does breech presentation have an effect on labor?

with no head pressing on the cervix, do you even dilate or efface?
both my babies are breech.
i am 35 weeks 4 days and so freakin' ready to pop these jokers out, but will my body even respond appropriately and begin labor with breech presentation?

 

QUOTE(jaam4eva @ Sep 22 2008, 01:16 PM) [snapback]991852[/snapback]
with no head pressing on the cervix, do you even dilate or efface?
both my babies are breech.
i am 35 weeks 4 days and so freakin' ready to pop these jokers out, but will my body even respond appropriately and begin labor with breech presentation?


It's totally individual. Women have been having breech babies forever, so it's definitely possible to dilate and efface just like you would with a vertex baby. And I assume a butt pressing against a cervix would have the same effect as a head, but that pressure isn't the only reason why a woman's body dilates.

 

Both of my babies are breech and I'm starting to show some effacement but no dilation yet. I asked about visible or obvious "dropping" or the process of labor while pregnant with breech twins.

I was told jus as Kimpo said that it really depends on the person. There could be dropping, but they don't really want the baby/babies to descend into the birth canal if they are breech. I was also told that while there may be the process of "dropping," it may not be noticable when both babies are breech due to the bulk of the bodies being still carried up high. Dilation may or may not occur for various reasons, too.

I probably won't be going into labor or if I do, it won't be for long. These guys are coming c/s due to the breech situation, but also due to my high bp.

 

My girls were both breech & I struggled with PTL my whole pregnancy. At 32W I was 60% & 2cm. When I got to the hospital after my water broke, I was 100% & 6cm. My body tried its best to get 'em out feet first.
So, I do not think that presentation changes labor.

 

There are a lot of hormones involved in starting labor and it's not really the weight of the baby's head that causes all of the dilation. Whether or not you have a breech baby, you will eventually go into labor and the cervix will respond. Most breech babies have their butts facing downward and that will also press on the cervix. There are still many place throughout the world where breech babies are born vaginally.