What is an External Cephalic Version? Will it hurt?

Other wise known as ECV for short, which I will refer to it here. Way too long to retype all the time 😃

I want to be able to share my story for all those ladies that want to know what one is sort of like, from my own personal experience. I have 100 questions running through my head, no matter what I researched nothing felt like it was enough to reassure me.

I hope this can maybe be of reassurance to someone or anyone.

I believe my baby turned breech around 30 weeks.

I had the ECV done on the 12/06/2018 - when I was 37+1 weeks pregnant.

My midwife referred me to the hospital to see a breech midwife specialist. This all happened within 3 days of seeing my midwife as usual.

I arrived at the hospital, had a scan with a the breech specialist midwife who confirmed my baby boy is breech. Due to the size of him and taking up the entire screen, I then went and sat waiting for another scan to be carried out by a sonographer.

I went into have my scan and the sonographer explained to me and my partner that my baby is in the worst breech position, however if he was to ‘footling’ it would be a tad worse (footling being with a foot dangling)

The sonographer even drew a photo to explain it what position baby is in. Personally I think its quite artistic! 

Basically, his spine was on my right side with his head directly under my ribs making it nice and uncomfortable. His legs were crossed over one another. He was laying in a C shape with his feet on top of my bladder. Baby's bum was almost engaged into my pelvis which is not what I wanted! 

The sonographer basically checked the weight of baby, the fluid around the baby and to double check his position.

Confirmed was his weight around 5lb and there was enough fluid to have him moved around. Question was, would it be safe and do able with his legs crossed over and basically squatting.

After the scan I was told to wait to see the breech specialist midwife again.

During the wait I was given a leaflet on how the procedure is done, what the risks are and what the success rate is. The success rate is apparently 50% nationally. However, I feel this varies from county hospitals.

I had 100 questions running through my mind. With my main concern being my blood type. Being negative rhesus type A - would I be okay with this procedure? Am I going to need another anti d. The answers followed.

When my original midwife first stated baby is breech I thought my only 1 option is cesarean section. No questions.

Meeting with the breech midwife specialist I was given 3 options :

1️⃣ ; Deliver baby breech vaginally.

My thoughts? This petrified me. The thought in my head is a no go.

2️⃣ ; C section

I’m open minded about my birth preferences/wishes. Originally I waned a birthing pool and I was adamant on that. However, throughout my pregnancy I have learnt to accept and adapt what will happen. I need to put my baby first and let nature take its course.

3️⃣ ; Wait and see if baby moves on his own and do nothing.

I didn’t mind this option, but I felt it would leave me in the dark. The uncertainty. The unknown scared me. At the time I was a couple of days off being 37 weeks pregnant and I felt like a ticking time bomb with no option but to make a decision to try anything to move him.

It was agreed there and then that I would go in for an ECV that Monday, on the 11/06/2018.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. What did I agree to?

Would it hurt?

Would it harm my baby?

What if I am that 3 out of 200 people where complications happen such as bleeding or needing a c section there and then?

All these thoughts and no answer until I went through the procedure.

Knowing that I had to have another dose of anti d after as well just topped it all off 💉

The weekend came and went as me and my partner put the nursery together.

I tried not to over think about the what may happen scenarios after reading up on ecv’s and how the procedure is done. Reading up on it didn’t help, I wanted to know peoples experiences. Understandably, everyone is different and whatever would happen would happen.

Monday came and I began to physically and mentally psych myself up for having this ecv. I even packed and took my hospital bag and left it in the car, just in case anything happened.

I got to the hospital on Monday with my partner, just wanting to get this ecv over and done with. The more I thought about it, the more I began to accept that if my baby didn’t move into position after it then he is probably comfortable and doesn’t want to move. All I could do is try. I’d have personally rather have said at least I tried then not tried at all.

My partner and I walked up to reception, to be told that we could be waiting up to 4 hours for the procedure. The waiting room was heaving. I was also told by reception that I couldn’t eat, I was not informed of this and this wasn’t in the leaflet I was provided.

I decided to leave the hospital, go home and come in the next day in hope that I will get seen and have the procedure done.

On Monday on the way home from hospital after getting mentally, emotionally and physically psyched up to have an ecv. I felt like an emotional mess. Asking myself, can I really wait to do this another day. I dreaded it the entire weekend, and to have to wait yet another night and day. I wasn’t 100% I would be physically, mentally or emotionally stable to have to drag myself and my partner back up the hospital again in case we got turned away, again.

After a few tears, I brought myself a 8 eclairs, debated on getting myself a birth cake just because and brought myself some non alcoholic koppabergs. What a treat 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️🍹

Tuesday the 12th of June came around, my appointment was at 2. I rang first thing to confirm if I had to eat or not, it was the midwife that I saw on Friday the breech specialist who confirmed I could eat (hallelujah 🙏🏻) and was told to come in and she would make sure I’m seen.

