Need advice on breech/cesarean/expectation/delivery

ldrosophila
ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
I'm 30 weeks today and she is still breech. Doctor is already talking to me about scheduling a cesarean. Does this seem a little early? Should this raise red flags to me about my practitioner? I've scheduled an appointment to talk to a nurse practitioner I trust on Monday, but I just wanted all of your opinions. If I do have to get a cesarean do you think it could cause a problem with implantation on future pregnancies...if I'm fortunate to have another baby?

Stories, advice appreciated.

Replies

  • momRN2B
    momRN2B Posts: 247 Member
    30 weeks is early. Not all babies are in position at that point. I would wait another 6-8 weeks before becoming concerned and considering a c-section. You dont want major abdominal surgery unless its absolutely necessary.
  • kcasey155
    kcasey155 Posts: 968 Member
    My first was breech and I had him normally. Is there a good reason why you would need a c-section? 30 weeks is very early, maybe he wanted to plant the idea early for you to get used to it. I wouldn't seriously worry about it until you get to 36 weeks. Even then lots of babies do turn in the last couple of weeks.
  • miranda_mom
    miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
    I also think 30 weeks is early. I don't think it will cause problems with future pregnancies but C-sections are more difficult to recover from so I would only do it if absolutely necessary.
  • her4g63
    her4g63 Posts: 284 Member
    My first daughter was breech up until the middle of the 39th week and she turned on her own (holy. painful.). I agree with the others that 30 weeks is pretty early.
  • lisapr123
    lisapr123 Posts: 863 Member
    I'd ask the OB if it's a final deal at that point, once it's scheduled. My OB mentioned very early that if the baby was breech at 28-30 weeks he schedules the C-section, but it often gets cancelled. His standard practice is ultrasounds in the couple weeks leading up to the expected C-section date, and another one immediately prior to the procedure. If baby has moved, he doesn't go thru with it.

    He said it's not always easy to book the rooms for C-sections (we live in an area with a LOT of elective C-sections) so he does it early so he can do it when he and his surgical partner are "at their best" for surgery. So I'd check his/her motivations behind it, and find out of it's a done deal once it's booked.
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
    2 stories: both happened to my sister - same sister.
    First baby, breech. Doctor was very concerned. Doctor checked about 6 days before she went into labor and baby was still breech. She went into labor and went to the hospital and they checked again - baby had turned! She says that explained the painful twists and turns that last few days. Doesn't sound comfortable but it happened.
    Second baby, breech. Doctor actually didnt stress it at all this time(different doctor) saying they'd cross that bridge when they got there. She went into labor and baby was still breech, she delivered the baby breech.

    Please avoid a Csection at all costs! I had a Csection with my first and while it doesn't seem to have created any issues at all with getting pregnant again, it is a major road block in the way of my desire to deliver naturally. It just might not ever happen for me now.
  • dandelyon
    dandelyon Posts: 620 Member
    Way early. But check out spinningbabies.org to optimize baby's position.

    This would be a red flag about the OB to me - a large percentage of c-sections are unnecessary and it sounds like this doctor performs a lot.

    As far as problems for future pregnancies, VBAC is hard to come by in my geographic area so having a primary c-section is a very big deal. Also, if your provider is talking c-section without talking about risks like adhesions, placenta previa, and placenta accreta, then that would be another red flag.
  • ashlbubba
    ashlbubba Posts: 224 Member
    I know a woman whose baby was breech and they manually (while in the hospital) turned the baby several weeks before she was due ( because the baby was smaller and there was more room to work) - which she described as painful.. she ended up having a c-section but not because of the baby positioning.

    Another woman I know had her baby turn from a normal position to breech at 39 weeks..

    So I'd get another opinion.

    I've also heard of some chiropractors that are training in breech baby position changing, but I don't know anything else about it.. there's definitely different home remedies that you can try, laying in different positions .. I think it's way too early to give up on that baby turning.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    making the appointment won't commit you to a c section, your doc might just want to get you on the schedule, they are not going to do it if baby turns between now and then. They're not asking you to commit to a c section right now, regardless of what happens in the next two months. Ive never heard of anyone having a c section and having trouble with implanting later - I have never had one though, but with my last baby I had this exacty convo with my Dr, baby ended up turning down fine and i went into labor on my own at 39 weeks
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
    30 weeks is early. Not all babies are in position at that point. I would wait another 6-8 weeks before becoming concerned and considering a c-section. You dont want major abdominal surgery unless its absolutely necessary.
    Exactly might thought. I read that its not a big deal and some down turn until 36 weeks. I would do almost anything (safe) to avoid a c-section. VBAC is also hard to come by in my area. Finally, Ive never heard of a c-section causing future fertility problems.
  • luzmidd
    luzmidd Posts: 154 Member
    I might get a lot of slack for posting this but just so you know... a c sectiin isnt all that bad. I had an emergency c section with a doctor i had never met in a hospital i had never set foot in. I was up 6 hours post op walking around. My baby was born prem so i had no choice, but just to put your mind at ease about c sections, they arent the end of the world, they wont harm future pregnancies, they do limit your options though... in the end, as long as your baby is all right! But you do still have more than 8 weeksto go so your doctor is probably just being cautious and planning ahead.
  • dandelyon
    dandelyon Posts: 620 Member
    I might get a lot of slack for posting this but just so you know... a c sectiin isnt all that bad. I had an emergency c section with a doctor i had never met in a hospital i had never set foot in. I was up 6 hours post op walking around. My baby was born prem so i had no choice, but just to put your mind at ease about c sections, they arent the end of the world, they wont harm future pregnancies, they do limit your options though... in the end, as long as your baby is all right! But you do still have more than 8 weeksto go so your doctor is probably just being cautious and planning ahead.

