Vaginal Natural Breech Birth?

“A vaginal, natural breech birth?” the doctor says. He looks surprised that I’m suggesting it. He just attempted an ECV to turn my baby without success. He was my last resort; I’ve tried everything under the sun to turn this baby. I’ve gone to a Chiropractor and an Acupuncturist. I’ve done breech turning hypnosis, exercises where I’m basically standing on my head and any other suggestions that came my way.

“Yes, I’d like to have the baby naturally still.” I say with confidence because I just read a book called Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. There is a birth story of a women who did it. If she can do it, so can I.

“Hopefully the baby will turn on its own. But you should prepare yourself for a C-section” says Dr. Downer. That’s my new name for him.

“I’d still like to try. It is possible, right?” I retort.

“The odds are not in your favour. The baby needs to be in either the complete or frank breech position, for you to be approved to even attempt it. And, you said you want it to be natural?”

“Yes, no drugs.” I say with gumption.

“And this is your first child?” he says with a condescending tone.

I only nod.

“There is a rule when a breech patient is in our care, “hands off the breech.” That means no breaking your water or using forceps. A first birth usually takes longer because your body doesn’t have the memory of doing it before. If it was your second child, you’d have a better chance. It will likely end in a C-section, and you should prepare yourself for that likelihood.” Dr. Downer walks out the door.

At eleven days before my due date I lie on a hospital bed in the same room I first met Dr. Downer. A nurse hooks me up to a monitor to hear the baby’s heart beat as my doula Heather arrives. She has this warm energy, and I feel calm the moment she enters the room. She gives my husband and I a bright smile.

“How is everyone feeling?” she says.

“Good, excited.” Dione, my midwife, has gone to talk to the doctors about our wish for a breech birth and I am nervous.

Heather says “Wonderful, today is the day you get to see your baby.” She is right and I remind myself regardless of what information Dione comes back with, today is a good day.

Dione returns with a doctor. “You want to have a vaginal breech birth, is that correct?”

“Yes, I’d like to try” I say.

“Okay, first we need to see what position your baby is in.” She wheels the ultrasound machine beside my hospital bed, squeezes that clear gel onto the ultrasound wand generously and applies it to my stomach. It’s gooey and cold; I flinch a little. I wonder why hospitals are always so cold as she moves the wand around my belly. She takes hold of the heart monitor slip to look at the baby’s heart rate.

“Ok we’re good.” She says nodding. She informs us that it’s very important for the baby’s heart rate to stay calm, otherwise I will need to have an emergency C-section. We all nod. “Ok I don’t see any reason why you can’t try.” She leaves the room.

“Yay!” I cheer and smile at everyone in the room. I am aware I might have to have a C-section, I vow to do this naturally until they tell me I can’t.

A powerful looking woman charges into the room, points at me and says, “Vaginal natural breech birth?!”

“Yes.” was all I could get out.

“Let’s do this!” and she storms out of the room like a woman on a mission.

“Who was that?” I ask Dione.

“That’s Bridget Lynch, she is the former President of the International Confederation of Midwives. She is a pioneer of midwifery. She must have been in the hospital and heard about your plan.” Dione says in admiration.

I bathe in a wave of relief and confidence. This powerhouse is going to help me, the odds are finally in my favour.

I move to the room for midwifery patients. We dim the lights and Heather puts on some calming music. I have a Hypnobabies CD, where they refer to contractions as ‘pressure waves’. When my contractions start, I am tempted to throw the CD player across the room but I remain calm thinking of my baby’s heart rate.

I have coconut water because I heard it would replenish my electrolytes while in labour. I take a large swig and immediately vomit all over the floor. I shouldn’t have had that chicken shawarma for lunch. Does this mean I’m transitioning already? Ina May said if you throw up it’s a good sign you’re transitioning and will be having your baby soon. Is that possible? Another contraction hits me; I lean against the wall. This too shall pass; this too shall pass. “Okay, okay, okay” is all I can say.

Heather massages a spot on my lower back and wow, I feel so much better! The contraction is easing. “Okay, okay, okay.” I take a deep breathe. The vomit has been cleaned up, but I don’t know by whom. I must have had my eyes closed. Heather helps me to the bed and my husband sits beside me holding my hand.

