My Breech Birth Story

Georgia
Oct 2, 2024
5 min read

Updated: Oct 3, 2024

A pregnant mum pouting holding a peace sign — Pregnant with my Breech Bruiser

At 34 weeks the baby was diagnosed breech (not ideal when planning a water birth) but worse things could happen, I know!

My first baby was breech at this point and I managed to turn him with moxibustion so I thought I was an expert and knew what I was doing - oh, how wrong I was.

I tried it all; moxibustion, hypnosis, spinning babies techniques, head stands not to mention a clinical ECV, this bubba was having none of it and wanted to stay bum down with legs round his head.

"This bubba was having none of it and wanted to stay bum down with legs round his head."

I was offered an ECV - an Externap Cephalic Version. They explained there was a 50/50 success rate. I used my Hypnobirthing Tracks, tried my best to relax and visualise my baby head down, but no, this baby was determined to enter the world bottom first.

Following the unsuccessful ECV, I was given the following options:

1) another ECV

2) c-section

3) vaginal breech birth

I immediately opted for the latter, even though they weren't happy. Infact, they went ahead and booked a c-section for me. It wasn't until I refused to attend 2 scheduled caesareans and had several consultations with medical staff before they took me seriously, and gave me the support for a natural vaginal birth.

A pregnant mother in Morocco — Pregnant with my breech baby

Just as I got the hospital onside, my baby decided to play a waiting game. My due date came and went, days went past, a week went past and then a fortnight passed. I found myself 42 weeks pregnant with a frank breech baby. Unfortunately you can't induce breech babies, so my only options were to have a c-section or hold out for spontaneous labour.

"My due date came and went, days went past, a week went past and then a fortnight passed. I found myself 42 weeks pregnant with a frank breech baby."

The wait was unbearable, and as I neared the crucial stage I decided to reluctantly schedule a c-section at 42+1 as I really didn’t want to cause a risk to the baby. It was booked for 7.30am on a Monday morning.

On the Sunday evening, accepting my fate, I was putting my toddler to bed when I started to feel twinges. I thought it was too good to be true - another false labour. That was until Hubby started timing them and we realised we needed to get to hospital.

A pregnant mum overdue on her due date — It's not fun being overdue

I arrived at 10pm and was met by a midwife who had delivered only two breeches (both with women on their back with legs in stirrups - no thanks!) and a doctor who was reluctant to let me get on with it and said manoeuvres were necessary.

We had an awkward chat, I was reeling off breech clinical studies in between contractions - the likes of Mary Cronk and Jane Ford who believe breech births were just another version of normal and that women can deliver them upright and mobile, completely unaided. My medical team responded with: "well let's see what happens". I thought to myself “I’ll show ‘em!”

"I was reeling off breech clinical studies in between contractions."

My labour progressed well and I was breathing through contractions and listening to birth affirmations. I was so calm and relaxed I think the midwife realised I was in control and knew what I was doing as she came round to my wishes and advised upright birthing positions.

A mother cuddling and kissing her newborn baby — My first cuddles with my breech baby

As labour progressed, I hummed my way through contractions until I started to feel the urge to push. Then a steady stream of staff came into the room - paediatricians, doctor, midwives...some were there to "assist" if necessary, and others came to witness the "spectacle".

So infront of quite an audience, all staring at my bare arse and lady parts, they sat and watched me birth my breech baby boy. And so the theory goes..."Hands Off My Breech!". And that's how I did it - just me, my baby and some good hypnobirthing techniques.

"So infront of quite an audience, all staring at my bare arse and lady parts, they sat and watched me birth my breech baby boy."

It took four contractions to get him out, first his bum, then a leg flopped with it, the following contraction came his other leg and arms, and then I really went for it and pushed him out with all my mama might.

I pushed with such force that his cord snapped and the midwife didn't catch him. Instead, he landed on a pillow on the floor and pretty much bungee jumped out of me. He arrived at 4.24am on Monday morning, just three hours before I was due to have my c-section.

A newborn baby sucking knuckles — Baby Sonny -a few minutes old

In hindsight, I now realise that he was probably breech due to his short cord. You often find there's a reason for these things. I was so happy to have gone into spontaneous labour and felt so grateful.

Thanks to my Hypnobirthing course, I was able to find gratitude and feel excited all through my labour, smiling at the end of each contraction, or "surge" as we call them.

Holding Sonny in my arms, I remember very clearly having this moment where I realised I needed to share this with other women... share Hypnobirthing, my knowledge, empowering yourself.

"Holding Sonny in my arms, I remember very clearly having this moment where I realised I needed to share this with other women..."

When he was a few months old, I trained to become a Hypnobirthing instructor, because I thought if I can have these positive births, anyone can. It's a state of mind. You wouldn't run a marathon without training and going into labour is much the same.

