I know it's hard not to stress it when the unknown can be kind of scary, but try not to look too hard at all of the worst case scenarios. However that being said, has your midwife discussed with you what method they would use to induce, should they get the baby to turn and induction became necessary? Oxytocin (pitocin for those of us in the US) sucks, we all know this. But it isn't the only way to induce, just the most popular because it's the most reliable for whatever that is worth (since even that isn't always reliable).

Have you discussed pain management methods for the external version, should you need to do it? From the Moms I know who have had it, it's pretty shocking for some, not as bad for others. The best successes I've known were the Moms who were good at focused relaxation, because as we know, pain tension causes more pain as we fight against it.

I love that you're seeing a chiropractor and having the Webster technique done! Seriously, in the US you would be so in the minority it isn't even funny. I only know about these things because I went way out of the realm of "normal" when I did hypnosis for childbirth and networked with a lot of other moms who did these more natural methods (like chiropractors and midwives).

Interestingly, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada no longer push cesareans on breech babies. Link here for the read and info if you want it http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/c-section-not-best-option-for-breech-birth/article597103/

I really, really hope you keep us updated! It is an encouragement for those moms looking for normal birth to hear about these other natural methods we are not offered in the US. And if we don't know about them, we can't ask why it isn't an option or find someone who will support alternative choices that are also safe (sometimes even safer). Thank you for sharing! Kudos to you, and good luck!

@the_Coley_he_seeks@xanga - Thank you for the advice. This post of mine is a little dated and I've since talked to an OB. Unfortunately, c-section is my only option for breech birth because my hospital doesn't do vaginal breech births. Yes, I think it's unfortunate and that every hospital should have the option. The OB said they don't do it because there's too much risk with the head getting stuck. I get that, but if doctor's had some proper training in vaginal breech births then I don't think it would be that much of issue. So, unfortunately, I wouldn't have much of a choice. It's upsetting, to be sure, but it's not a matter of my wishes be ignored. At that point it becomes a matter of my baby is stubborn and this is how we have to deal with the situation. I am a big advocate for natural vaginal birth, but I have to keep my options open to keep my baby safe. She still has time to turn and I have 4-ish weeks to help her out since I'm no longer working. So I've put the panic aside because stress won't do any favors for me or my baby.

I absolutely agree that c-sections are unnecessary when it comes to birth weight. I wouldn't accept my diabetes as a good enough reason to have one just because they think she would be too big.
With the ultrasound, I'm aware that weight thing isn't accurate. It's more out of curiosity and if they tell me she's weighing 6 lbs then I can assume she could be only 5 lbs or pushing 7 lbs. I know that fundal height isn't very indicative of weight either, but I'd much rather use my fundal measurement to be reassured that she is both growing and a reasonable size if I am measuring right on. But, ultimately, I don't really have that much control over how much she is going weigh. I can do what I can to control my diabetes, but anything else is out of my hands and I'm learning to accept that.

Without giving up on the things I want to get out of my labor and delivery, I'm getting to the point where I just want to get her here. However, I'm realizing that compromises might have to be made to get her here safely.

@shortcake2675@xanga - Spinningbabies.com was highly recommended by the midwives and doulas in my hypnobabies discussion group when I was pregnant. Good resource. I'm glad your little one turned in time. Did you use the spinning babies technique yourself? Or any other method?

@phoebester@xanga - They do seem rather convenient, but I recommend doing some research on ALL of the risk involved with major abdominal surgery, which is exactly what it is. There are more risks involved with the mother AND the baby. Plus, imagine not only cutting through your skin and fat layer, they're cutting through your abdominal muscles AND your uterine muscles and cause a lot of unnecessary blood loss. With a deep incision like that a mother is put at risk for serious infection and if the uterus doesn't heal properly it could ruin her chances of carrying another baby. Not to mention the chances of a repeat c-section are MUCH higher because VBAC's are a whole other can of worms that docs are reluctant to open these days. The recovery time is longer than that of a vaginal birth as well. It extends your postpartum period to 8 weeks and it takes you longer to get back on your feet as your incision heals. There is a whole whack-load of other risks that are involved, but these are the ones that bother me the most personally.

C-sections nowadays have a stigma surrounding them for these risks and because it's used more for convenience than out of necessity. I believe that there is a time and place for them, but it's not like vaginal breech births are completely unheard of. They're totally doable, so why put my body through that kind of trauma? Well the problem is that doctors are not properly trained in childbirth anymore. If they were any one of them could tackle a vaginal breech birth like it was any other. So in a way having a c-section because a baby is breech is still doing it out of convenience, they just make it seem necessary because they claim a vaginal birth is too "risky". What blows my mind is that by risk they mean liability, but to me it seems like there is WAY more liability in doing a c-section than helping a woman deliver a breech baby vaginally.

Anyway if anyone who's had a c-section can help me out on this I would appreciate it. I've never had one, but I'm trying to avoid one for the reasons mentioned above and all the others that I can't name right now. But I've done some research and have come to understand that they are often an unnecessarily horrible experience. Sure you get your baby within 20 minutes, but there's no satisfaction in being partially paralyzed on an operating table, not being handed your baby immediately after birth because they have to put you back together and stitch you up, followed by a healing process that seems daunting when you suddenly have a newborn to care for.

@phoebester@xanga - I forgot about the pain comparison. For me, I agree that the vaginal birth was very painful (because my labor was only like an hour long, so it was hot and heavy and oh.my.lord.). However, I would rather have tremendous pain for a few hours at the most than to have the kind of post-cesarean pain most women have for weeks. In other words, I'd rather have a really sucky day than a really sucky week.

The pain comparison doesn't apply to some moms who have had their cesareans scheduled. Surgery on a relaxed, non-contracting muscle hurts less and is less traumatic. So when those of us who receive the c-section after having labored all day and then "needing" the surgery for whatever reason - we're basically recovering from two births rather than one.

@sarahsmurfette@xanga - Thank you for mentioning this. I didn't think of an emergency c-section that way. If that's the case then I think for the sake of better healing I'll take the scheduled c-section if it becomes my last resort. I'm wondering, though, do they give a muscle relaxant immediately prior to an emergency c-section to stop the uterus from contracting?