't always work, ask AzzaNZ, my therapist reckoned they can turn something like 75% of babies).

Hmmmm I guess you're right weegee, I will talk to my mw about all that. She was emphatic about no way no how would ANYONE even attempt a vaginal breech birth except for this one ob in Wgtn who *might* under the 'right' circumstances.

I dont care about scars or the surgery etc...I care that I'm still BF Clodagh and the logistics of looking after her and continuing to tandem feed on my own once DF goes back to work are a bit mind boggling if I've been laid up after a c-section IYKWIM?

Try swimming. This one was breech and I go swimming and its worked at getting him to turn. You could go in the evening (so that you don't have to take clodagh) and just use a flutterboard to kick around with if you aren't into doing swimming.

Emmecat - I had 3 ECVs (2 on one day about 37 weeks and tried a 3rd one i think at 38+4)


and yup swimming is a good idea too. Breaststroke apparently lol. i cant do breastroke at the best of times lol.

Emmecat - I'm 37 weeks and still breech but hoping to turn!
I have given birth vaginally to first son (19 years ago!) so really expected to do so this time to. I want to avoid C section if I can and my mw was confident we could try a V birth if this one is a bum or knee breech.
However today she told me that the hospital (Welington) are not very hapy to delver a breech full stop uness by c section as it is becoming a 'lost skill'. Very disapointing.
So tonight I went for my first accupuncure session and had moxa stick also. Have been given a stick for home use too. Hoping I will have him turn by himself before scan and appointment at hospital on monday.
You still have stacks of time left to turn so good luck! I will send you lots of turning vibes :)

heaf3, its not painful, more uncomfortable.

If it follows how mine went you'll go in, meet the OB and they'll scan to check baby. They'll discuss the procedure and whether or not they are willing to do it.

Then you'll get on a hospital bed, move clothes away from your bump and they will put velcro straps around your bump with a monitor so they can keep an eye on babies heartbeat.

You'll be given a mask to breathe in a muscle relaxant.

Then the OB will check the heartbeat and all is ok, cover your bump in ultrasound gel and use her hands to try push baby around.

For me it was a lot of pressure and I ended up holding my breath while she was doing it because it felt almost like I was being sat on.

My ECV worked, baby turned head down with a very loud "crack". BUT... it turns out his cord wasnt in the best position and when he turned he also engaged and the cord got caught in between his head and my pelvis so he was born 10 minutes later by emergency c-section.

The only thing I would have done differently if we were doing it again would be to book the ECV for after 37 weeks. I feel bad that my little boy was born earlier than he should have been!

Red i want a scenario like your friend lol.

thanks for that Azza. did they not check where the cord was on the scan before they did yours or had it moved?

well I'm booked in for next friday so hopefully bubs turns around before then!