My baby is frank breech and I will be having an ECV next Tuesday to try to turn him. While I've watched many YouTube videos where mothers look pretty ok during the whole thing, my OB said it can actually be pretty uncomfortable. So I'm hoping someone has had one done and can tell me how painful you thought it was?
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I had a successful ECV done at almost 39 weeks and it wasn't painful or uncomfortable at all! The worst part of it was having an iv put in and the weird feeling that the subutomol / ventolin gave me before they turned LO.
The OB that performed my ECV said that they would stop as soon as I asked them to and that I was in control.
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@Kemma: Thank you for responding! Is the subutomol and ventolin for preventing the uterine contractions? Did they give you anything for pain/anxiety at all? I was also really worried that doing an ECV this late would not be productive, but knowing yours worked at 39 weeks makes me feel SO much better!
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Obviously no experience, but wanted to say good luck!
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@Happygal: Thank you!!
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@marionberry: it is administered to relax the uterus so that baby is easier to turn and I didn't have any meds for pain or anxiety.
My philosophy was that without the ECV a c-section was my only option, at least if I did the ECV I at least had a shot at a vaginal delivery!
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@Kemma: That's exactly why I'm doing it! I'd like to at least try for a vaginal delivery and if it doesn't work, at least I put in the effort.
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Good luck!!
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@LovelyPlum: Thank you!!
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I had an ECV at 36 or 37 weeks (can't remember). Baby had been head down the week before, but then turned breech. It was a huge surprise to me and the only issue that arose during the pregnancy. My ECV did not work, and it was extremely uncomfortable/painful. I couldn't breathe and I had to close my eyes and try really hard to think of something else while they were pushing. I didn't watch but my DH said they were pushing so hard their muscles were shaking. It turned out that in addition to me having low fluid, my baby's cord was wrapped twice around his neck which prevented him from turning. They tried turning him again immediately before my c-section and after my epi so I couldn't feel it, and that didn't work either. I don't mean to scare you, but it definitely was not painless for me. I hated the c-section recovery, but the ecv was unpleasant and didn't work so I'm not sure if I would do it again. I also tried inversions, putting an ice pack near his head, etc.
good luck. -
@leeenie: This sounds much more like what my OB implied. Were they unable to see the cord and fluid issues via ultrasound before they started? My understanding is they always ultrasound before starting the ECV. At how many weeks did they end up doing the c-section?
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I did get an US before the ECV, but only thing they checked was that baby was still breech (was a cursory check by the doctor and not by an US tech). I asked about the cord possibly being wrapped, and they didn't/wouldn't check. Supposedly cords move all the time and being wrapped doesn't mean they can't turn, or maybe they can't see to that level of detail to determine if the cord will prevent turning. I think they still would have tried the ECV if they had known the low fluid. I didn't know about the low fluid until the detailed US (by an US tech) immediately after the ECV. We didn't know about the cord being wrapped until the baby was born. In retrospect it was kind of scary, especially because they can't monitor the baby while they are doing the ECV, only before and after.
I had the C at 39 and 2. I could have gotten it anytime after 39 weeks, but wanted to let the baby bake longer while hoping I didn't go into early labor. Also, the doctor I wanted was on call that day. If the doctor I wanted were on call later, I think I would have waited until 39/5 or so, but that's only because I didn't think I would have gone into labor earlier (this was my 2nd baby...but it could have been bad if my water had broken and the cord was wrapped around his neck). If you go into labor before your scheduled C, you will just have a C when you get to the hospital, but it's not considered "emergency" unless there are other issues.
Good luck!
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My experience sounds pretty similar to @leeenie. I had an ECV done around 37 weeks I think? It was not at all what I expected. I was in tears about 10 seconds in because I found it so painful and I couldn't understand how it wouldn't hurt the baby to be pushing so hard on my stomach (I was being pretty irrational!) Baby didn't budge at all and I ended up having a planned c-section at almost 40 weeks. I think that if I ended up in the same situation next time, I would pass on the ECV. And I'm definitely not trying to scare you! I just had NO idea what to expect. If someone had told me ahead of time that it would be very uncomfortable, I would have been more mentally prepared. My OB gave me zero information ahead of time, so I thought I was just going in to have them nudge my stomach a bit
I didn't have any IV or anything, just the ultrasound machine going.
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@cookie_dough: @leeenie: Thank you both for sharing your stories. I have heard that they may be very uncomfortable and I'm a bit scared at just how much (especially since I don't have a squishy belly, it's really pretty hard). I'm hoping I'm strong enough to get through the pain so that we can at least try to turn him. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be pretty nervous on Tuesday!
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Good luck!
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Come back and let us know how it goes!
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Yes, definitely let us know how it went! Hoping baby turns for you!
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@blackbird: Thanks!
@leeenie: @cookie_dough: I will make sure to update you both after the ECV on Tuesday! Here's to hoping I'll have something positive to share. -
@leeenie: @cookie_dough: my ecv was unsuccessful. Honestly the most pain I've ever felt and they couldn't get him rotated at all. I feel good knowing I can say I tried but I think I just have way too small a torso and he was too big to budge. I'm now scheduled for my c-section. Thank you for your advice and stories!
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@marionberry: would you be open to trying acupuncture? I've heard that helps babies turn!
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@Ash: I would be open to it but honestly it's not about him being stubborn but literally about being stuck. The doctor couldn't free his head or his butt from my ribs and pelvis. I would really doubt anything will move him at this point. I probably should've tried other alternative methods earlier.
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@marionberry: Understandable!!
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@marionberry: Awww, I'm sorry that it wasn't successful and that it was so painful
But as you said, at least you can rest easy knowing that you tried! Hoping that everything goes well with your scheduled c-section!
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@marionberry - sorry it didn't work and that it was so painful. Good luck with the c-section. The benefit (hopefully) is that you won't have to feel labor pains (which were worse than the Ecv to me). I won't lie, the c-section recovery was hard, but I feel mostly normal again a few months later. I wish you the best!
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Good luck!! And hi, stranger!
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@cookie_dough: @leeenie: Thanks so much! It's nice to know you think that labor felt worse and that the c-section recovery isn't too bad.
@jojogirl: hey missie! Missed you! I'm about to join your world of parenting. I will be back to asking for lots of advice again!
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@marionberry: Yay!!
Am happy to offer any, not that I know what I am doing -
I'm sorry it didn't work, but you know you tried everything you could! And it's exciting to know the date you'll be holding your new baby boy
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@JoJoGirl: I don't think any parent ever knows what they're doing but I guarantee you know more than I do at this point!
@grizz: Yes I am excited to know exactly when he's coming and the one thing I hadn't thought about is now I get to know exactly what to pack, specifically for a c-section versus trying to cover the bases of both a c-section and vaginal delivery.
But as you said, at least you can rest easy knowing that you tried! Hoping that everything goes well with your scheduled c-section!
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