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Please help me to decide.....ECV or C sect

Hi ladies,
I hope everyone's doing ok. We moved house on the weekend and I dont have Internet at the new house yet, i am writing this on my phone so I'll keep it brief.

So here's the deal......bubba is breech, ive been offered the ECV, where they try to manipulate the baby to turn, which can be done tmrw but there's a very small chance I'd need an emergency c sec if the baby was too stressed. Our other option is to book an elective c sec. I've asked sooooo many people their advice and it's a 50/50 split at the mo. I'm quite happy to have a c sec and hubs really isn't keen on our baby being "man handled" during the ECV, he's paranoid they'll hurt the baby.
So what do I do? I've heard lots of other peoples experiences but notamy from people who've actually tried the ECV. If anyone has any advice please reply asap as the hospital are phoning me sometime this morning for a decision!!
Aaaaaaargh........... I'm torn!
Km x
37+4

Replies

  • I have not had either but I did have a few days where we thought my DD might have been breech and were waiting for a scan. If she had been breech (which she wasn't) I would have gone for the ECV. But could they not do a vaginal breech? I would have pushed for that too

    Have you heard of moxibustion? It might be worth a try as I have heard midwives say it is actually more effective that the ECV. The NHS don't offer it though because it is "alternative" so you will have to have a search around for a practitioner. I believe it involves holding lit herbs near the bottoms of your feet

    Good luck xxx
  • I had Ecv done last week. It didnt work, but I think she s flipped now head down herself (little madam). Tell your hubby that they DONT manhandle the baby. It is not a very comfortable thing for the mum, but the baby is fine! What they do is just kinda hold the baby firmly by head and butt through the belly and wait for the baby to kick - when the baby kicks it can make him/her do a sommersult (sp?). But the baby is not FORCED. Mine had the butt 1/5 engaged in my pelvis, and the consultunt coudnt get a good grip of it. It was uncomfortable for me where the consultunt held the head, as it needs to be a firm hold so my skin is basically squeezed between the baby's hard head and consultant's hand. The spots felt slightly sore the next day, but no bruising or anything like that.

    I also had the moxibustion done last week. (they burn little herb things on your pinky toe, I kinda liked it lol).

    But oh well, they booked me in for a csec for 1st of oct. But I think the next day after the Ecv she flipped herself ... (when I d already been all yay cause will meet baby soon!). I think probably a mixture of the moxibustion and Ecv made her flip - kinda pointed her in the right direction - as she had been breech since 20!!! week scan! And had not flipped head down even once!

    I shall know for sure tomorrow if she has turned as I am not 100% of her exact position, but she defo does not have head head between my ribs anymore. (got midwife tomorrow)

    In a way I shall be slightly gutted if she has turned and I dont have the csection. It means we potentially have to wait another 4 weeks to meet her, if she decides to go 2 weeks over due date lol! (also it was easier for me with a set date to find someone to watch our toddler).

    Oh well! Babies are tricky little creatures!

    Hope you decide what is right for you! But the Ecv really isnt that bad!

    Edite 38 weeks today xx
  • I've never had either, but I think I would go for the EVC. It is MUCH safer than a breech vaginal birth, and much easier for you than a c-sec (which takes a long time to recover from - making it hard to pick up your baby, leave the house, and can effect breastfeeding etc).

    Good luck with it all.
  • Thanks for your replies, I've been advised that baby is too big to turn naturally so think maybe moxibustion is out of the question now. I've spoken to friends who've had ECV and c sections and one friend said she recovered quicker after the c sec than she did after a natural birth, due up a 3rd degree tear. I know everyone's experience is different which is why it's such a difficult one to make.
    Breech birth hasn't really been mentioned, if anything I've been swayed away from it, my midwife said there aren't that many consultants experienced with breech births.
    Foxoo I read your post about it last week with interest as I knew it was going to be a possibility for me. I think maybe I'll give it a shot. One minute I'm swaying towards doing it and then I'll read something that'll away me the other way!

