my external cephalic version experience

baby paxton finally turned!!

a few weeks ago i posted a thread on facebook asking for advice on how to flip a breech baby.  i received about 20 comments with various tricks to try including:
*chiropractor (acupuncture)
*pelvic rocks
*midwife (visualization)
*prayer
*handstands in a pool
and several other things including my doctor's recommendation: getting on my hands and knees with my head on the ground and butt up in the air for 45 minutes 2-3 times a day.

i tried a few of these things (including handstands in the pool on our secret trip to florida last week), but did not feel the baby flipping and did not have the patience to sit in uncomfortable positions for hours on end each day with no instant result.  i went to the chiropractor 6 times for the webster technique, but even though my chiropractor was super sweet, i kind of doubt the effectiveness of the sessions.  so...

i agreed to let the doctor try an ECV.  on a scale of 1-10, he warned me the pain would probably be a 9, but it would take 5 minutes or less for the actual procedure (i read online that some women even get epidurals for it!). 

the morning of the procedure, i went to the hospital at 6:30am (there is a chance of needing an emergency c-section so it has to be done in a hospital), where heart rate and contraction monitors were hooked up to my stomach.  the nurse gave me two doses of terbulatine to relax my uterus and stop any contractions and mentioned that my doctor has "magic hands" and can flip any baby. 

after the doc arrived and lubed up my belly, he pushed paxton's bottom out of my pelvis with one hand and gripped p's head with his other hand (from the outside of my stomach).  he slowly rotated the baby's head in a circular motion until it was situated perfectly in my pelvis and the whole thing took less than 2 minutes.

i am very happy to report that not only was the pain not a 9 but more like a 3 (i think the iv hurt worse than the ECV), but baby paxton flipped with ease on the first attempt!  i am so thankful and this is such a prayer request answered.  i am still praying that he will not flip back, but i have a peace knowing that he is in an ideal position right now.  i would highly recommend anyone with a breech baby try an ECV! 

the first thing james said after paxton flipped was "i wish i would've brought a video camera and recorded that!"  he was amazed that he could literally see paxton's head moving through my whole uterus and how smooth it was.  since we didn't bring our camera, i leave you with a youtube video that gives you and idea of what it is like in case you want a visual :).

http://youtu.be/LYpkzidmaVs

love yall and hope everyone is having a wonderful memorial day weekend!!