Help: Turning a breech baby B

Hi Twin Moms
I was just wondering if any of you had a breech baby B but a head down baby A and if you were able to do anything to turn him.
I have heard of different positions to get in, but I am worried that if I do that- would baby A turn opposite too? I don't want her to turn as she is already head down.
My doctors told me that because my baby b is breech and HUGE (he was 4 pounds 11 ounces at week 29) that they would most likely do a C section because it would be too dangerous to deliver him breech as he could get stuck. I asked about turning him after she is delivered and the doc said, yes, we could try, but what if he didn't turn? Then I would have a vaginal delivery AND a C!!!
I really want to try to avoid a C if I can.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Should I try to do the positions for the heck of it and just see? Maybe he will turn and she will stay head down? My doc said he honestly couldn't answer that question.
THANKS!!!!

 

Sorry, no experience, but why would you have a vaginal and a C? Couldn't you just have a C? Unless of course, that is your choice than you should go for it.

Babies move around...sometimes even at the last minute...so I hope it works out for you!

 

I don't know how to turn them before delivery, but I delivered baby B breech and it wasn't too bad at all! Of course mine were tiny My doctor was very comfortable delivering breech which was one of the reasons I chose him because I am not comfortable delivering via C-section unless absolutely necessary. Hope you come to a decision you feel good about!

 

I delivered baby B breech as well and he weighed 7 lbs 13 oz, so it is doable if the doctors are willing to do it. But I don't know of any tried & true methods to get one to turn before delivery.

 

All during my pregnancy baby B was transverse. I kept hoping he would rotate some more during the third trimester, but I went into preterm labor so that wasn't going to happen! The doctors were able to hold off delivery for close to 4 days allowing time to get the steroids into the babies' lungs, and they studied their positions on sonograms during this time. I just assumed that because B was transverse/breech I would have a C-section, but the doctors encouraged me to try a vaginal birth (but said the would do a C-section if I wished). About an hour before delivery the doctor told me that B was a little more diagonal then and their hope was that once baby A was delivered (and he was already head down) that baby B would then rotate more and go head down as well. She said there was no guarantee of this but said she thought that was a good possibility. So that is what we did. As baby A was delivered I had a nurse on each side of me holding baby B in place by applying very firm pressure on my abdomen, because they didn't want him doing a "somersault" once baby A was out of his way. While the nurses pressed on my abdomen the doctor reached up in there and tried to position him as well. After nearly 20 tense minutes baby B came right on down the birth canal and all was well! I was SO HAPPY to avoid a C-section!!! I was able to walk up to the NICU the next day and drive myself to the hospital to visit the boys the day after I was discharged. It may be that you can't avoid a C-section...but I would talk to your doctor some more and tell him you are willing to try a vaginal birth, unless by delivery day he is certain that baby B would be too difficult to deliver breech.

I would not try any ways of re-positioning baby B while in utero. I've heard that is painful and that often times if its even successful then the breech baby will just spin around breech again before delivery. Plus I would imagine something like that could increase your chance of preterm labor given how prevalent that is with twins anyway.

Best of luck to you and I hope you have a safe and easy delivery!

 

I have heard of delivering Baby B breech, however, that was not something I was willing to do. I've heard too many stories from my mother who was a labor and delivery nurse for 20 years that I wasn't willing to try.

 

The baby can still turn. What the midwives at my clinic told people to do was to put a bag of peas on the top of your stomach & put music playing near the bottom of your stomach. Good luck!

 

My baby B was transverse throughout my pregnancy, and I delivered her breech with no complications. In fact, I didn't even know she came out breech until an hour after the birth! After Baby A, it was a breeze because my cervix had opened up so much. It took two pushes and she was out. I was like you and wanted to avoid a C section if at all possible, so I made sure to find a doctor that was very comfortable with delivering breech. He gave me a lot of confidence and it all worked out.

I did have a friend who had a singleton breech baby and she tried acupuncture to turn her, and it miraculously worked.

If you have any specific questions, let me know. If it's important to you to have a vaginal birth, and you have confidence in your doctor, go for it!

 

One other thing. I wouldn't count on the baby being "too big" to come out breech. Oftentimes the estimated weights are off. Like I said earlier, if having a natural birth is important to you, I would take the time to find a doctor who is confident in delivering breech babies. That was the best thing I did in preparing for birth.