    [Modified by: Koukla Moo on September 23, 2010 09:10 AM]

  • hi, probably not a great deal of help, but, i'm 29+0 and baby is breech atm (although plenty of time to turn yet) so this thought has crossed my mind too...however i'm having vbac this time, so really a breech vbac is out of the question and as it's taken me a fairly long time to decide between vbac or elective c sec this time and i'm still not 100% confident in vbac, if baby is still breech at 36+ weeks i won't be opting for the ecv and will just have an elective c section, but that is based on my own previous experience of birth/c sections, and i'm not entirely sure how safe an ecv is on a vbac lady (not usre if it has an effect on the scar and scar weakness etc??)....had i not already had a c section i would probably opt for the ecv though or a breech vaginal birth (i know its not done often, but it is still done, but maybe i'm swayed that way because i know someone personally who has had a breech vaginal birth, at home!)

    whatever the decision, it is only urs to make and i hope it all goes smoothly which ever route u choose xx
  • Hun,

    I have no experience of breech babies as mine has been head down always, however my initial gut feel on reading this post if it was me, would be to opt for the elective c - section.

    Good luck whatever you decide.

    Dugs 35+4 x x x
  • my daughter was found to be breech at 36 wks and i was offered an ecv. i opted for that but when they scanned me before it she had turned head down on her own!! not much help but i would have at least tried the ecv first. a vaginal birth was important to me tho so it depends what your happy with. good luck!
  • i think both of them have their pro's and cons like most things really.
    my own personal experience is that my daughter was breech but they called it footling breech which meant that the position she was in was like she was almost standing in my pelvis lol ... so the consultant was very honest and said that this type of position breech is harder for a successful ECV. they inject the uterus to relax things and then very carefully perform the procedure. i would've needed an extra anti-d injection, because i'm rhesus neg they do this just in case.

    soooo when i was there making the decision (my OH was the same as yours btw) the consultant was great she didnt try to sway me either way and she gave me all the facts. she even told me that i could deliver my daughter breech if i wanted to but the risks are higher and there are less medical professionals now who specialise in this delivery as it is seldom recommended and done.
    i was really scared at the thought of the ECV, dont ask me why because i know that it's not dangerous but i just was, I remember being panicky about it so took the decision for the c-sect and felt more comfortable with my decision.

    had the c-sect and i was suprised at how good my recovery was going, ok the first night is the worst because you have tubes and catherter etc so you will need help from the nurses to get to your baby but from then once all that is taken off you things get alot better ... now ofcourse not everyone is the same ok, some people heal quicker than others so i dont wish to say that YOU WILL or WILL NOT and certainly dont want to tell you how you will feel

    ok anyway so after my c-sect my milk was delayed a couple of days so my little girl was getting what she could from me and then formula top ups.
    after a week or so apart of me did wish i had tried the ecv to try for vaginal birth but then i made myself remember how i felt and reminded myself that it's just the way things go sometimes and my daughter is here safe thats the main thing. 7 weeks on and i am really pleased.

    ok one last thing, if you do go for the ecv and they begin to do it and you right then and there feel its not right YOU CAN tell them to stop and they should respect your wishes and do so.

    ok so there's my take on it, not so much advice but i hope this helps you anyway hun
    it is a difficult decision but whatever you feel is right will be ok

    xx image
  • Ok, so we've decided to go ahead with the ECV tmrw, I'm booked in at 9am. Thanks everyone for all your advice, I really was undecided and everyone's advice really really helped. It's such a personal choice but I feel that at least if it doesn't work we've given it a try. You guys really don't realise how much your advice has helped. Hubby has just walked in so I'm going to read all your replies to him now. Thank you and wish me luck for tmrw x
  • Thanks for the msgs girls. ECV didn't work, it wasn't that bad......it was bloody uncomfortable but I would try it again in a future pregnancy if I thought it'd help. The consultant only tried it for 5 mins but bubba wasn't budging! Lol.
    So.......we're bkd in for a Caesarean section on Oct 5th, omfg!!!!
    I'm soooooo excited.
  • Ooooh how exciting! xxxx
  • aww, shame it didn't work, but how exciting that u've got a date for meeting ur baby! all the best xx
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