Worried for a friend - pregnancy related

[StitchesGr8Fan]

A friend of mine is having a manual inversion of her breach baby today. She's scared to death, and I'm worried for her. Anyone I've talked to who had it done said it was the most painful thing they've ever had done, worse than the birth itself. Not to mention the risks, but you have risks no matter what you do.

Luckily her parents came in to town, and her DH will be there. She has alienated most of her friends so she doesn't have a lot of outside support.

I sent her a text that I am thinking of her today and I'm not going to bother her until she or her family tell me how it's going. But I'm nervous and wanted to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening!

 

[wvjules]

I had it done. I think I had IV versed to dull the pain. It wasn't that bad. It also didn't work. DD was too long to turn. They only got her sideways and she wouldn't budge any further. However, my water broke that night. I was 37 weeks.

ETA: Mine was an external version. Hands pushing and pulling all over my belly.

 

[aristocatz]

A friend of mine is having a manual inversion of her breach baby today. She's scared to death, and I'm worried for her. Anyone I've talked to who had it done said it was the most painful thing they've ever had done, worse than the birth itself. Not to mention the risks, but you have risks no matter what you do.

Luckily her parents came in to town, and her DH will be there. She has alienated most of her friends so she doesn't have a lot of outside support.

I sent her a text that I am thinking of her today and I'm not going to bother her until she or her family tell me how it's going. But I'm nervous and wanted to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening!

Ugh, that sounds awful! I was lucky that my baby was in the correct position & did not have to go through that, but I have some friends who had that procedure done & they said it was not fun, to say the least

Wishing comfort for your friend for a safe and quick procedure!

 

[firecracker725]

A friend of mine is having a manual inversion of her breach baby today. She's scared to death, and I'm worried for her. Anyone I've talked to who had it done said it was the most painful thing they've ever had done, worse than the birth itself. Not to mention the risks, but you have risks no matter what you do.

Luckily her parents came in to town, and her DH will be there. She has alienated most of her friends so she doesn't have a lot of outside support.

I sent her a text that I am thinking of her today and I'm not going to bother her until she or her family tell me how it's going. But I'm nervous and wanted to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening!

If it works, and that's a big IF, it will be much better than a c-section. Many providers won't even attempt one, and just default to a surgical birth.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Thanks all. This is an external inversion. The baby has its head and butt wedged up under her ribs. She said baby seems to have been trying to flip, but gets stuck and goes back up.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

She is anti C-section which is why she is trying this. She has her reasons, that I respect even if I don't agree with. But she was in tears last night saying she had accepted the possibility that she can't do a natural birth this time.

 

[wvjules]

Thanks all. This is an external inversion. The baby has its head and butt wedged up under her ribs. She said baby seems to have been trying to flip, but gets stuck and goes back up.

That's exactly how my DD was. She wasn't in a 'true' breach position of butt down and head up. Her butt on the left side of my belly and head and feet on the right side. She couldn't make the turn and just stayed that way. And she was delivered via c-section in that position.

 

[minkydog]

How far along is.she?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

She just updated me. The doctor decided to wait a day and do it first thing in the morning. The baby is still in the sideways position.

She said the doctor answered all of her remaining questions and she is confident in her decision.

 

[NYEmomma]

Fingers crossed for a successful inversion. I have a friend who had one done with her second and she said it was more painful than her labor. It worked, but she said she wouldn't do it again.

One of my twins we breech but thankfully because she was the second one down the chute, my doctors were fine with delivering her breech. Good girl turned head down around 37 weeks and finally stayed that way.

 

[Allison]

I had it done and it didn't even work.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

She's 37 weeks. Her last baby came 3 weeks early and this one is showing the same signs of coming soon.

The doctor gave it a 50-70% chance of working.

 

[Tralliam]

Our first son was breech around that same 37 weeks. My wifes OB was married to an Asian internist and they both liked to use alternative medicine from time to time. She suggested we use Moxybustion directed to the outside corner of the pinky toe.

My wife and I giggled the entire time we were doing this thinking it was totally ridiculous. Went back two days later expecting no change as she didn't feel him turn. He was head down and external inversion avoided.

Of course he had a ginormous head so after six days of off an on contractions she still had a c-section.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Our first son was breech around that same 37 weeks. My wifes OB was married to an Asian internist and they both liked to use alternative medicine from time to time. She suggested we use Moxybustion directed to the outside corner of the pinky toe.

My wife and I giggled the entire time we were doing this thinking it was totally ridiculous. Went back two days later expecting no change as she didn't feel him turn. He was head down and external inversion avoided.

Of course he had a ginormous head so after six days of off an on contractions she still had a c-section.

Her doctor had her try the acupuncture a moxabustion first too. Baby would try to flip and get stuck and move back. I'm wondering if there just isn't room and they are causing mom and baby unnecessary discomfort. But I'm not a dr and that isn't my decision.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

My daughter was breech at 38 weeks, and we went in for an inversion. Honestly, it wasn't really a big deal for me at all. They didn't give me anything for pain, because they said that would be an indicator to the doctors of when to stop trying. The worst part was whatever they put in my IV to try and stop potential contractions. It made my heart race, which caused me to be nervous! Up until then, totally calm.

Funniest part? After they were done turning her, they told me to jump off the table and hop up and down to seat her head in my pelvis. My reply was "I'm 38 weeks pregnant, and I'm an elephant, I don't hop, or jump, pick something else!" They settled for me bouncing up and down on my toes.

 

[LuvinLucifer]

Ugh...I'd just go for a c-section.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Her point is that a c-section has risks too.

There is more to her decision, but I'm trying to be a good supportive friend and not judge her as I'm not in her shoes...

 

[wdwmom0f3]

She just updated me. The doctor decided to wait a day and do it first thing in the morning. The baby is still in the sideways position.

She said the doctor answered all of her remaining questions and she is confident in her decision.

This is going to sound crazy but since she has another day, tell her to go home and get on her hands and knees and lower her head and chest to the ground. tell her to stay that way for about five minutes. (rocking her body) Tell her to do it a few times through out the day and tomorrow morning. This may release the pressure on the baby and it may turn.

The reason I say this is because I had a breach baby and had to have a c section the first time. My second baby was the same way and a female Dr. told me to do this and the baby may flip on its own. IT WORKED! My baby did flip on her own. I still ended up with a c section, but it was due to her heart rate during labor.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

She's been doing the positions for a week too. Her doctor wanted to try everything possible before inversion because he doesn't like to do it. She even tried a bag if frozen peas near the head to try and get it to move away from the cold. All of the things they tried had baby start moving like crazy (and this is a baby that hasn't moved much the whole pregnancy) but it would get to a certain spot and stop, going back to the original position. And my friend has been in a LOT of pain every time the baby tries to move.

That is what scares me for her. If the baby moving on its own hurts her that much, how much will it hurt when the doctor forces it? She doesn't handle pain well.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I give her doctor credit for trying natural remedies first and listening to her when she said she didn't want a c-section.