19/04/2021 Successful ECV and subsequent NVD

Hoping to encourage those with breech babies.

I am a 1st time mom and doctor. Knowing the risks of caesarian section (working in anaesthetics full time) I had always dreamt of having a vaginal delivery.

But it started to look like that wouldn't happen for me, as baby remained breech.

However my amazing obstetrician was willing to try an ECV, which she did at 36+6. The ECV itself was uncomfortable, but not painful. I received no pain medication whatsoever. I also didn't need medication to relax my uterus.

Baby remained head down thankfully.

Because of COVID, my doula would not be allowed in hospital. So we made the decision that I would labour at home for a while before going into hospital.

I started getting contractions on 17th April at 38+3, but I wasn't sure that this was it yet, although it kept me from sleeping that night.

The next day, the contractions continued, but I could walk around, talk, breathe through them. This was a Sunday. At around 18h00, my doula came around to see what was happening. She said that she could see I was having regular contractions, but that I was definitely not in active labour yet. She advised me to take a bath and try and get a good night's rest. She then went home.

I had a warm bath and was planning on going to bed early, but about 20 minutes after the bath, things intensified and I no longer doubted whether I was in labour. I had my husband call back our doula.

She arrived at about 22h00. I laboured at home with support from her and my husband, which was amazing. Being in our own environment was relaxing and I felt calm having my doula around who could also do intermittent dopplers to check baby's heart.

Finally at around 05h30, the pain became unbearable and I begged to go to the hospital. Husband and doula convinced me to wait it out a little bit longer.

Eventhough both my husband and I are doctors, at that point nobody had examined me, so I had no idea of how far I was dilated.

I finally started having the urge to push with contractions and decided to head to the hospital at that point.

My membranes ruptured in the car about 5 minutes before we arrived at the hospital.

On arrival (around 06h40), I had a vaginal examination for the very 1st time and to my surprise I was 10cm dilated and ready to push.

I started pushing before my obstetrician was there, but luckily she made it in time. About 5 contractions later, our baby boy was born at 38+5, 07h20 weighing 2.82kg and 51cm long.

I was elated to have the unmedicated vaginal delivery I had wanted. I did end up having a 2nd degree tear, but the recovery was great.

Our baby boy unfortunately did end up having developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) as a complication of being in the breech position for so long.

He has been in a pavlik harness for 7 weeks, with 5 weeks to go.

Thanks for reading my long post 😊😊😊