31 weeks breach and big?

Question

Hi,

I had an appt today. I am 31 weeks. I didn't have an ultrasound, the Dr. just felt my belly and measured it. The Dr said she thinks my my baby is breach. She also said my belly measured big and that might just mean I will have a big baby.

First, what are the chances that the baby will stay breach. I would like to not have a c-section.

Second, How big is big? And what could the consequences of a big baby be?

I know I should have asked these ?'s while i was there, but you never think of them until you're gone. She said she will do an ultrasound in 3 weeks (@34weeks) to check all of this out. But of course I am impatient and a little worried (even though she told me it was nothing to worry about) and would like your opinions.

Thanks

Answer 1

At this stage, the chances the baby will turn are very good. Try not to worry. If the baby stays breech, your doctor will probably want to try for an external version (where they carefully turn the baby head-down from the outside). The best ways I know to turn breech babies naturally are:

- do handstands upside down in a swimming pool
- play music or shine lights down low on your abdomen, or have your partner talk to your baby low in your abdomen to try and get baby to move toward the sound/light
- put one end of an ironing board on the couch and lay on it head down for several minutes a day

As for the "how big is big" question, I don't know what your doctor was thinking when they said that. But I'll let you know that it is very hard to guess the size of a baby from the outside and docs love to guess but most often they are off by a pound or two. They were probably just talking to make you worry less about the breech thing, but instead got you worried about the breech thing AND the big baby thing.

Good luck!

Answer 2

At the childbithing class tonight the nurse told us that the baby can stay upright until the very last minute. The baby still has time to rotate and you can help. I am not sure about getting upside down in a pool and the ironingboard thing (sounds dangerous to me) You may however find a birthing ball to be of help. My book "What to expect when you are expecting says to try an exercise called the pelvic tilt. You can look up how it is done online it also says you can try the knee chest position. Kneel on your knees keeping them slightly apart, and bend way over so your breasts touch the floor and your belly almost does. It says there is no medical proof that this does or does not work , but that this is safe to do, and to do it three times a day.
The baby usually turns between the 32nd and 36th week. Don't worry I am sure you will be fine.

Something else the book mentions is External Cephalic Version (ECV) you can ask your doctor about this. It is a technique that doctors can use to try and get the baby in the correct position.

Answer 3

well you still have 9 weeks allowing the baby doesnt come early for it to turn around, if not the a c section will be done, now if the baby is big it shouldnt make a difference depending on how small you are, you might just tear during the birth, but the dr will tell you if they think the baby is too big for a natural birth. Goodluck

Answer 4

My doctor thought I was breach and the baby would be about 9 pounds. When I was 6 months, everyone thought I was 8 months. Baby wasn't breach. (I'm glad I asked for an ultrasound) and weighed just over 7 lbs. As my husband said, "he just had the family butt"

Answer 5

I had a ultra sound a couple weeks ago, and i found out mine is still breach. I was concerned too. I asked my doc, and she said that they don't get worried until about 36 weeks. What concerns me is that i was 3 weeks early with my first, and it might be to late by 36 weeks :( .. I might request a US again before then to see, and maybe we can work on it then. Again i really don't know what they do about it. But i did find out that my baby was almost 4lbs, and i think that's normal for as far along as i am. I'm 32 weeks. I think i would ask her next time, and tell her your concerned, and what are they going to do for it.

Answer 6

My baby was sitting up until a week ago. I am 35 weeks now and she has just turned into position and weighs 6 pounds. My doctor told me the baby could stay breech up until the last minute if not there was nothing he would do about it except a c-section.