Postby Just_T » Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:54 am
I laboured at home until I was 6 cms dialated (as it turned out). When they checked me at the hospital, the baby was breech and no one had previously figured that out. The midwives urgently persuaded me to have a c-section. When I questioned how this could be considered so high risk (eg pretty normal 'problem'and plenty of babies born this way) they told me that they weren't trained to deliver breech babies anymore b/c the normal advice is a c-section. They were visibly nervous. The final warning they issued was that it was a huge risk and my perfectly healthy baby could have its head stuck and lose oxygen and have issues for the rest of its life - all for what? With the lack of confidence in their faces and the pen and consent form being thrust in my face, I opted for an emergency C. This was at Chelsea & Westminster.
All I'd say is - if you really want to deliver a breech baby naturally, you must ensure the staff are trained and confident. Many years before I even got pregnant, I had an 'argument' with a consultant friend about how medicalised the whole birthing experience had become. And he whipped out some stats regarding the massive reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates since birthing was done in a hospital etc. It was hard to argue! I don't think your aim in having a natural birth is unreasonable, but you'll never forgive yourself if it goes wrong because the staff have only seen this done on a video! Good luck.
