Advice for 1. Aversion 2. Possible C-section 3. Going from 2 to 3 Kids

I had a breech baby and a successful version. I also got all kinds of horror stories to hear before the procedure - most of them second hand (or even farther removed), my advice for you is not to listen to them.
After going through the experience myself I would suggest that you find a practitioner who has experience doing them, not someone who would be better served (as in get more cash from you) if you ended up with a c-section. I am convinced that those women who actually had a painful attempt had some kind of butcher who didn't know what they were doing. Even if you don't have a midwife, ask one (or a few) for recommendations who they work with.

The version itself was remarkably unspectacular. The OB who did it let me know beforehand that he would not force things, but rather coax my baby to turn. Ultrasound to confirm the position before hand and see which way she would be easier to turn - plenty of ultrasound gel on my belly to help with turning. The uncomfortable part was pushing the lower belly up to lift her butt out of my pelvis, it a lot of pressure on the bladder - not painful just very uncomfortable, make sure that you pee before the procedure.
The doctor used the other hand to gently but firmly push her head in the direction he wanted the baby to turn. In my case at first the wouldn't budge, second try she moved a little and on the third try she flipped and stayed head down.

I am very happy I did it and avoided a c-section. There is no guarantees though.
Good luck!

You are going to have a beautiful little baby-and you will recover-take it easy-do what the doctor says-and if someone offers to help you-for the love of God-say YES! Yes! You can bring dinner-Yes! you can get my grocery list-Yes! you can take little precious for the afternoon! Yes! You can drive my oldest to school until he goes to college! Get it??? xo-God bless you!

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I am about to have my 2nd c section. The first time I knew it was coming and even though I envisioned a natural birth, I was happy with it. I think it's because I knew ahead of time, had the disappointment in the docs office, not after being in labor for 24 hours our anything traumatic. Now I am happy for my second one, doc has more control and it's the best for our health. As for recovery, my doc did dissolving stitches & I had a prescription for percocet & motrin. I was maybe in bed for 1 day when I got back home. I remember caring for my infant, doing dishes & cleaning up within a week and feeling pretty good. With other children you need to have people occupy & care for them. No lifting! Stairs maybe once a day if your doc okays you to. Listen to your body and don't overdo it, you will heal faster and feel better with caution. By the way my scar is awesome and the recovery wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be!

My two were both C-Sections. I kind of understand why you're nervous about a possible C-Section vs. a Vaginal delivery, because the devil you know isn't as scarry as the devil you don't know. My fist C-Section was an emergency (I wasn't even in labor yet) and the second was scheduled. I have no idea what it's like to be in labor, so that is very scarry to me.

That being said, I really didn't think it was that big a deal. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days, and the nurses were a huge help, especially the first day or so. I was up and walking around the next day. I felt really good when I left the hospital ... just tried not to overdo it and took pain meds regularly the first couple of days home. After about a week I started taking meds when I needed them, rather than on a schedule. Before long, I wasn't taking them at all.

Best of luck, and know that it really will be ok.

I cannot speak to anything but the version portion of your question(s), because mine was successful, and we stopped after 2 kids.

I assume you are having external version done/attempted? I was admitted short term into the hospital for the 'procedure'. First they have to stop any contractions you may be having. You can be having mild ones that you are totally unaware of, so they will monitor you and give you medication to stop them. Once you aren't having contractions, then you can proceed... it's rather hard to do if your body is contracting, lol.

Ours was pretty low-tech from what I remember. But it was 10 years ago... Ultrasound to confirm positioning of the baby, fetal monitor, and ultrasound gel. The doctor just pushes around on your belly to get the baby to move. I suppose it depends on exactly how the baby is positioned when you are starting out, how large the baby is, how much amniotic fluid there is for the baby to move around in, etc. how things will go. We did it around 2 1/2 weeks prior to due date. Was a second baby, not my first. She ended up being 7 lbs 6 oz at birth... so not tiny.. but not huge either.