    I don't think there's anything wrong with you being comfortable with the type of birth you and your baby had. I had a c/s and plenty of my friends have had multiple surgical births. :)

    Factually, it's not correct to say a c section won't harm future pregnancies. ACOG specifically recommends doctors try to avoid primary c-sections because they introduce additional risks to future pregnancies. "Cesarean delivery on maternal request particularly is not recommended for women desiring several children, given that the risks of placenta previa, placenta accreta, and gravid hysterectomy increase with each cesarean delivery." Placenta accreta doesn't have the best mortality rate, either. You'd think a good doctor would be more concerned with getting the baby to turn.
  • mycrazy8splus1
    mycrazy8splus1 Posts: 1,558 Member
    30 weeks is early. You still have lots of time to have the baby turn. I know of a lot of women that have successfully delivered breech babies although they did have trouble finding a doctor that would deliver them. Try to avoid a C-section if you can.
  • lisapr123
    lisapr123 Posts: 863 Member
    I might get a lot of slack for posting this but just so you know... a c sectiin isnt all that bad. I had an emergency c section with a doctor i had never met in a hospital i had never set foot in. I was up 6 hours post op walking around. My baby was born prem so i had no choice, but just to put your mind at ease about c sections, they arent the end of the world, they wont harm future pregnancies, they do limit your options though... in the end, as long as your baby is all right! But you do still have more than 8 weeksto go so your doctor is probably just being cautious and planning ahead.

    No slack from me! I've been talking to a lot of friends lately about their birth stories and NOT ONE has said that they regret a C-section! Most were unplanned....the result of 3+ days of labor and no baby, change in vital signs, etc... They all said what you said--they were up & walking hours later and as long as they walked and kept up on the pain meds they were "fine" within days. One has had an unmedicated birth, an epidural, and a C-section and she said she loved the C-section since they "cleaned everything out" as part of the surgery so she didn't have much bleeding post-partum, whereas she bled for weeks following her vaginal deliveries. Honestly, they have made me feel so much better in regards to a C-section being a real possibility for me.
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
    I might get a lot of slack for posting this but just so you know... a c sectiin isnt all that bad. I had an emergency c section with a doctor i had never met in a hospital i had never set foot in. I was up 6 hours post op walking around. My baby was born prem so i had no choice, but just to put your mind at ease about c sections, they arent the end of the world, they wont harm future pregnancies, they do limit your options though... in the end, as long as your baby is all right! But you do still have more than 8 weeksto go so your doctor is probably just being cautious and planning ahead.

    No slack from me! I've been talking to a lot of friends lately about their birth stories and NOT ONE has said that they regret a C-section! Most were unplanned....the result of 3+ days of labor and no baby, change in vital signs, etc... They all said what you said--they were up & walking hours later and as long as they walked and kept up on the pain meds they were "fine" within days. One has had an unmedicated birth, an epidural, and a C-section and she said she loved the C-section since they "cleaned everything out" as part of the surgery so she didn't have much bleeding post-partum, whereas she bled for weeks following her vaginal deliveries. Honestly, they have made me feel so much better in regards to a C-section being a real possibility for me.

    Not here to give anyone a hard time. Just a "beg to differ."
    I HATED every single second of my Csection experience. I had a 3 day labor, ended in Csection. But, I would love to go back and do anything and everything in my power to have done differently if AT ALL possible. I regret having a Csection. I hate that it means I will probably have another one.
    I was not up hours later. I was still in pain several weeks later. They messed up on my stitches and I have had internal bleeding from them 3 times!
    Very painful and completely takes away from the experience of giving birth. I didnt get to hold my daughter after she was born, my sister did. They had to "clean me up and stitch me up." I didnt even get to hold her until they had moved me floors and to my room. Then, holding her was so hard. Anything touching my stomach hurt!
    Being on all that intense pain med/anesthesia messed with the experience even more. I didnt really feel like myself, barely human. First thing I said when I saw her: "that's not mine, she's cute." Apparently, according to my sister, I said lots of weird things in my sleep when passing out not long after birth.
    I didnt enjoy a single moment of that. I wish it could have been prevented.
  • luzmidd
    luzmidd Posts: 154 Member
    Dont get me wrong, i didnt enjoy it. I was in labor (unmedicated) for 17hours before i had emergency csection. And i couldnt hold my daughter for 4 weeks after birth because she was a micro prem. Im just saying that physically i was fine afterwards. I think if i had to do it all again (if princess stayed in full term) i would have chosen elective c section... i like the idea of being able to pin point plan ahead. Each to his own, every birth carries risk, i hope you and your baby are safe and healthy and you get to have the birth you imagined.