That's exactly how I feel about it muzzy..... if the hospital and the consultant have good success rates then it is better tried than to not try.

Many woman are up fot trying anything at home... bag's of peas, accupuncture.... moxibustion, but at the end of the day, the best place to be when attempting something like this the best place to be is in hospital.

Like muzzy said.... if you do nothing then you WILL have to have a c section and will take alot longer to recover and will also result in a possible c section in further labours.

The chances of complications with an ecv depend on the consultant and how experienced he/she is. But the worst case is that baby will get distressed or your waters will become ruptured... in which case you will go straight for a section. That is why it is done at the earliest 37 weeks.

Like was said do not feel you HAVE to have the ecv, but if you don't, make sure you have people around to help you after the baby. Especially if you have another child to look after as you are not supposed to lift anything more that a few pounds for a while.

If you do not have the ecv and baby stays breech you will have a section, unless the hospital have specially trained staff in breech vaginal birth. In that case if you go into labour you may be delivering a breech baby naturally. I was told that may have been the case if I was unable to have a c section (because of other sections and emergiencies) and if one of the 2 midwifes trained on breech vaginal deliveries was at the hospital.

Sorry must add this.

I also felt that bub was happy where she was.  She had been there for a long time I was breech for 13 weeks. If they think baby is in any distress they will stop.  You are monitored very carefully.  You can also say stop if you are uncomfortable. If it was very risky they would not do it.  There is much more risk for you and baby if you opt for a c section.  Ask your consultant for the risks of both procedures and I think you will c that there are much less with the ecv.  That is what changed my mind and I was dead set on not having the procedure.

Thinking of you.  I know it's a difficult decision.

Just remember the alternative! Yes you can say no to an ecv you don't have to do anything you don't want to, but then if baby does not turn it's a c section and that is major surgery and a much longer recovery.  I was in exactly the same boat as you.  I was really scared of the ecv but had to put things in perspective.  If it dosent work it is a c section anyway but if it does work that means the chance for a natural delivery and quicker recovery.  You really will want to be as fit as poss to take care of your new baby.  C section could mean being much more dependant on people for help for a much longer time (no driving for 6 weeks).

I had baby turned at 38 weeks and did not feel a thing.  I actually had to ask the consultant it baby had really turned as I did not believe her. LOL.

Just make the right decision for you don't be bullied into doing something you don't want to do.  If you can, find out the consultants sucess rate.  I was told some are much better than others it is one of those things people have a nack for.

Good luck.

I won't slate you at all. I will be honest here.

If it was my first baby I probably would have gone straight for a section. As I would have been scared about the ecv.

But my son was only 6 months when I was pregnant again, and when I was due he was only 17 months, so I wanted as little complication as possible and wanted the fasted recovery I could get.

Having a baby by c section would have meant I would really struggle when my chap went back to work especially as my son had literally started walking only 2 weeks before my due date, he was still very dependant upon me.

It is up you you hunni. It is your baby and your body, and only you know how you will cope with having a section.

I can only give advise from my own experiences.

There were three of us at my workplace all due withing 4 weeks of each other! (manager wasn't impressed) One was induced with hight blood pressure, baby delivered with forceps, the other was induced which led to a emergiency c section, and I had a natural labour with no pain releif. And even with the 6 weeks difference in labours (induced early) I recovered the fastest. And was back on my feet while the friend who had her section was still unable to drive.

I just didn't have that option, I needed to be up and about.

As much as I would LOVE another natural birth I really would, I just think he is obviously comfy the way he is (I know people think its a silly excuse) .....

Section scares the hell out of me if I am honest, I was gutted to find him breech, but I just dont want him in any kind of distress (I know they monitor you) give you injections to relax muscles etc........ I just dont think its for me. Some people think its a poor excuse I know and they think I am going to opt for a section as some people think 'its easier' but I can honestly say I am just doing what I think is right for me and baby.

~*awaits people to slate her lol*~

Like you said before kez... I think you are too far gone now anyway, they don't really do them after 38 weeks. 37 weeks is what they aim for... but if you wanted one, they will scan the baby and see if there is enough fluid left around the baby.

