This breech birth has been on my blog for a while but here is the woman’s story.

Our birth story is really much more about the decisions we are sometimes forced to make surrounding antenatal care and childbirth, or rather, decisions that can be taken out of our hands by the hospital system. Had my daughter not stayed resolutely in breech position from 32 weeks, I am sure this story would be totally different.

We had planned to birth at the Lyell McEwin Hospital in the birthing centre. The pregnancy was uncomplicated and I was fit and in good health throughout. Living remote, I was unable to access the childbirth education classes offered by the hospital, but I read everything I could about active birth, in particular New Active Birth by Janet Balaskas and Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth – I read them over and over. I was assured by the hospital midwife (who always seemed to laugh at my questions) that the baby had plenty of time to turn, but if she didn’t then I would need to have a cesearian or she could be brain damaged because there might not be enough room for her to travel through my “unproven” pelvis. She made it clear that, especially as I was a first timer, the hospital would not support my decision to try for a vaginal birth. I started my own research into breech, looking at the Term Breech Trial which she quoted as evidence and realised that there were so many problems with the way the trial was carried out that it shouldn’t be a definitive study. It became evident that the “section all breech” policy was for the convenience of obstetricians and that the medical staff probably didn’t have the skills to safely assist a breech birth, but with my due date looming, a change of care providers didn’t seem to be on the cards.

So in a desperate attempt to avoid surgery, I took measures to help the baby turn – crawling around on all fours, handstands in the pool, inversions, frozen peas, visualisation – you name it. As the weeks went by, my attempts became more and more frantic – and more and more futile. Turning this baby became my obsession. Thank goodness I was still working or I would have gone mad.

As a condition of living in a remote community, women are asked to leave town 4 weeks prior to their due date, so I left my husband behind to stay in Adelaide with my parents. I then tried chiropractic and moxibustion – both usuccessful. I knew this baby had run out of room to turn. I had an unsuccessful ECV and was immediately booked in for a ceaserian for the 5th of January, 3 days before my EDD (they would have liked to book me in for an earlier date but it just wasn’t convenient for them, being so close to the new year and the weekend and a public holiday getting in the way, plus they didn’t do elective c-scetions on Mondays….). So there I was, 37 weeks pregnant and “high risk” for no other reson than the fact that my baby was bum down. They would not allow me the option of a trial of labour.

Believing that surgery was not necessarily in the best interests of my baby or myself, I sought alternative care. I happened upon Lisa’s blog and it took me a while to realise that this amazing woman practised in Adelaide. I initially called Lisa for advice on how to negotiate a natural birth within the system, assuming that she would be unable to be my midwife because I was so close to my due date and it would be too late to employ her. But I’ll never forget what she said, and that’s, “I am really busy but you have asked for my help and so I will do what I can to help you”. She knew I had no other option. She asked how I felt about homebirth and I wasn’t totally uninitiated as I had attended the homebirth of a friend once, but as I was staying with my parents and not in my own home, I didn’t feel entirely comfortable with the idea. So after meeting Lisa, she agreed to help us negotiate a birth at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital with her in attendance. We met with Dr. Peat, gave him our birth plan which basically stated that anyone but Lisa was not to touch me, strictly no monitoring, VEs, drugs etc. and that all decisions would be discussed with her. He was supportive but couldn’t guarantee we would get a cheerful reception if he wasn’t on call.

So finally, at 38 week pregnant, I relaxed about the impending birth. I stopped the frantic attepts to move the baby and I was confident in my ability to birth naturally. There was no fear and, in fact, I think at that point I would have been quite disappointed if the baby had turned head down! So after a day of feeling tired and out of sorts, my waters broke at 8 pm on the 30th of December. At first I thought I had wet myself, but thought to myself that I couldn’t be wetting myself constantly. Smallish contractions began and so I called Lisa. She said that’s great, to call her in half an hour or so and that she would come whenever I wanted. My husband, who was down for the birth, got back from fishing and we decided to try and rest, but by 11 pm it was clear that things weren’t going to slow down. We called Lisa and she agreed to come down. The plan was to labour at home for as long as possible then transfer to WCH.