People think I'm something special but I'm not. We are all Wonder Woman. If you train your mind and practice hypnobirthing techniques, your body is capable of wonderful things.

Lady wearing We are all Wonder Women t-shirt. — We are all Wonder Women.

And even if you don't get the birth you planned, because let's face it, life loves to throw a curveball... then Hypnobirthing gives you the power to control the controllables, navigating your journey, no matter what happens. You 've got this Mama!

Get ready motherhood! Join my Hypnobirthing Course today. For more information on all my upcoming courses, click here.

I've got you!

Georgia x

Useful literature on Breech Births:

https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/hands-off-that-breech

https://www.midwifery.org.uk/articles/breech-birth/

http://www.sarawickham.com/research-updates/research-on-breech-birth-in-an-upright-position/

https://www.spinningbabies.com

Some other posts you might like:

Image of a front page newspaper — Watch Sonny's Birth here

knowledge is power

At 34 weeks the baby was diagnosed breech (not ideal when planning a water birth) but worse things could happen, I know!

My first baby was breech at this point and I managed to turn him with moxibustion so I thought I was an expert and knew what I was doing - oh, how wrong I was.

I tried it all; moxibustion, hypnosis, spinning babies techniques, head stands not to mention a clinical ECV, this bubba was having none of it and wanted to stay bum down with legs round his head.

I was offered an ECV - an Externap Cephalic Version. They explained there was a 50/50 success rate. I used my Hypnobirthing Tracks, tried my best to relax and visualise my baby head down, but no, this baby was determined to enter the world bottom first.

Following the unsuccessful ECV, I was given the following options:

1) another ECV

2) c-section

3) vaginal breech birth

The wait was unbearable, and as I neared the crucial stage I decided to reluctantly schedule a c-section at 42+1 as I really didn’t want to cause a risk to the baby. It was booked for 7.30am on a Monday morning.

On the Sunday evening, accepting my fate, I was putting my toddler to bed when I started to feel twinges. I thought it was too good to be true - another false labour. That was until Hubby started timing them and we realised we needed to get to hospital.

I arrived at 10pm and was met by a midwife who had delivered only two breeches (both with women on their back with legs in stirrups - no thanks!) and a doctor who was reluctant to let me get on with it and said manoeuvres were necessary.

My labour progressed well and I was breathing through contractions and listening to birth affirmations. I was so calm and relaxed I think the midwife realised I was in control and knew what I was doing as she came round to my wishes and advised upright birthing positions.

As labour progressed, I hummed my way through contractions until I started to feel the urge to push. Then a steady stream of staff came into the room - paediatricians, doctor, midwives...some were there to "assist" if necessary, and others came to witness the "spectacle".

So infront of quite an audience, all staring at my bare arse and lady parts, they sat and watched me birth my breech baby boy. And so the theory goes..."Hands Off My Breech!". And that's how I did it - just me, my baby and some good hypnobirthing techniques.

It took four contractions to get him out, first his bum, then a leg flopped with it, the following contraction came his other leg and arms, and then I really went for it and pushed him out with all my mama might.

I pushed with such force that his cord snapped and the midwife didn't catch him. Instead, he landed on a pillow on the floor and pretty much bungee jumped out of me. He arrived at 4.24am on Monday morning, just three hours before I was due to have my c-section.

In hindsight, I now realise that he was probably breech due to his short cord. You often find there's a reason for these things. I was so happy to have gone into spontaneous labour and felt so grateful.

Thanks to my Hypnobirthing course, I was able to find gratitude and feel excited all through my labour, smiling at the end of each contraction, or "surge" as we call them.

Holding Sonny in my arms, I remember very clearly having this moment where I realised I needed to share this with other women... share Hypnobirthing, my knowledge, empowering yourself.

When he was a few months old, I trained to become a Hypnobirthing instructor, because I thought if I can have these positive births, anyone can. It's a state of mind. You wouldn't run a marathon without training and going into labour is much the same.

People think I'm something special but I'm not. We are all Wonder Woman. If you train your mind and practice hypnobirthing techniques, your body is capable of wonderful things.

And even if you don't get the birth you planned, because let's face it, life loves to throw a curveball... then Hypnobirthing gives you the power to control the controllables, navigating your journey, no matter what happens. You 've got this Mama!

Get ready motherhood! Join my Hypnobirthing Course today. For more information on all my upcoming courses, click here.

I've got you!

Georgia x

Useful literature on Breech Births:

Some other posts you might like:

At 34 weeks the baby was diagnosed breech (not ideal when planning a water birth) but worse things could happen, I know!

"Wow, I'm definitely going to Hypnobirth my babies!" These were the first words to leave the student midwife's mouth as I cradled my new baby boy...

Yep, that's right, we filmed my first birth. Infact, we filmed all three births!

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