These archives contain extracts from discussions held on the UK Midwives and Consumers email list, a discussion group for people interested in midwifery in the UK. Open to midwives, students, mothers, and anyone interested in improving maternity services in UK. Posts in these archives express the views of the individual authors, and not those of the Association of Radical Midwives.
Just thought I'd ask as at work last night and a friend said that his wife was expecting in June. He said that the baby is breech at the moment and 'they'll' be booking her in for a CS if its not turned "because its too much of a risk to deliver normally". I'm no midwife but the woman in question has birthed two babies beautifully with no problems and a few whiffs of gas and air. Surely this is a bit OTT? If it was a first baby would it make a difference? Yours a bit puzzled Ali ............. :o/ .
Dear Ali,
A lot of babies are breech at this stage in the pregnancy. I am sure it
will turn. If not, they need to find a competent person who can assist
them for a vaginal birth. This is possible, but sadly, many of our
colleagues have it in their heads that this is abnormal. It is a
variation of normal I think. I soooo wish that my colleagues would not
frighten women in this way. At 32/weeks, there just is not a problem.
Plenty of time for the baby to turn... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Especially as
she has had two babies before. If the baby does not turn, she needs to
talk to the midwifery people to find her a confident, competent midwife
to assist her. It most probably will.
Debs Purdue
It makes me so mad too! Even if the baby does not turn, a breech birth is possible. Any Trust which cannot provide a competent midwife to attend a breech really should access the vast experience of IM's, many of whom will happily support NHS colleagues with breech births - at home or in hospital. I'd suggest that the couple write to the Supervisor of Midwives, and Chief Exec with this suggestion if the baby remains breech.
Lynn
Problem with this is, defining "competence". At out parent classes last week the breech question came up and I did ask if they no longer attempted vaginal breeches at the hospital, and although the midwife did seem quite for delivering breech vaginally, she said "oh but it needs to be someone experienced cos you need to know the manoeuvre, you have to put your fingers under the baby's chin as its head its born and hold the baby by its legs right up" which from what I have read on the subject (mostly mary cronk's articles) this is the last thing you should be doing!! So is that when it actually becomes dangerous?? Because its all well asking for an experienced m/w but what you don't know is if the trust will send out one like that!!!
Ines
Hi there,
I am 24, living in Rochdale, Gtr Manchester and 33 weeks pregnant with my first baby who is currently lying breech.
I am going for a scan next week to recheck the position of my placenta as it was low - lying at my 20week scan and I have an appointment with the consultant to discuss delivery after this scan as I was/am hoping for a water birth at home. I keep being told that after 34 weeks its unlikely that baby will turn and that they deliver all breech babies by ceasarean section now so if it doesn't turn then thats what will happen.
However, I'm so not happy about this, I still desperately want my baby to be born at home with minimal drugs and/or intervention and just don't believe that c-section is automatically the right choice. I am hoping to find a midwife here who is willing to chat with me about the issues involved, help me find more information and also help me to plan how to argue my case when I see the consultant. I am happy for baby to be born in hospital if it does stay breech but would still want to try for a natural active birth as described in Mary Cronk's article in the AIMS journal. My main worry though is that without an experienced midwife who is confident in natural breech birth that my chance of getting this may be very low.
Does anyone have any information or opinions for me? I would very much appreciate
them as I am struggling with the issue of having a potentially unnecessary section.
Thankyou so much for reading this and thankyou in advance for any help you can
give.
Love Clare.
Dear Clare,
I am a third year midwfery student and have been doing a lot of work on breech
babies in the past year.
At 33 weeks you are in the great position to try moxibustion treatment to turn your baby. Moxibustion is an 'acupuncture' treatment. It uses the heat of a moxa stick to stimulate the acupuncture point next to the nail on your little toe which corresponds with your uterus. This treatment has been used for thousands of years and several researchers have explored its efficacy for turning breech babies. It is a safe, non-interventionalist techniquewith a 78% success rate. It is most effective when performed between week 33-35. Call up some acupuncturists to find out if they do it. They will teach you the technique and supply you with the moxa sticks and you do the treatment yourself at home.
If this ends up being unsuccessful, then you still have the option to have an ECV (external cephalic version), which is a massage technique performed by an obstetrician in hospital. Ask your midwives about it. Two very good chances for turning your baby.
Hope this helps.
Greetings Anja
LW updated July 11, 2004