So Lisa and Rachel, Lisa’s friend and midwife from interstate, arrived and by midnight the contractions really got going. I walked around and as the contractions started, I just leaned on a table or my husband for support. Lisa encouraged me do do what feels natural. She kept saying to me that whenever I wanted to transfer, to let her know. As the intensity of the contractions increased, I found I could no longer walk around between contractions as I needed to rest. At this point, the pain of contractions was totally in contrast to the most intense high of the time between contractions. Between contractions, I had no pain and I think I even slept. It ‘s amazing how those endorphins kick in. A little later, I hopped into the bath but unfortunately the water wasn’t very deep and as I felt I needed to lean forward in a supported kneeling position for contractions, the warm water wasn’t able to bathe my belly where it hurt. But I just thought to myself, “Oh well, I’ll just have to do without it.” At this point, Lisa said that if we were going to the hospital, now would be the time. I just said that I wasn’t going anywhere and could she please tell my Mum and Dad that I’m sorry but we will be having a homebirth.

I knew everything was well with the baby – she was working just as hard as me as I could feel her kicking and squirming on the way down and every time we listened with the doppler her heart rate was good. As the bath wasn’t really deep enough and the water was getting cold, it was time to get out. I sat on the toilet for a few contractions and felt the early urges too push. Lisa encouraged me to push if I felt like it. After a few contractions, the baby’s bottom could be felt and Lisa encouraged me to touch her. She was passing meconium but I knew this was normal for a frank breech as the buttocks are squeezed as the baby passes through the birth canal. Lisa suggested we move onto the bed where there were a heap of pillows and cushions stacked up against the wall for me to lean on. My contractions weren’t very close together, but they came in sets. The breaks between them gave me an incredible chance to rest and regroup and I marvelled at the innate intelligence of my body to preserve energy during birth. I remember that I didn’t want anyone to initiate contact with me but I held onto my husband during contractions. Even the slightest sound seemed to irritate me – I didn’t even like the sound of the doppler so I was glad I wasn’t in the hospital where I presume there would only be more noise. The whole time, Lisa was there encouraging me and telling me I was doing a great job and Rachel and my husband supported me during contractions, holding heat packs on my belly. I felt totally nurtured by the people around me. The environment was quiet and peaceful and I knew that staying home was the right thing do.

The baby descended with each contraction, though I remember feeling frustrated that every time I pushed her down, she would kick and wiggle her way back up a little. Looking back, that probably gave my perinium time to stretch and it remained intact. Between the second last and last contraction, there was a longer break so I was able to rest and save up my strength for the last contraction. The last contraction was the most intense pushing ever, and the baby didn’t wiggle back up! She was born up to her arms and I felt down and touched her – she was there! Another push and her arms flopped out, then I felt Lisa put counterpressure around the opening allowing her head to be born. So our beautiful baby girl arrived at 5.55 am on the 31st of December.

I was a little dazed for half a minute then turned around and picked our baby girl up and put her to my chest. She was tiny and perfect and had heaps of hair. My husband and I were able to cuddle her, knowing that noone would be coming in demanding to examine her and give her injections or to prematurely cut the cord. Being at home meant we didn’t have to negotiate for a normal physiological birth without intervention – it was assumed because there were no problems. After all, why fix something that isn’t broken. Later she had her first breastfeed and an intense time of wakefulness when she gazed into our eyes.

I’m so grateful that I was able to have a natural breech birth without panic or fear. The birth of our daughter was such a fantastic, positive experience and it saddens me to think that women are led to believe that breech birth is always dangerous or even impossible. As a woman in the public hospital system, I became a black sheep because I questioned their policies and their underlying evidence and refused to accept their way as the only way. I was too much trouble and was effectively turned away. The only reason I was able to birth naturally was because I was lucky enough to find a midwife who believed in birth and believed in me and because I have a like-minded husband who supports me. These things don’t necessarily guarantee anyone a birth free from intervention, but they certainly give the birthing woman a say as to what happens to her baby and her body, placing her at the centre of the decision making process – which is exactly where she should be. Lisa is an amazing midwife. She helped us when we had no other option but to have a surgical birth and for that our family will always be thankful.

Related posts:

1. Rose and Lilly Breech At Home
2. Homebirth After Caesarean Breech.
3. Frank Breech Birth Video
4. India’s Homebirth Story
5. Caleb’s Homebirth Story