Experience with External Celphiac Version

[Anonymous]

I am 38 weeks along and our lovely baby who has been so nice and head down until now has decided to go all sideways on us. She is now in a transverse position. Doctor is giving me several choices:

1. External Celphiac Version - Where I go in for a proceedure and they try to turn the baby. The risk as I understand it is that it can break the water or cause the baby to go into trama, in which case they'll have to do an emergency c-section

2. See if the baby turns on its own

3. Schedule a c-section

Obviously some of the above are contingent on the other (ie I wouldn't need to scheduled c-section if the baby turns on its own or if the repositioning works).

What has me nervous is that according to the doctor the baby is big and she was surprised the baby had room to move (seemed surprised anyway). Also she seemed surprised as this is my first baby and apparently movement at this point is not common in first time moms. So I am afraid she won't move back on her own, but I am also afraid that something might go wrong if they try to move her. At the end of the day... I just want her to be healthy. I didn't really give any thought to what sort of birth I wanted other than an epidural before today (and obviously had not thought of a c-section as my first option). So I am just a little scared.

I've scheduled both procedures (the version and the c) for this thursday and next wednesday respectively.

What I am trying to decide, is whether I should proceed with the version or just skip it due to risks. It by no means sounds like it will work for sure.

So long story short, I'd love to hear if anyone has experience with versions. Did it work? Did the baby stay in the right position if it did? Did it not work and you have to have an emergency C?

Doctor gave my great information, but not really any advice. So I am just looking for thoughts.

Anyway. I really appreciate your thoughts in advance.

[Anonymous]

Did you ask your doctor her success rates with versioning? My daughter was breech, and my doctor gave me a 50% rate of success of turning her (I have a slight uterine septum so my uterus is "smaller" than normal, so maybe your chances are higher). I decided that I wouldn't want an epidural done possibly twice, and I didn't want an emergency C-section so I decided not to go through with it. The 50% just wasn't high enough for me.

[Anonymous]

OP, this website may be useful to you. Two friends were able to move baby using these positions.

http://www.spinningbabies.com/

[Anonymous]

Are you in Northern Virginia? The next meeting of ICAN (international cesarean awareness network) is tomorrow night at the Tyson's Pimmit Library. I know there are women in that group who have had to face the same decision you are making. Even if you aren't in NOVA, feel free to come:

http://www.icanofnova.org/articles/Meetings_&_Events

Regardless of your decision, I think the meeting will be great for you. You can explain your options to the group and listen to the group's opinions. I know some women have scheduled a version and it was successful, others have had accupuncture to turn the baby, and other's have scheduled a c-section.

Also, check out http://www.spinningbabies.com/

I admittedly have never been in your position, but if it was me, I'd schedule a version. Then if that didn't work I'd do the acupuncture and spinning babies stuff. I'd wait until I was in labor to have the c-section. That way I give my baby every possible chance to turn on his/her own - and maybe the labor will help the baby turn. Plus I'd be giving my baby a chance to stay in my womb as long as possible. Having had 2 c-sections myself - the recovery is NOT fun. I'd do anything I could to have a vaginal birth (trust me, #2 was an attempted VBAC)

You mention that your afraid she won't move back on her own - well she just moved there so its possible she'll move back on her own. Ultrasounds also are not accurate measurements of weight - my sister was told she was having a large baby, then the baby was 6lb, 6 ounces...I have heard of similar stories. So don't let the baby's weight scare you into a decision.

[Anonymous]

You could also try to find a chiro that does Webster's technique. I think it has something like 80-90% success rate.

I had a c-section myself (not due to breech though, it was for failure to descend), and I personally would try hard to avoid having one. So if I were in your shoes, I'd try the version first. But I also know two women who decided against it and just went with a scheduled c-section. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that once you have a c-section, it will be more difficult to have a vaginal birth in the future should you want one. Also, the c-section raises risks for a future pregnancy (ectopic, miscarriage, problems with placenta etc). On the other hand, a scheduled c-section carries lower risks than one that's done in an emergency (which could happen during the version). Just some thoughts for you. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP, I was in your shoes...my baby decided to turn about week 37. I could not do a version because I had an anterior placenta (placenta right in front) and the version could have ripped it. I tried all the excersises at the spinning website and many other websites, some of which are quite kooky, but I had planned for as natural a birth as possible. So I did the upside down and draped myself over an ironing board and my husband sang into my vagina and the whole nine yards.

