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Ok...so when babies are transverse/breech/oblique....

I'm missing a trick here. Can someone help me see whats what.

When people have babies that are laying transverse, breech or oblique, they have a scan etc to check position of baby, if appropriate an ECV is offered. If ECV is successful or if baby turns naturally on its own great problem solved BUT....how do they know when you go in to labour possibly a week or two later, that the baby hasn't turned back in to an undesirable position???

I only ask as I am currently carrying oblique. Everyone has told me not to worry as baby still has loads of time to move, which is true. However it seems that this would also mean he has time to turn back to oblique....which is a major problem should my waters go?

So how do they know....is baby's movement monitored more closely if you have had anything other than a normal head down baby??

Replies

  • I went today for an ecv to be told that baby has turned naturally.. The doctor said there was little chance of it turning back into breech but that when I went into labour they would obviously be aware from my notes and take extra precautions in case...

  • I think if baby moves head down in late pregnancy, either after ECV or naturally it's unlikely to then move again as there is very little room for it to move.

    Also once it's head down it can engage which helps to 'lock' the position.

    I was breech at 34 weeks, head down by 35 weeks and other than normal MW apps wasn't checked any more regularly after that.

    No medic of course but that's how I understand it!

    Also, you'd feel baby move / turn in late pregnancy so you could tell midwife if concerned it had moved back.

  • When I was carrying C he was transverse until the bitter end then when they scanned me he had moved naturally, and didn't move out again. I guess I'm just worried with this one as the implications of my waters going (which they did first with C's labour) are quite severe. As I understand it, there is a risk of cord prolapse if you are oblique and your waters just go. Contractions are fine, its just if your waters go. I think I am over thinking this all..... eeeekkkkkk!!!

  • I've had a similar experience to Hepburn so far (am just over 37 weeks). Baby turned itself at 35 weeks (ish) and was head down still and 1/5 engaged at my MW apt last week. MW said they are very unlikely to turn back now - partly as it's started to engage and partly because after 36 weeks there is very, very little room for it to do such a big move. I'm not having any more checks because of it, but if it does turn back, that will be picked up at my usual MW appointments, and I'll then be scanned I assume and probably booked in for a C-section.

    I feel pretty confident that it won't though, and I feel baby hiccough a lot which reassures me that its head is still down. Plus the fact I am now peeing every hour throughout the night!

    Good luck, hope your bambino finds its way soon.

  • I think once the head engages it doesn't come out again? That was my understanding anyway x

  • As I understand it, the head can pop in and out, especially with second babies. Engagement doesn't mean it's totally locked in place bit it's unlikely to turn I think.

  • I went into labour with oblique baby and they scanned me with a portable scanner, the mw checked posituon before the consultabt got there with the scanner, When I was induced with L he was head down, mw also checked position.

    I was told different in that subsequent babies move around more freely in future pregnancies and when Isaac was breech was told he'd likely move to head down at some point. He didnt he moved transverse.

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