I imagine you can, you can say no to all medical treatment.

Is there a reason why you would say no hunni?

Can I just ask can you say NO to a ECV??

Hiya I read into moxibustion and like has been said there are good and bad thing to everything... I even bought the sticks until I found out a nast story where a woma was induced at 36 weeks because the baby had an elevated heart rate after she used mixibustion. I do know that it can cause this as it is the raised heart rate that spurs the baby to 'dance itself about' in your belly and turn head down. When I looked into it m ore I found other stories where the cord was round the baby's neck and that was why baby had been breech and again comlications came out of it.

I am all for the homeopathic remadies but when it comes to something that is quite invasive for the baby I was put off, and I only threw the sticks away after I had the coil fitted 2 months ago.

Needless to say I had the ecv, at the end of the day if you want a natural birth and faster recovery it is best attempting it. Yes there are complications as there are with c sections and vaginal births, but with the ecv it is done at 37 weeks where tha baby is mature enough to be deliverd by c section if needed. And if the only option if you decline is a c section then I would definatly have it done.

I had mine done at 37 weeks. My daughter was a 'over average' baby when born but the ecv was not a problem and they said size does not matter as long as there is enought amniotic fluid the size of the baby is not a problem. The position of the babt can be a problem as sometime the babys legs and bumb can become engaged in the pelvis, in which case the ecv will not be done. However my daughter was 2/5 engaged with her bum in my pelvis and mine was sucessful!!!

I was at hospital from start to finish about 2 1/2 hours. I was monitered for 20 mins... then the Doc came and scanned me to see the position of the baby, he then turned the baby around in less that 4 minutes. It was not painful just slightly uncomfortable, although I know some women have a low pain threshold and may find the feeling different to others.  I was then monitered for another 20 minutes. Then we were brought a cup of tea and a sandwhich. After we had eaten I was scanned again before we left and all was fine.

I had a few extra scans in the last few weeks as baby was 'floating' above the pelvis but I went into labour ar 40 +4 and was in and out of hospital in 7 hours. I went in at 11.00 am and had her at 2.00 that afternoon. No problems at all.

Good luck with the ECV.

I am here if you want any more advise, or just pm me if you want to ask anything else.

You should try moxibustion

My ds was breech at 35 weeks. I tried all the usual ways to make him turn but nothing worked, and i hated the idea of ecv. I found details of moxibustion online and tried it out of desperation. The moxi sticks only cost about £2 from a Chinese herbalist and, although they stink, it was well worth it. I did 2 20 minute sessions and that night in bed i felt and watched my tummy lurch as he turned himself! I had a scan a few days later which confirmed he was head down, and at 39+6 gave birth to him in water at a mw led unit, just the way i had planned

Look it up, it has a 70-80% success rate, and is much less traumatic than ECV

Hi i had one i think at about 36/37 weeks as baby was breech. I didn't like it as it did hurt and the doc didn't manage to turn him so i had a cs at 39 weeks. Having said that I'd do it again as i wanted a natural birth. It didn't last long though. She tried to turn him both ways but he would get so far and then not budge.

Hi I had an ecv at 36+5 with ds and I was really pleased I went for it.  I didn't find it at all painful (although I know others who have found it really bad) and it only took a few minutes (although with monitoring of baby etc the whole process takes a few hours).

And size doesn't matter - as I say, I was 36+5 and ds was born last Saturday on his due date weighing 10lb 4oz so he must have been pretty big 3 weeks before that!!

Hey hun!!

I also have a breech baby, but I havnt had the option of this I think its because I have a big baby and too far gone, I have a scan next week at 38+5 to confirm and then a section will be booked.

I have also heard good and bad things, like everything I suppose!

Good Luck in what you decide to do.

Breech babies seem more common than they say, as a lot of ladies I have spoken too are in the same position!

Kerry 37+2 xxx

hi,

I had an appointment with my consultant today and my baby is still breech at 36+4...so she has booked me in for an ECV next week......however I have heard very very mixed opinions on this and was just wondering if any of you ladies has had one of these...how you found it, etc

Thanks

Lauren

x