For me, it was a little uncomfortable, but nothing major or dramatically painful, like I had been "warned" to expect from all manner of "helpful" mothers out there. Stories my SIL had heard to stories my pastor's wife had heard. All had me scared witless. It was a big let down, in a good way. I squeezed hubby's hand for about 2 minutes... and the doctor stopped and asked if it was really painful, how I was doing... He said: she's done.
That was it. 2 minutes. Then they said they needed to keep me/us for a couple of hours to make sure labor didn't start. They served me dinner (a fantastic fruit salad from the cafeteria), and I was discharged in time to put my 3 yr old son to bed. No major surgery. No early labor. Baby was/is fine. Well,.. she's almost 10 now, lol. I went into labor about 10 days later. She was born natural, just like her older brother was.

Do be aware, though, that babies carried breech, have a higher rate of having hip dysplasia (or a hip "click"). Your baby's doctor will probably check for it as part of the routine newborn care before you are discharged after delivery. Being carried breech can keep their hip sockets from forming as deeply as they would otherwise. Or so it was explained to me. So, don't be surprised by news that your baby might have a hip click. We had no idea and didn't know what a hip "click" was or what it meant. Our daughter's weren't bad, but a few weeks in a foam brace positioned her legs so that her rapidly growing baby bones deepened that joint and by 6 months, you couldn't tell her x-rays from any other normally formed child's hip joint x-rays. Nothing further needed. Of course, they told us to keep bringing her back for x-rays to "check" every 6 months. At one year old, my husband said... "Will she be discharged soon? How long will we have to keep bringing her in to check?" and the dr said up to age 5. !!! We declined to keep taking her back for more x-rays of her pelvic region once her hips looked like everyone else's. She's had no problems.

My doctor did not attempt to turn my breech baby, because I was scheduled for a c-section anyhow due to prior c-section. Also, I only have two children, so I can't answer part 3 either.

HOWEVER, :) I can totally offer you some advice if you have to have the section. I've had two, and recovery from my first was awful. The doctor just wasn't great, for one, I went through a SUPER intensive labor first and lost a lot of blood, and he stapled the incision shut. I went out a week after I got home for a walk and a drive, and found out why they tell you not to drive for two weeks.

HOWEVER, and here is the good news. Section #2 was fabulous. It was scheduled, but my water broke and I went into labor anyhow. Fortunately, I was only in labor for about three hours until they could actually start the surgery, so it wasn't as exhausting and I didn't lose any blood prior. I had complete faith in this doctor, which was calming. I knew what to expect, which helped. Also, no staples...just sutures...and the wound healed so fast it was almost like it never happened. I got up hours after the surgery and started walking around, and just kept at it. Not a whole lot, but enough to get used to it. By the time I was home (six days in the hospital because baby had to stay due to jaundice), I could pretty much move as I pleased and wasn't in any pain.

So my best advice is to understand what's going to happen during your surgery and prepare for it, and to request that they just use stiches and not staples. I've heard a lot lately about this being the better way to go, anyhow, with a lot lower chance of infection. Take it easy when you get home, enlist help...and definitely do not carry your toddler for the first three weeks or so, but work back up to it as soon as you can so your body will adjust. Also, do the recommended abdominal exercises afterwards, they really help to prevent your abdominal muscles from splitting.

And of course, you may not need the surgery! I know that the manipulation can work sometimes, and that sometimes babies flip right back. Even if the baby turns back or they are not successful in turning the baby, just know that a c-section can be a great thing. (I had to come to terms with it, as it wasn't what I expected and planned for with number one...but knowing I had no other choice with number 2 really put me at ease with it.) Just know that no matter what, you'll do what's best for baby!

My prayers are with you!

A friend of mine had a version done because her twins were breech. They both turned and she had a successful vaginal delivery.

Hi - I can only address the c-section. I was terrified to have one because I am a single mom so I knew I would be doing everything myself after the c-section and also I have stairs. After 12 hours of labor I had to have one. Turns out the recovery was SO much easier than I thought it would be. Seriously, if I had known how easy it would be I would have just scheduled a c-section and skipped the labor. The DR tried to tell me this ahead of time but I ignored him thinking he just wanted to control his schedule and get the extra fee.

Once I got home, I was off all the pain meds within 2 days. I lifted things (groceries and my baby and my 6 year old nephew) and climbed stairs and had no pain or issues. If I have another child I will definitely just schedule a c-section. I did follow DRs orders and didn't drive for 2 weeks but could have easily driven if I had to. Hope that helps and good luck!!