Baby flipped to transverse at 39 weeks and now OB wants to schedule c-section without trying ECV

[jsch]

@simondarok Not all of our OBs do it, especially not the newer ones unless they're older partner assists. So I think experience does play a role. Also, all pts get a epidural. If they're more comfortable, I think it's more successful. They will not do it for super big babies, though we know scans are not super accurate.

 

[simondarok]

@jsch Thanks for sharing!

 

[jsch]

@simondarok No problem! Our unit Definitely is not the best but when they do ecv, they do well lol. And in emergencies, we do well. So I guess that's something

 

[travis66]

@jsch That's amazing. The doctor who did mine (successfully!) had a 50% success rate and told me that was standard.

ETA: my cutoff was the 37th week

 

[thiata61]

@jsch Do they have a cutoff for how many weeks?

 

[jsch]

@thiata61 It's doctor specific, but our hospital doesn't have a policy stating so. I have seen them done at 39 weeks but more often its 38.

 

[iloveservetus]

@cathyhlikesflowers This was me at 38 weeks (turned breech and no ECV option). I cried when they told me I would have to have a c-section. I was working with a doula and was set on a natural unmedicated birth. I was fairly hysterical (not my finest moment) and only calmed down when they told me they would do an ultrasound just before the surgery and if he was back in position, they’d send me home.

I spent literally every waking moment between that moment and the day of the surgery trying to get that baby to turn back around. Spinning Babies, chiropractor every other day (including on Christmas, bless her), everything. In the end his head was up under my ribcage and that was that.

In retrospect I wish I would have learned more about c-sections during my birthing class. I didn’t really understand how sometimes things happen that we don’t have control over. I had to do a crash course and learned that I would still be able to do a lot of the things I wanted to do (skin to skin etc.). I was really lucky- my recovery was hard for me but the entire birth itself went smoothly and I don’t think my son suffered any negative impacts from it. Suffice to say my fears about the c-section were mostly unfounded (but again, I know I’m lucky).

You do what you need to do but honestly I wish I would have spent more time in the final days accepting our fate and resting and less time fighting it upside down on my couch. No matter what happens good luck to you and hope your little one makes it here safe and sound.

 

[cathyhlikesflowers]

@iloveservetus Thank you! I’m glad it went smoothly for you! We are definitely reading up on c-section planning now as well, to your point, but also still hoping we can avoid if possible

 

[katrina2017]

@cathyhlikesflowers I’m so sorry you (and your baby!) are in this position. A C-section is not ideal, but don’t let it ruin what is happening. I had one after 15 hours of active labor because of an emergency. I let it ruin my son’s birth because I viewed myself as a failure. I wasn’t a failure. I was a woman that was lucky to have her baby in modern times. I was depressed for a long time because I thought my C-section was unnatural and my scar was a sign that I was a bad mother. BUT that was all in my head. Having us both healthy and safe WAS the best choice. It took me a long time to accept that. I spent time dwelling on what went wrong instead of enjoying what I had.

My point/advice: A peaceful birth is way better than a traumatic one.

I hope you and your doctor are able work together! I’m sorry your birth plan changed :-/

 

[bonniebee2011]

@katrina2017 I felt like a total failure after having my first. I went home feeling like the most useless mother in the world. Couldn’t even get her out myself without help. I beat myself up for a long time about it but my son was born 17 months later with no medication and no “help”. And it wasn’t as if I was desperately pushing for no medication. I just didn’t need it at the time.

It really made me feel differently about the birthing experience. Sometimes you need help and medication and sometimes you don’t. I’m not a better mother to my son because I birthed him “naturally”. And actually now they’re grown up, nobody ever asks how they were born and you certainly can’t tell.

We put so much emphasis on what we do for them as babies and it feels like every decision we make is going to have a huge impact on their lives but it’s so much more simple than that… feed them, clothe them, interact with them and love them and they’ll be just fine.

 

[katrina2017]

@bonniebee2011 Yes!!! Well put.