Hours are passing like minutes; contractions come and go. Like waves; but calling them ‘pressure waves’ is still the understatement of the century.

Dione checks my progress and the baby’s heart rate. She walks across the room to speak with Bridget. Bridget approaches, “You’re not progressing. If you weren’t breech, we could break your water to help you progress, but we can’t do that. What I need you to do is give me a urine sample.”

I’m not sure I can. Honestly, I don’t I have any fluid left in me. Turns out many women throw up during transition and some just throw up the whole time. Unfortunately, I’m the latter and I swear, I will never drink coconut water again. I get out of bed, Heather squeezes my arm in encouragement and we make our way to the bathroom.

I sit down, and it hurts like hell, like something is opening in me. I stop. Bridget is sitting on the edge of the tub, “I need you to try.” I try again, holy moly.

“Okay, okay, okay” I mumble. I sit! Phew! Now for the peeing... Nothing comes.

“I can’t” I tell them, “I can’t.”

“I need you to try” Bridget says again looking me straight in the eyes. I am persuaded. She is the type of woman you want to impress and appease, or at least produce a pee, for.

I nod and try to relax. I take a deep breath and release it. The sound of urine hitting the toilet pan fills the room.

“Good job Mama” Bridget says and leaves the room.

Turns out peeing is exactly what I needed; my labour progresses. Bridget’s midwife wizardry has somehow enchanted my body. I finally let go. Things progress quickly and here I am. I have lost all sense of time and space; I exist only in a vortex of contractions, vomit, okays, and this too shall passes.

Dione examines me again. “It’s time” she says beaming with satisfaction. I can feel the joy in the room. I did it, I made it.

A doctor walks in and declares “She must deliver in an operation room!”

This is a new doctor, not that I care at this point I just want this baby out!

“Then we roll this bed into the OR, she can’t birth on that metal operating table!” Complains Bridget.

“No, that bed isn’t sterilized. That is out of the question.” Rebuts the doctor.

I’ve heard enough! I don’t care if I have this baby on the floor. There is no room for comfort debates in my contraction vomit vortex; I need this baby out of me. I get off the bed and march out of the room. The nurses all look at me in shock. I don’t stop walking; actually it’s more like shuffling with determination. I make it to the OR and climb onto the narrow metal table and demonstrate to them I am ready.

There is a scurry of activity, and an audience gathers. The doctor gives the okay surrounded by curious first year residents and Dione. Bridget takes one leg, Heather the other and my husband is by my head. I smile at him. He gives me a reassuring smile back. Bridget leans over and says, “Push with the contractions, then rest between them.”

A contraction starts, and I push with all my might. My water explodes all over the crowd at the bottom of the table. “Don’t stop pushing” Bridget reassures.

The contraction ends and I take a break. I nod when I feel another one coming. The doctor says, “When you push, push down here towards your bottom.” I nod.

We repeat this ritual a handful of times and I start to feel disheartened. After another contraction fades, I say “Sorry, I’m not very good at pushing.”

“Yes, you are!” exclaims Heather. The rest of the room agrees in unison. The doctor takes my hand and pulls it between my legs. I look down and see a tiny little bum. I pat the little bottom and say, “I love you, baby.”

The sneak peek at my new baby’s bum has renewed my energy. I’m going to see my baby soon! It is at this moment that I experience what Ina May describes as ‘The Ring of Fire’ and I scream, “I want this baby out!”

“Wait until the next contraction!” Bridget commands firmly.

It arrives and I push with everything I have left. I feel the doctor release my baby’s feet and I feel sweet relief as my baby’s head pops out. I did it! The doctor puts the baby on my chest and says, “It’s a girl.”

I cry and say, “I love you, baby” while my husband leans over and prays into the baby’s ear, blessing her with tears of joy. The room is full with excitement and celebration.

Four hours later, we are released from the hospital with our beautiful baby girl. Heather wheels me toward the elevator and I can see Dr. Downer striding through the hallway. He stops when he sees me and points, “Vaginal natural breech birth?!”

“Yes!” I reply triumphantly.

“Good for you!” Dr. Downer says with sincerity.

The elevator opens. My husband and I step inside with our new baby girl. I have never been so proud in my life.