So I am 37+4 today and baby is still breech.

We think baby has been transverse/breech for as far as we know - we have had 3 scans over the last couple weeks and baby is comfy where it is!

Last week we had decided not to go for an ECV as a couple of friends had gone through with one and it didnt work and was very painful. So, we had decided c-section it is.

At the hospital this morning after a long discussion with doctor we have become a bit more open to an ECV and have an appt next tuesday. If it works we have avoided surgery of a c-section and if it doesnt work then we havent lost out. Our hospital documentation quotes a success rate of 50%.

Any experiences of ECV welcome - whether successful or not - greatly appreciated

So, not that many have had this then??

I posted in babyclub section and only got 2 replies.

I wondered if many folk went through it? Perhaps not!

I've read more people have turned it down and not had it done, sorry hun, i don't know much more

Good luck for whatever you decide

I did not have one but have a friend who had one done, was very painful and she was left quite bruised and it did not work so she had an elective section and a positive birth experience.

However, I think it is very sensible what you say, what have you got to lose? It may be painful and not work but that is the worst surely? A 50/50 chance sounds good!

I've been thinking about this because my bubs is breech and I've been looking "just in case" I think I'd turn it down because I've heard it's painful and only works half the time. The other thing I was wondering is whether that "50% success rate" includes and babies who they manage to turn but then turn back? Like if they say 50% success right after the procedure, but then many go on to turn back xx

Just googled and found this on You Tube. Doesn't look too bad - the mum certainly doesn't look in pain at any point.

Also found this which is very informative http://www.sdhct.nhs.uk/patientcare/...52F02%252F2008

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Thanks for the replies.

I guess there are not many folk with experience of this as only about 3% babies at full term are breech - and then I would probably say way less than half of those go through with an ECV.

I have been looking up other baby sites and it is very mixed - 50% success sounds about right - and it is not supposed to be painful. If it does get painful I will shout STOP!!!

We have decided to give it a go anyway - a simple procedure that could take just a minute could avoid a c-section. I am not worried about a c-section, but with my first baby I would much rather try a vaginal birth if possible.

I am very slim - small neat bump with not an inch of fat on the tummy so hopefully that makes it so much easier. Baby is still very active and its bum is not engaged into pelvis so we are going to give it a shot!

Its not til tuesday when I am 38+4 so still time for baby to arrive on its own....stay put little one!!

I have a scan tomorrow to see if my baby is transverse or breech still , i have not decided if i want an ecv yet will talk to my consultant about it as i had a previous section and not sure if this makes a difference . I think your right to try as you say nothing to loose and you could avoid the longer recovery of a section and if not then you were expecting it might happen . good luck please let us know how it goes xx

If my baby is still breech at my 34 week check they said we'd discuss doing this too at 37 weeks, think I would give it a try and like you shout STOP if it was very painful. If it worked I wouldn't have thought the baby would turn back at nearly 38 weeks...nowt to lose, but let me know how you got on

Hi Ellie, I had this a few weeks ago. It was awful. HOWEVER, my circumstances were that the legs were straight and the liquid level was very low, so was a long shot anyway. 50% is generally rubbish as the results are often published and when you look you get different figures. I had mine done at Queen Mary's Sidcup, so I googled the success rates and although they said it was 70% success, this was not the reality. However, we felt that we had to give it a try so that if we did have a c section it was a true last resort. Like you we said no, then the hospital were so nice we said we'd give it a go.

The proceedure is this - night before eat nothing from 10, you call in the morning, then go to delivery suite. Then you go in if they have theatre clear. Get there, they give you anti sickness drug. Then then monitor bubs for 1/2 hour or so, then give you a muscle relaxant by injection (same thing they give to mothers who go into labour really early on in pregnancy) this will make your braxton hicks flatline and disappear. Various people will come to explain risks etc, then consultant will come in and tilt bed back a bit (also put my bum on pillow) then will start the turn. For me he explained that it was unlikely to work. He then did scan with mobile scanner to check bubs still breech. Then he pushed up at bottom on stomach to get the bubs bottom up and out of the bottom of the womb, then started to turn it by putting a lot of pressure on. I was squirming and it was bloody painful. I got him to stop and we agreed to try again (he was holding bubs at the point he'd moved her to) but it was just getting more painful so I asked him to stop. So we tried, and off he went to talk to midwife, whilst I was again put on monitors. Bubba was distressed a tiny bit, but that was dues to my having not eaten (it was 3 pm) and being dehydrated. So they allowed OH to go get a cheese roll and ribena for us both, after eating which I felt better and bubs calmed down. I blubbered and boo hoo'd, and even the consultant came in to explain that it was unlikely to have worked. I felt a failure for not taking the pain, but OH (bless him he was fab - and felt helpless seeing me in so much pain) said I was obviously in pain and he would have stopped before I did. Ended up having a c section on 10th december. The C section was less worse than the ecv for me! My birth story is in the birth announcement bit, have a look and hopefully you'll see it's not so bad, but your ecv may work if you have enough liquid and legs are bent. Apparently that makes all the difference. If I have another, and they end up breech, I wouldn't attempt an ecv again, but that's just me! Best of luck and PM me if you want any further info x