Pregnant lady here hoping to get some input....

Hi everyone.

Well, I know this isn't one of those forums with other pregnant ladies whining about their problems, but you all are MUCH more fun to talk to and hear from, so I thought you might be able to help with words of wisdom about something...

I am now just over 36 weeks with our first baby. (Everything has been peachy by the way...none of that dreaded heart burn, or leg cramps. Not even much morning sickness--LUCKY ME) However, I JUST found out on Wednesday that baby is not in the proper position yet. He is transverse apparently (head to my right side and feet to my left). I don't know...I am just sort of worried I guess. I have read a bunch of stuff and of course DH has been looking through all sorts of stuff like Up-to-Date and basically from what I have seen, if he isn't in place by next week they will maybe try to move him?? Or plan a C-section??

Has anyone gone through this before?? I am not really all that worried about having a C-section I guess BUT (sorry to those of you who have had to hear me WHINE before about my boo-hoo life but...) DH and I are expected to be in LaCrosse WI on June 26th for residency to begin the 27th. The baby is expected to arrive July 4th. The only glitch up until now was that not only would I have to MOVE to a new place and pray that baby arrives when he is supposed to, but we wouldn't have insurance to pay for this delivery until July 1st. I guess my worry now is that we are sort of running out of time to deal with this. I am afraid that if we don't have a planned C-section, I will go into labor sometime when I don't have insurance, then have to have an emergency C-section perhaps (and land in the poor house for eternity). And I have read that this whole transverse lie could mean that the baby's cord could be prolapsed and he could lose O2. So part of me wants to opt for a planned C-section before I leave to go to Wisconsin, but then I wonder will he move into position before I go into labor???

Anyhow, just wondering if anyone had any experience with baby's being transverse. How was your delivery handled? Should I be worried or not?? If they have to move him, does it hurt much?? I just know that normally my DH tells me not to worry about this or that...but when we found out about this he said "I am sort of freaking out about this one". He usually is so level headed now I am worried!!

2 thoughts: my cousin used to work on "A Baby Story" and she said she'd witnessed several attempts to move the baby and would never, ever do it. She said it is quite painful, and doesn't often work. And then if it does work sometimes the baby just goes back the other direction again.

My first was late in turning, and my OB suggested I put headphones low on my abdomen. She said she'd read some study where the baby is sometimes drawn to the music. I did it, and he turned - but I have no way of knowing if he'd have turned on his own. (Paul Simon -Graceland, if you're interested. ).

In your situation I'd probably opt for the scheduled C, taking into account the insurance and move timing. Better to be safe than sorry.

Best of luck!

[spotty_dog]

Check out spinningbabies.com and the book Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year. You can help him turn, he might just be waiting for the right time to drop -- a lot of times these poorly positioned babies will delay labor until they are in a better orientation. An external version would be way better than surgery in my opinion, and the earlier it's done the better, but there's a chance that it will break your waters. That's why the docs would rather do it closer to your due date, so your baby isn't too premature, even though it is probably less effective. Definitely do some research on that! (EDIT: Seeing all the concerns about the baby turning back after doing a version -- I seem to recall some of the fetal positioning resources talking about doing the exercises right after the version, so that you can get that baby engaged and keep him from flipping back.)

Vaginal birth is safer for you and for baby, and a primary cesarean really lines you up for future surgical births, as a VBAC is awfully hard to come by. I'd be doing what you can to have that baby the regular way, on his own timetable. Good luck!!

(EDIT #2: I know that chiropractic isn't for everyone, but there's a maneuver, I think it's called the Webster?, that chiropractors have to be specially trained and certified to do but that has a good reputation for turning malpositioned babies.)

[rainbabies]

dh turned a baby the other day. he said the woman was in agony, pain, crying. the babe ended up turning back and ended with a c-section anyways. bummer!

im a three-peat c-section girl....and honestly i cant say anything bad about it. you couldnt pay me to give birth naturally.

good luck with your moving/settling/and birth!

[GrayMatterWife]

dh turned a baby the other day. he said the woman was in agony, pain, crying. the babe ended up turning back and ended with a c-section anyways. bummer!!

Had a good friend at work a couple of years ago go through the same hell: intrauterine manipulation for birth positioning was SO painful for her. She said it was wrose than when she actually gave birth (granted, she got an epidural, but still...!). And, hours later, the baby turned right back around!

I got pregnant right after she gave birth and I was really worried I'd have to go through the same thing.

I'd try the earlier poster's miked-in music approach. The tunes will help you both to relax!

GOOD LUCK!! Wishing you and baby a happy and easy delivery!