I regret to tell you that nothing worked. I don't know if you have a frank breech (baby's head behind its ears) but once they are in this position it's difficult for them to turn because they have to do another somersault and they are disinclined to do that.

I had a c-section, and although I was quite upset for week 38ish about that, by the time of the procedure (week 39) I had resolved myself and it wasn't that big of a deal. I've had other surgery and compared to that it was a piece of cake. Being able to prepare rather than having an emergency C/S makes a big difference in the way you deal with a c/s.

[Anonymous]

Oops, that should be baby's feet behind its ears...sorry!

[Anonymous]

There is apparently a chinese medicine doctor in McLean/Tysons area who they call "the baby turner." The nurse who taught my child birth class mentioned him, but wasn't able to find out his contact details. Unfortunately, his name is Dr. Lee, which doesn't really make it easier to narrow it down. BUT maybe some one on these boards knows him.

He uses traditional techniques, like burning herbs at your feet, to get the baby to move. According to the nurse, a lot of people swear by him. Seems worth a shot.

My take was of the celphiac version is that it's really, really painful for the mom.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. OP here. For those of you who did have the procedure, did you have the epidural? This is an option at Georgetown but my doctor said she "does not push it."

[Anonymous]

I decided against the doctor turning my son. It seemed like SO much effort for only a 50% chance. For me, the "birth experience" took a back seat to a healthy birth, so I waited to see if my guy would just let nature take care of it.

However, I held out until 40 weeks and my son was still breech. At that time, he was firmly comfortable, so we just went for the C. I had a very uneventful c-section and my scar has just about disappeared when I did laser hair removal (the laser removed discoloration from scars too!). I'm pg with #2 now and hope to do a VBAC if the birth Gods align this time.

[Anonymous]

I am one who turned it down, but I have heard that it is SO painful, I just assumed everyone had an epi. I'm sure there are lots of tough mamas out there though, so I'm interested to know too!

[Anonymous]

I had an external version at 37 weeks for breech baby. No epidural (not even offered). Everything was normal except for baby's position. Version itself took about 30 second and was painless. The whole proceedure took a few hours (waiting, monitoring before and after, etc.)

I think my case was quite unusual, as they had given it a 50 percent chance of working. And the nurse seemed quite surprised. It was done at Sibley.

In the end, I had a C section anyway, after 23 hours of labor, at 41+ weeks.

[Anonymous]

I've never had one but I would give it a try for my second if the baby isn't head down. My thinking is that any shot at avoiding a c-section and major abdominal surgery is worth it. I had such an easy time with a vaginal birth the first time (recovery time, nursing, getting my body back and post-partum sex) that I would try anything to have another vaginal birth.

It shouldn't be that big of a deal if the version breaks your water at 38 weeks and labor starts--the baby is plenty far along to be born healthy and, if your labor isn't progressing, you could just ask them to soften your cervix and give pitocin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It shouldn't be that big of a deal if the version breaks your water at 38 weeks and labor starts--the baby is plenty far along to be born healthy and, if your labor isn't progressing, you could just ask them to soften your cervix and give pitocin.

If I understand correctly, the concern isn't that the water could break (although it can obviously happen). It's that the version can cause fetal distress, problems with the cord, and/or even placental abruption - these could necessitate an emergency c-section.

[Anonymous]

My baby was transverse breech from the start. I had a scheduled CS at 39 weeks. It went great and my recovery was fine, just for the record, since many posters here seemed to have bad recoverys. I didn't want to try moving him because of the risks. The risk of fetal distress and emergency CS seemed higher than the risk to either of us to have a planned sectoion.