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I didn't have the option in my area, but I wouldn't have done it, anyways. As much as I was terrified of the c-section and felt cheated out of the birth I always imagined, there's no way I would have attempted pushing out a baby folded in half, had he been frank. My son was footling, though, and the risk for that would have scared me out of any attempt. I know I'd feel the safest way for us would be the c-section I ended up with.
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I don't know it it's even an option here, so I would have to do a heck of a lot more research on the topic to take the risks more into account.
Just judging by the medical professionals here on the board, it doesn't sound like something I would do, as they see births on a regular basis, I do not. My only goal out of birth is a healthy baby and mama, not to give birth according to any particular plan.
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@MsMini: those and vaginal multiples. One of the worst outcomes I ever saw was vaginal twins. B was not good! And mom did not fare well either.
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Nope.
I'm always worried about the worst-case scenarios (I work in an ICU so that's sort of what we see). I wouldn't take the risk.
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I wouldn't.
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Nope. Before I had my daughter I might have said yes. Now I know how much I would lose, and I would do anything to avoid that loss. The risks are too high for me to want to try.
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Having a c-section is definitely one of my biggest fears. My L & D with DS, he was sunny side up and I had a totally natural birth and it was incredibly painful. I can't even imagine attempting a breech birth, medicated or not.
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No way. A was breech and I didn't have a choice, my OB said no one in my area would attempt a vaginal delivery and that was fine with me!
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Hell no! LO was breech but I wouldn't have risked it.
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@Mrs. Jacks: My co-worker has a really sad outcome from attempting vaginal multiples. I have actually only seen 1 time where it worked out, with no damage to either babies, and no crash c-section.
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@MsMini: @Mrs. Jacks: you two are freaking me out. I want to deliver my twins vaginally. Sadly they are both breech & I will not be able to (nor would I want to) do so unless they turn.
As far as turning them I've been seeing my chiropractor for the websters method & have been getting on all fours every night for 15 mins for the last week or so & it has done nothing for us. Also have been told to play music & or shine a light at the bottom of my uterus to help them turn... well see. Good luck to you mama!
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@Sugar.Biscuit: All I can say is that I've seen plenty of Twin A's come out happy and healthy while Twin B is severely impaired. If for some reason I tried for a vaginal twin birth, I'd want it to be in the OR with me already prepped for the crash C.
It's no joke...
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@Mrs. Jacks: @MsMini: I'm surprised you guys have seen such negative outcomes. I've seen 7 breech births attempted (one twin birth where baby B was breech) and two of the births ended up with c-sections, which is only a little higher than non-breech births in our area.
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@junebugmama: I only work at hospitals with level 3 NICUs and they are regional centers for OB, so consider my patient population. I have seen the worst of the worst and can tell you stories that would make you cry.
You should see the things we see after failed attempt at home birth. If you just listened to me, you'd think that every home birth was a horror show... and yet, I know somewhere in the logical part of my head that that's not true.
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@Mrs. Jacks: All of the breech births I've seen attempted were home births to start. Just the 2 transfers for c-sections.
I guess since I'm on the other side, where I've seen 50/50 home to hospital, I probably have a much different perspective.
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@MsMini: @Mrs. Jacks: I can't imagine the things you two have probably seen. The first birth I ever saw (video, a family friend... Don't know why they shared that as I was in middle school) was vaginal twins. They were all perfectly healthy, but I know it doesn't always turn out that way.
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@junebugmama: Yup. I've seen one breech successful vaginal delivery. Footling.
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@Mrs. Jacks: The average rate for the group I work with is 4% transfer from home to hospital, so obviously with breech it climbed to 30%. It's certainly more risky, but I think it's important to know your specific doctor/midwife and their success rates before making a decision wether to attempt a breech birth or not.
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@junebugmama: or to just not risk it
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No. I think in general we have a very short shelflife for remembering how many women and child used to die in childbirth, and that it isn't "natural" for many, many situations, including breech babies.