[Momo]

It was during one of our last ultra sounds that we discovered DS1 switched positions about a month and a 1/2 out, from my orig due date. We couldn't go for external version because of the position of my placenta. We opted for an amniocentesis for another unrelated concern that showed up during the ultra sound. Once the test came back neg ,and because it showed that his lungs were mature, it was decided for us that he was going to be born c-sec. Here I am now 4 sections in a little under 4& 1/2 years!!!! I was allowed to try for a VBAC w/my 2ND but my body hadn't even shown signs of labor @ 42 weeks, thus a repeat section was done. It was after my second section, that my fate of being a C-sec delivery only patient was sealed.

PS Had we known w/ our first that we could have participated in chosing the sec date, we certainly would have. With our other 3 we pretty much dictated the dates we needed (not wanted)for the deliveries.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Pregnant lady here hoping to get some input....

I just know that normally my DH tells me not to worry about this or that...but when we found out about this he said "I am sort of freaking out about this one". He usually is so level headed now I am worried!!

One other thought: don't let your DH's "out of character" worry freak you out. My DH was the same way at one point during the delivery. He's this totally together, never-gets-freaked kind of person. But when I ripped during the delivery, it was a really bad tear (I didn't feel it at all, though! Thank you DRUGS!!). However, my DH--who again, is a "never let'em see you sweat" kinda guy--saw the rip happen and he WINCED. I saw him do it and my stomach just dropped out. My DH doesn't get rattled, never turns ashen, and certainly never winces. But he very clearly winced and slightly looked awy. When that happened, for the first time during the whole delivery, I completely lost confidence. I said, "What?! What is it? What's wrong?" and he kept staring over the delivering doc's shoulder at the vaginal wall damage, and wouldn't make eye contact with me. Finally, he just said, "It's OK. It's only a third degree. Maybe a four, no a three." I had no idea what he was talking about (the degree number indicates the extent of the tear) until well-after the delivery.

All this to say, my tear healed without any complications and I'm good as new. But when medical things happen to a loved one, even the calm, cool, collected docs can lose their edge...who knew they were human?!

[MDPhDWife]

I have no experience with transverse babies, but I gotta tell you I would most definitely opt for the scheduled C. It seems to make sense with your insurance issue.

DD1 was a 36 week emergency c-section (placental abruption due to complications from pre-eclamsia). Since it was emergency, I had to go under general so it was a major bummer to not be awake during her delivery. In terms of healing, I don't think it was such a big deal and the scar wasn't bad at all. Not to mention, I never went into labor so I missed out on contractions!

DD2 was an easier pregnancy and I had the option for a VBAC but considering the ease of my 1st c-section, I opted for the scheduled c-section. There was nothing to lose considering I already had the scar and they would cut at the same scar! We laughed and said it's like a little ziploc bag to take my kids out of! I scheduled it a day before her due date. This time I was able to do the spinal block and was present and it was a very cool experience. At this point there is no way in hell I would do a vaginal delivery. Not with all the tearing and the pain! I'm incredibly lucky to have 2 kids and still not know what a contraction feels like.

I know two people that had that happen. With one, the baby moved shortly before she went in for the whatever-whatever manipulation (so right at or after 36 weeks? ). The other didn't move and she had a c-section.

Stink about the insurance! Like you need that extra stress right now!

I like the earphone idea.

[spotty_dog]

An insurance overlap might be the safe thing to do if you can financially manage it.

It's my understanding that you can get COBRA coverage retroactively. That is, within 60? days of your coverage ending you can enroll and pay the premiums, and any care that was provided in the interim is covered. We used this fact last summer when I was pregnant and caught between my work's coverage and DH's upcoming residency coverage. If I'd needed treatment we could have paid that few hundred $$ in COBRA; but since I didn't (I was in a very easy second trimester, so I skipped one routine visit and didn't need any emergency care) we weren't out one dime.

Right. You could look into COBRA (although if he's only coming out of med school you may not be eligible??).

VBAC can happen. You have to find an OB who is willing to try, and have a good set of circumstances to allow it. My friend just had a very "easy" VBAC in February.

[Deebs]

Try the music - our midwives here (and some OBs) swear by it. And, totally non-invasive. They give patients a little more specific instruction -
-Play the music at belly level for a few days
-After a few days, move the music down a bit
-Move the source of the music lower each day, until it is on your thighs

As for a version, I would definitely discuss risks/benefits before opting for one. And, make sure your DH comes with you. If your water does break as a result, there are good chances of a fairly quick cesarean. I think you would be hard pressed in LaCrosse to find an OB who will let you labor with a transverse lie.

Most important - plan for the worst, but hope for the best. You still have PLENTY of time for that baby to turn.

Feel good!

Thanks all for your words of wisdom. I will definetly give the music a try. It sounds like a neat idea to share music with baby even if it doesn't work. I have read that there are studies that show babies who hear certain calming music in the womb are able to be calmed and appear to recognize the music after they are born. Can't hurt to try!!