Fit, Fabulous, & Pregnant!

Join

Frank breech baby

smte
smte Posts: 89 Member
in Social Groups
So I was told a couple of weeks ago that my baby is breech. Not a big deal b/c I am having a c-section anyways. Then, a couple of days ago I had another u/s where they told me the baby was frank breech. I had no idea what that meant - for those of you that dont, the baby is butt-down and legs up by it's head. Basically, the baby is folded in half.

I am kind of freaking out - I kept thinking about what that means for the baby. Is it going to be able to stretch it's legs out after delivery? Are the legs "stuck" like that? Then, I probably made this mistake of googling it - there a some horrifying pics of the baby being born, laying on the table with it's legs up by its head :( I read that it could take around 3 days for the baby to "learn" how to move it's legs down.

Anyone have a frank breech baby? Is that really the way it is, or did I just happen to find the most horrific picture out there?

Replies

  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    The Internet can be a terrible, terrible thing. I have convinced myself multiple times that I am dying by using Google to look up something.

    I looked it up, and there are some pretty bad pictures. I did find a few, though, where the baby was full-term and otherwise normal, that the baby's legs stuck out, but there were no lasting effects.

    Honestly, I would ask your OB and/or your baby's pediatrician (if you know who that will be) about it. While it may cause a temporary issue, it doesn't look like there are lasting effects.

    I'm sorry you are dealing with this, though. I know it's hard not to freak out.
  • seri4508
    seri4508 Posts: 11 Member
    My daughter was frank breech and she never had any problems moving her legs. She was in the postision from the time I was 32 weeks and never moved!
  • sdke
    sdke Posts: 3
    My baby was frank breech at my 35 week ultrasound. She later moved to complete breech, then footling breech. I had a scheduled c-section because of her position. She kept her legs raised in the air quite often, it was comfortable for her. Over time, she got more and more used to them laying flat. The nurses all knew she was breech from how she flung her feet up in the air in the hospital. She would often end up sleeping on her side because she'd lift her legs and then turn as she brought them back down. The pediatrician checked out her hips the first few visits, to make sure they wouldn't pop out (dislocate) easily. He offered to do an ultrasound of her hips to be sure, but we didn't feel it was necessary. She was fine and continues to be fine. She's crawling like crazy at 6 months and is working on standing.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    All babies are scrunched up in the uterus whether they're breech or not. There *is* I think a risk of hip issues but they will check for that after the baby is born. My older brother was actually born frank breech (vaginal birth, 35 years ago) and had no issues whatsoever. And even if baby is born and doesn't want to un-scrunch for a few days, that's the position they're used to being in so it shouldn't be causing them any discomfort while their limbs learn it's okay to stretch out. Don't let it freak you out. Babies are born breech all the time. :-)
  • smte
    smte Posts: 89 Member
    Well, thank you all for making me feel better. The baby has been in this position for awhile...every u/s I've had, the legs have been up by it's face/head. I just didnt think anything of it until the doc's said 'frank breech.' Even if it does have it's legs up by it's head when he/she is born, I know that that is their comfortable fetal position and everything will be fine. I did read that an u/s will be done to check it's hip bones shortly after birth, but we will just see what happens. Maybe he/she will be so ready to stretch out that there wont be any issues at all! And, as long as my baby is healthy, that's what is most important...the legs will work their way down!

Categories