 

That,s exactly how my boys were, baby A head down and baby B breech. I was able to deliver vaginally, once Matthew baby A come out the ob turned baby B head down and he was out. It wasn't as bad as I have imagined Good Luck.

 

I also delivered Baby A head first and Baby B footling breech - she had been and remained that way since week 22. Baby B was 5 lb, 11 oz and it took 2 pushes to get her out.

 

My babies didn't turn head down until after 32 weeks so you still have plenty of time.

My cousin had her baby manually turned. You risk placental abruption so it can be dangerous. She also said it was the most painful thing she has ever expereinced and her son flipped right around breech again and ended up with a c sect anyway. It was all for not. I've delivered 2 vaginally and had 1 c. Really, a c is no big deal. I didn't find the recovery much different in pain or time, just different in where the pain was..my vagina or stomach. In a way the C was easier as it didn't hurt to sit, walk pee or poop unlike after a vaginal delivery. I also bled less after a c sect.

I'd just be on the safe side and go with the safest route....a c.

 

I don't think they can do manual turning (version) with twins. The only way they can try to turn baby B is after A is born. Usually the mother would have an epidural in place at that point so it wouldn't be as painful as what you are describing.

At any rate, it is pretty much your decision. I did quite a bit of reading prior to delivery so that I would understand the risks and benefits and pretty much what we found is that there is no greater risk of delivering baby B breech than there is to have a c/s. My preference was to have a vaginal delivery because I really do not like the idea of being cut into. However, if they would have been willing to tie my tubes when they did the c/s, I would have opted for it. But it was a Catholic hospital so they wouldn't do it. GRRR!
That being said, I've had plenty of friend who have had c/s with no problems at all. It all comes down to your preference and desires for what you want your birth to be.

 

Both of mine were head down till two days before induction... B turned breech. My OB said to go in for a C-section but request an ultrasound and if B is head down, we could do induction. And guess what!! B did turn head down!!! I was THRILLED!!! After A was delivered, B decided to go breech.. so truly, anything can happen! B kept going head down, breech, head down, breech till the very last moment... I ended up having two recoveries; natural and C-section and I do NOT recommend that to anyone. It was no fun!! I also ended up with a third degree tear... If I had to do it all over again, I'd have gone the C-section route for sure!

Good luck!!

 

My baby A was vertex but baby B was a solid transverse for the last 1/3 of my pregnancy. I opted for a c-section because I was too chicken to risk having to recover from a vag. and still potentially need a c-section to get B out. I'd already been through a vag. birth and the c-section, for me, was more painful for the first week or so, but I felt more like myself sooner than with the vag.

I think what the one PP said about asking your OB how confident THEY are about a breech baby B delivery is a really good point. The most important thing is having two healthy babies at the end of the day. How you get there is really secondary.

 

A was head down most of my pregnancy, but B was breech or transverse most of the time. I had to beg my doctor to let me attempt a vaginal delivery. Finally, she agreed, saying that she was comfortable with doing a breech delivery if needed, but she also wanted me to be aware that I may deliver A vaginally and then need a C-section for B. I tried all kinds of stuff to get Jane to go head down. Frozen peas on top of my belly; flashlight, music, even my husband talking down below. This was a baby that did not want to be upside down! Until she was ready - which was 2 days before I delivered. I was really glad that I had pushed my doctor for the vaginal attempt and didn't give in and schedule a c-section. Good luck!

 

I tried EVERY thing to get my girls to turn. Nothing worked and we did have a c-section but what my Dr. told me was that baby B always has a very good chance of flipping after baby A is born. Sure enough Baby B flippied after they took baby A. Just wish I'd had a vaginal delivery instead of a c-section (would have if A wasn't breech).

 

Babies can move right up until delivery. My two took turns to be in all sorts of positions. Our scan at 37 weeks showed them both head down so when we went in for our OB appointment 3 days later he asked if we would like to deliver then so we could avoid a c/s. Obviously my answer was yes. They scanned that night and they were both head down and ready to go. Next morning they were induced. I felt they had moved so asked for another scan and Baby B had gone to breech!!! We had a natural birth and they were great weights. Absolutely no issues. I got a bit obsessed with their position while pregnant and I spent lots of time on my hands and knees rocking to get them to turn and they did. Then they would turn back. Hands and knees again...you get the picture. Good luck. If those babies are like mine they will do what ever they want!!!