So throughout that morning I kept busy, trying to take my mind off it again.

2pm came and up to the hospital again. An hour went and we were still sat in the waiting room 🕰⌛️ I’m wondering how much waiting I can handle.

I finally got called and had the usual observations done, everything was a’okay as per. Had to monitor baby’s heart beat and movements for 20 minutes to make sure he’s okay.

Had another scan to confirm baby’s position. Confirmed again, still breech. However 2/5ths of baby’s bum was engaged in my pelvis which is not what I wanted ✖️

After talking to the doctor it was for sure that if a baby’s bum is further engaged in the pelvis it’s harder to get hold of the bottom and to move it out of the pelvis 😖

I had an obstetrical nurse come in and feel where baby is, followed by another scan with another consultant for a 2nd opinion.

Extra gel was put on my stomach as this was going to help the obstetric nurse manoeuvre baby around.

Before I knew it I had the consultant scanning my stomach every couple of seconds and the obstetrical nurse attempting to manoeuvre baby round by grabbing his head and his feet.

Prior to all this I was administered a relaxant drug to help relax my uterus. It was a tiny needle but as soon as it was over you could feel it kicking in. My arms went heavy and I just felt tired, but relaxed.

My partner sat by my side near my head the whole time and watched the whole process. The obstetric nurse tilted the hospital bed I was on a slight slant to get baby’s bottom unengaged from my pelvis.

I couldn’t watch and didn’t want to look down at my stomach. I could see my partner watching the whole thing, I don’t know how he did it. The thought of it made me feel sick.

I had heartburn as soon as the belt was tilted which sort of took my mind of the discomfort of the procedure.

It felt tickly at some point and all I wanted to do was laugh, this was at the beginning though. As time went on it was the holding baby’s head which was the most uncomfortable part. The nurse held onto his head in the hope that he would move round completely himself.

All in all the procedure was well under 10 minutes.

A scan was performed straight after, obviously I was being scanned throughout to check baby’s heartbeat which was fine throughout.

It was then agreed for another scan in half an hour to double check baby’s position, but in the mean time I was to have bloods done because of my blood type and to have baby’s heart rate monitored again.

Baby’s heart was fine throughout and baby’s head is down but not where it should be. 

Baby’s head is down, with his head above my left hip and hand over his head. One leg is where it should be and his other near his head.. somehow.

This is how I was explained baby was laying.. excuse my artistic skills! 

Except, his hand was in front of his face/above his head. And one foot was near his shoulders/head. Baby looked as if he was uncomfortably doing the splits, and what I needed was for him to make his way into the correct position himself. 

After bloods and another scan to confirm the above, I was allowed to go home after a 6 hour sit at the hospital.

On the way home I felt some pains and discomfort. Nothing major, it felt weird and like I had a new bump because babies head isn’t under my ribs where I could feel it and see it clearly.

I use to sit at the dining table and feel as if I was too close to the table because of his head, when in fact his head was just sticking out so much I’d felt odd.

I felt like I had a new baby bump.

Over the night after the procedure I felt tender and sore, felt kind of bruised especially above my pelvis. I feel that my body is trying to adjust to baby’s new position, whether it will turn into the position that I’ve hoped for that is all in baby’s hands.

All I can say at this point was, at least I tried. If baby decides he doesn’t want to stay or go into the engaging position if head down then so be it. Whatever will be, will literally be.

I feel some people become so set on certain ways of birthing. Wanting to aim all natural and vaginally, what some people; including myself have learnt that baby’s safety should come first. Whatever you need to sacrifice for yourself to make sure that your baby is delivered safely, just do it. There shouldn’t be any questions. You’re going to have to put this tiny precious gift of a human before yourself when they’re born, why not do this for them whilst you can?

Follow up scan for Thursday 14/06/2018 -

I had my follow up scan with my partner to see if baby had moved himself into the correct position. I wasn't sure myself if he had or hadn't. I was trying to get use to what felt like a brand new bump. I hadn't experienced the movements that baby was making inside before, they were new punches and sticking his bum out. 

at 9AM I was called in, the consultant had a feel of my bump to see what the initial thought was. If baby hadn't moved it would result in a booking of a C section. 

Consultant felt my bump and said it seems promising. Next thing is a scan to confirm.
Scan confirmed baby had moved into position by himself. 
So I was one of the lucky ones, I was a successful within the 50% change of the ECV working. 
I accepted if it didn't, I accepted if baby didn't want to move. I learnt that what will be, will literally be. I will do and accept that I have to do whatever is needed to get my baby out safely.

If anyone has any questions about my experience of an External Cephalic Version, please feel free to comment or contact me in private via the boxes below.  

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