36 weeks, breech baby A, c section or trying to turn, WWYD?

amother

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 12:36 am

Here is the situation: I am 35.5 weeks pregg with twins. As of right now, Baby A is transverse. If Baby A goes footling breech (or head down, obv) my OB will do a vag. delivery. However, my mother is coming when I am 36.5 (in a week). I'm thinking if the baby hasn't turned by then, it makes the most sense to just schedule a section for when she is here (she's coming for ten days) so I have the most help for the longest time. That would mean scheduling it for next week on thursday or friday, when I am just about 37 weeks. Or I could wait longer in the hopes the baby will turn, but sacrifice having the help during the earliest days of recovery if I anyways have to have a C-section. My OB is willing to wait till 37 and half or 38 weeks or so before scheduling a C. My next apt is on Tuesday and I'm going to discuss it with him then, but what do you all think?

I hope the whole situation came out clearly, I know this is kind of jumbled. Please post if you have any questions.

life'sgreat

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 10:34 am

amother wrote:

I'd be very surprised if your baby will turn past this stage, especially baby A, who is lower down and more 'stuck' than B.

Optione

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 11:06 am

I may be misunderstanding something, but I would say go vaginally unless you absolutely can't. With a c-section, will will have a lot longer recovery, past your mother's departure. Vaginally, it will be an easier recovery, even if she's not there. (C-section: There will for sure be time that you have intense recovery that mom won't be there. Vag: maybe she'll be there, maybe she won't)

abby1776

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 11:09 am

I dont know about twins. But my first DS was a footling breech and we tried to turn him but he was stuck. But trying to turn him at 36 weeks brought on early labor and I had an emergency c-Section. Just something to consider when determining whether to turn a baby or not.

amother

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 11:24 am

This may be totally different for twins, and I don't know if it's doctor recommended. I successfully used the breech tilt exercise for a single, but I don't know if you would want to do it because baby b might be affected. Also make sure there are no seforim upside down in your house.

middy

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 11:24 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Your OB will do a vaginal delivery for footling breech? Do you mean frank breech?

that's what I am thinking. I would be very surprised if a doctor said he would deliver a footling breech

life'sgreat

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 12:39 pm

I think one thing most of you don't realize is that turning baby A is a no no for ANY doctor, regardless of their level of expertise. There are way too many risks in turning a breech baby in pregnancy.

Though the OP isn't that clear to me either.

amother

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 12:57 pm

OP here. Sorry my original post was so unclear, late night, pregnancy brain etc lol. Let me try again. Baby A is transverse. My OB thinks there is a chance the baby will turn by itself, especially since I still feel a lot of big sweeping movements and shifting all the time. He is willing to try for a vaginal delivery up till the very end basically, even if Baby A turns frank breech (not footling, sorry). I Would much prefer a vaginal delivery obviously, but my mother is coming to help me for ten days starting the end of next week, and it occurred to me that if there is a big chance I'll have a c section anyway, it might make the most sense to just go ahead and schedule it forright when she is here, so I can get the most help for the longest time, before she has to go home, instead of waiting an extra week in case Baby A turns and then having a c section anyway, which would end up being right before my mother leaves.

So my question is, would you wait and see if the baby might somehow turn and sacrifice a few days of postpartum help, or choose to get a c section a little earlier than strictly necessary in order to have the help for a few more days?

campmommy

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 1:32 pm

WAIT!! Perhaps you can hire help (maybe your mother can help pay for that) if she's not there. Babies need to be born when THEY are ready and not when mother, dr., grandmother, etc. are ready. There are too many preemies (even if they're born after 37 weeks, they can still have preemie problems) out there. Also, there are many risks to a c-section, you don't want to go into one lightly - especially with twins, you have to think about recovery and taking care of two babies. Take it one day at a time, and let your babies decide when to be born. I know the wait is hard, the thought of less help is hard, do whatever you can now to be ready - like cooking and freezing, setting things up or making lists of what other people need to do, and daven. I"H it WILL all work out one way or the other.
B'shaah tovah and a bracha for a safe, healthy birth and lots of help!!!

amother

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 1:45 pm

check sfarim shelves to make sure all sforim upright.
my cousin's baby was breach, dr said check your holy books, lo and behold one was upside down, she went back following week for check up, baby turned on its own

amother

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 2:08 pm

by my twin pregnancy, baby A was breech at 36 weeks, next check-up baby was the right position, bh delivered both vaginal at 38 weeks. I would wait and see, not schedule c section anyway....good luck! BESHUA TOVA!

Mirabelle

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 2:34 pm

Wow, I'm super impressed that you've made it to 36 weeks! Wow!
Are you starting to dialate at all? If you're not then I would go as long as the doctors are comfortable with.

For my twins Baby B was transverse, not Baby A, but I wasn't comfortable hearing what they would need to do to turn baby Baby, so we went for a c-section. I also have a history of a baby with should dystocia, so most doctors aren't so thrilled we me attempting vaginal deliveries again anyway...

little_mage

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 4:19 pm

When I was pregnant, the rabbi of our shul did a halchas of childbirth class. One of the things he did say is that if you have to schedule a c-section for medical reasons (which it would be in your case) is that you shouldn't have it within three days of Shabbat. He didn't give a reason or a source, sorry, but I suspect it's related to the fact that your status is different in the first three days then in the later four, so you're more likely to break Shabbat/cause other people to break Shabbat if you've just given birth. Obviously, that doesn't apply if it's an emergency of any type. Just something to keep in mind about a scheduled c-section.

Blueberry Muffin

Fri, Jan 13 2012, 4:39 pm

amother wrote:

I have heard other stories just like this! AMAZING!!!

Culturedpearls

Sat, Jan 14 2012, 1:58 pm

A transverse baby can turn upto the last minute. My friend delivered twins normally at 40 weeks & the transverse baby turned in labor.
C section is no picnic do all you can to wait it out. Re turning , it's very risky.

amother

Sat, Jan 14 2012, 9:16 pm

Thank you for your thoughts everyone!

Mirabelle-I'm also SHOCKED that I've made it this far, lol. BH there haven't been any complications (it's a di/di pregnancy BH) but I was convinced that I was the perfect candidate to deliver prematurely.

I think you all have me convinced to wait and go vaginal if I can, but I am going to talk to my OB on Tuesday and see what he thinks about whether the baby will turn or not. He wouldn't even tell me their positions at my last apt because he 'didn't want me to worry' and 'it's not over till it's over'. Which is nice and all, but I really would like to know!! I really would MUCH prefer vaginal, but the thought of recovery from a C without my mother around (BH I anticipate having lots of help from my community, but there's nothing like your mother) is a little overwhelming, to say the least. Anyways, thank you all again for your advice and I will let you know what happened when I do finally give birth.