 

[katrina2017]

@cathyhlikesflowers C-sections aren’t that bad and imo vaginal birth has nothing to do with being “granola” its lifesaving medicine and birth plans are only useful if you get really lucky.

 

[rda]

@cathyhlikesflowers I'm 3 weeks postpartum with an unplanned C-section (baby wasn't breech, head was cephalic but the shoulders were in an odd position?), he ended up 9 lbs. He had meconium in the amniotic fluid after I was pushing for a few hours). It was pretty stressful because it ended up a busy day, so I had to wait for the other C-section to be complete (I guess theirs was a bigger emergency). Thankfully he didn't aspirate, but I had some guilt over it.

Anyway, the recovery hasn't been that bad! It also didn't impact my breastfeeding success at all. My skin-to-skin time was iffy, but my body was so exhausted after 24+ hours of labor that I was shaking badly (not the fault of the c-section).

I would read up on C-sections and your options at your hospital if you end up going that route. I was so convinced I wouldn't need one that I skipped the C-section part of my Hypnobirthing book, and it might have been helpful.

 

[cathyhlikesflowers]

@rda I’m glad you’ve been recovering well! And we are just now reading c section options, and wishing I could get a refund on my hypnobirthing books-hah! But really glad to have as much info as possible preparing for this birth.

 

[diana4jesus]

@cathyhlikesflowers I’m happy to tell you about my experience too. I was so scared while I was waiting, and it was honestly a breeze. The recovery wasn’t a walk in the park, but wasn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. With planned c sections, typically the recovery is easier because you didn’t also labour.

 

[katrina2017]

@cathyhlikesflowers If I were you I would talk to your doctors and learn more of the risks of waiting and any other options. While it’s a huge disappointment to not be able to give birth the way you want and planned remember that the most important thing is that you and your baby are safe and well cared for(trust me it was looking like I could need an unplanned c-section before I was induced, then it looked like I would require assistance after my baby was stuck for hours). I ended up sustaining some injuries that are still healing 7+ months out in labor and I realized over time that not getting an ideal birth was okay. I did an unmedicated birth and mostly followed my plan but it may have been wiser to do a c-section, I am not sure if I will have another child but if I do, I will likely look hard at each option for birth just as I did the first time. I look back on all of my difficult complicated labor very positively because I got my baby and he is perfect. So, while I don’t have medical advice I do want to encourage you that you can have a very positive experience regardless of how difficult/unplanned labor turns out to be.

 

[anilo]

@cathyhlikesflowers Personally, I would listen to the doctor and do whatever it takes to ensure the baby is delivered safely with minimal risk to either of you.

I know it’s disappointing for things not to go as planned, but at the end of the day, the health of both you and the baby is most important.

 

[hedowns]

@anilo I feel like “just listen to your doctor” is a pretty disempowering recommendation. Everyone should have fully informed consent before agreeing to a recommended plan of action, and doctors with a preference definitely don’t always do that. BRAIN is a great acronym for structuring consent conversations:

• Benefits: In this case what is the benefit of the c-section and what are the benefits of trying an ECV first.
  
• Risks: What are the risks of a c-section (push for the info beyond the basic you could get an infection at the surgical site—a lot of doctors gloss over the full risks) and the risks of an ECV at 39 weeks.
  
• Alternatives: lt seems like c-section and ECV are the two obvious paths, but what else, or what variants might you have not considered? Even seeking a second opinion from a different doctor could be a good way to approach this part of the conversation.
  
• Intuition: OP’s gut is clearly leaning away from c-section, but maybe that would change with more info, or more transparent info.
  
• Nothing/Not now: The timelines for decision making are short here, but there could be an option to delay beyond Monday to get a second opinion, for example.

 

[katrina2017]

@hedowns Yes!! If you do decide a C-Section is the path for you then how can you make that as supportive and aligned with your values as possible (things to consider requesting: maternal lead C-Section, immediate skin-skin, a clear drape, delayed cord clamping, choosing the OR music)

It sounds unfair to me that an OB is saying the ECV is “too risky” they need to provide the context + allow OP to decide what’s an acceptable risk.