Alina's First Time Mum, Breech Vaginal Birth

I was lucky enough to have an easy pregnancy—no morning sickness, no back pain, and good sleep. I actually really enjoyed it, as it didn’t restrict my life in any way. For me, it felt like an adventure that I wanted to experience fully, and I was very excited about Labor Day. I hoped for a natural birth without medical interventions at a birth center and knew I needed to prepare both my mind and body. I practiced pregnancy yoga, hypnobirthing, read books, and hired a doula. I felt calm, ready, and excited for the final months and the big day!

Throughout my pregnancy, I had three additional scans with the NHS at 32, 36, and 40 weeks. At the 32-week scan, the sonographer mentioned that the baby hadn’t turned head down yet but reassured me there was still plenty of time, so I wasn’t worried. At my 34-week midwife appointment, palpation confirmed that the baby was still head up, but the midwife also assured me there was time. I wasn’t overly concerned but started spinning baby exercises, convinced she would turn.

After the 36-week scan, I had an appointment with an obstetrician who told me I would need a C-section unless I wanted to try an ECV (External Cephalic Version). However, the chances of success were only 50/50. That news was tough to hear, but I still had hope she would turn. From that moment, my husband and I began “Mission: Turn Baby Head Down.”

We tried everything I could find online or was advised to do: spinning baby exercises, moxibustion, acupuncture, osteopathy, hypnobirthing, homeopathy, therapy sessions with a psychologist, swimming, underwater flips, and two unsuccessful ECVs.

Each time we spoke with the doctors, they warned us about the high risks and acknowledged their lack of experience with breech deliveries. Meanwhile, I had been researching online and learned that vaginal breech delivery wasn’t always possible—especially if the baby’s weight or position was unfavorable. However, that wasn’t the case for me, which made it even more frustrating because I still hoped for a natural delivery. After the second failed ECV, I was mentally drained and felt powerless. The doctor was very pushy, so I reluctantly agreed to a planned C-section.

Deep down, I felt confident that I could give birth vaginally, but I didn’t want to take the risk with untrained midwives and doctors. I was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions—disappointment in myself for feeling like I hadn’t “done enough” and guilt for resisting a C-section for reasons that felt selfish. My husband was incredibly supportive, but he also opposed vaginal breech delivery, prioritizing the baby’s safety above all else.

After many discussions with my husband and doula, I thought I had come to terms with the fact that a C-section was inevitable—unless she turned at the last moment. Even so, I still held onto the hope of experiencing spontaneous labor. My due date was November 9th, but the C-section was scheduled for November 8th.

On November 5th, I went to triage, shared my concerns, and asked to cancel the scheduled C-section. The new plan was to wait for labor to start naturally. If the baby turned (which rarely happens so late, but still), I would deliver vaginally; if not, I would have a C-section. It was such a relief but still not ideal.

Desperate for more advice, I kept researching and contacting anyone who might help. On Instagram, I typed in the hashtag #breechdeliverylondon and found a post about Charli, who had a vaginal breech delivery at my hospital. I messaged her, and to my surprise, she replied immediately! She shared her story, which inspired me, and connected me with her midwife, Claire, who had assisted with her delivery and was still working at the hospital.

Claire kindly offered to speak with me on her day off, and on November 7th, we had our conversation. With 25 years of experience in vaginal breech deliveries, Claire listened as I shared details about my pregnancy, provided real statistics, and reassured me that vaginal delivery was still an option in my case. I couldn’t believe my ears—finally, someone told me I had a choice!

On Friday, 8th November, I felt unusually tired and took an afternoon nap, something I rarely did. Claire texted me, asking how I was doing and offering to perform a sweep to help prompt labor, but I declined—I wanted my baby to decide the day she’d be born. That evening, my husband and I went for a walk and had dinner out. We were making plans for weekend as I was convinced labor wouldn’t start until the following week.

Saturday, 4 a.m. - on my due date—I woke up feeling a bit wet. At first, I thought it was just discharge, but two minutes later, my water broke. I woke my husband and texted Claire. She told me to come to the hospital. As we drove, I started feeling light contractions.

When we arrived, Claire greeted us warmly, and I was immediately struck by how kind and beautiful she was. I was given an amazing room with a birthing pool. We discussed my options with Claire and the doctors, ultimately deciding to proceed with a natural delivery. Even my husband was charmed by her confidence and supported my choice. After checking me, Claire found that I was 1 cm dilated and performed a sweep to help things progress.

By 8 a.m., Claire’s shift ended, but she stayed at the hospital to rest nearby, promising to return when needed. I was in tears—she stayed after her night shift just for us.

As my contractions grew stronger, I felt calm and supported, with breathing helping me immensely. I had candles, a playlist, meditations, and plans to use the pool. In the end, I preferred silence, and the pool was never refilled. 😂 At 1:30 p.m., I had an urge to push. Claire came, examined me, and found I was only 7 cm dilated. At this stage, the back massage with oil provided by my doula and the fresh air from the fan my husband was using were incredibly helpful. By 3:20 p.m., I was fully dilated and began pushing. I don’t remember the details; I simply followed Claire’s instructions and trusted her completely.

At 4:55 p.m., my baby girl was born. Ten minutes later, I delivered the placenta. The only intervention was an episiotomy, and Claire skillfully maneuvered the baby’s body to assist with the delivery. Physically, I felt amazing immediately afterward and recovered quickly.

I’m writing this while holding my perfect baby girl, who was so fortunate to be delivered by such an exceptional person and professional.

What I’ve learned is that there are always options. If your maternal instincts are guiding you, trust them and follow them as much as you can—because miracles do happen!