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@Mrs. Jacks: I would have a breech birth without a doubt
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@yoursilverlining: Word!
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@sugar.biscuit I delivered my identical twins vaginally no problem. I did deliver in the or in case b flipped. Both were head down from 29 weeks on.
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It's my understanding that the "Term Breech Trial" that made c-sections the norm for breech was an incredibly flawed study.
So I voted yes, with a few caveats - 1) a provider very experienced in breech vaginal deliveries, 2) a relatively small estimated fetal weight (probably no more than 8lbs), 3) probably wouldn't do this one at home
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i would consider it if i had a provider experienced in breech deliveries and they said i was a good candidate for delivery.
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@junebugmama: You can be as surprised as you like ... doesn't make it any less accurate! I live in a small community with no midwives, and physicians/OB's willing to do vaginal multiples and breech. I can honestly say the bad outcomes outnumber the good by a very strong margin, enough that even the inkling of either have the NICU prepping for very very sick babies.
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@yoursilverlining: so true! If I look two generations back in my family..
It wouldn't be for me. I had enough complications with my posterior/brow presentation baby.
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My baby was breech half of my pregnancy so my OB mentioned that delivering a frank breech was a possibility. After my failed ECV he didn't even mention the option again (maybe because he was so stuck ) but we had already decided we wanted a c-section. I feel that for me a breech vaginal delivery is too risky when I could guarantee a pretty risk free delivery by c-section.
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@junebugmama: I have HAD my baby die in labor (at a birth center, not in the hospital), and she wasn't even breeched...it's not something I would be willing to risk again, if I can help it. I don't ever want to take a chance on my baby's life. Sometimes you have to think about the best outcome for a healthy baby, instead of worrying about being as natural as possible. As someone who has experienced the worst possible outcome, I would never risk my baby's health in that way.
There's a reason modern medical technology is here...for circumstances like this.
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Heck no!!! I was thinking about having a c-section just because I was having a big baby and I was scared of shoulder dystocia!! (Luckily baby came early, so I didn't have to worry about it as much) There's no way I'd consider a breech delivery!
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@Dandelion: this. I was going to comment and say, I think if you have had a baby die, your focus for labour is 'healthy baby, healthy mom', no matter how that outcome is achieved. I wouldn't take ANY risks and I think that my mindframe is especially like that b.c of our loss.
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I don't know enough about it to make a decision. I'd likely follow the recommendation of my OB.
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No No No No No! 1,000 times NO!
@yoursilverlining: Exactly!!!
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If baby was well-positioned for one I would attempt. In Canada, the standard of care is to allow breech vaginal births, provided it is safe in each individual case.
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@heartonastring: In my layman's opinion, I don't consider a breech baby to be *well-positioned*
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I would not be comfortable with it, and neither would my doctor. I don't think I would be allowed to attempt, nor would I want too. Too risky for my liking, the idea to have a "natural" birth is just not worth me risking my or my child's life/health.
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@MsLipGloss: fair enough, I guess. I know my midwife has attended several and the recommendation of the Society of OBGYNs in Canada is to attempt vaginal delivery in cases of well-positioned frank breech presentations. So, I tend to put my faith in them....
And obviously "well-positioned" is a relative term and when I used it above I meant it in the context of well-positioned for a vaginal breech delivery.
ETA: Forgot to include the link! http://sogc.org/publications/breech-childbirth/
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Never. Having a vaginal delivery was very important to me, but I wouldn't attempt one that posed additional, and potentially very serious, risks. Not worth it, to me.
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@yoursilverlining: that's exactly why I wouldn't attempt it. I read the book "Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born" by Tina Cassidy a couple years ago. She talks about birth before c sections were an option. It is horrifying the things they had to do if the baby got stuck or was in a bad position.
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No way. Too much at stake. I know for a fact my dr won't do them anyways
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