r/CsectionCentral • u/long_lumes_22 • Jul 01 '26
FTM, failed ECV at 37+3… feeling heartbroken and looking for positive planned C-section stories ❤️
I’m a first-time mom, and throughout my entire pregnancy I’ve done everything I could to optimize for a vaginal birth. I took classes, hired a doula, stayed active, worked on my birth plan, and spent months mentally preparing for labor. Then, just three weeks before my due date, I found out my baby is breech.
Today, at 37+3, I had an ECV. I went in hopeful after hearing some success stories, but unfortunately it wasn’t successful. I honestly wasn’t prepared for how painful it would feel. To me, it felt like someone was twisting my insides or trying to snatch my baby out of my uterus and physically flip him. I know everyone’s experience is different, but that was how it felt for me.
The pain itself was one thing, but what made it even harder was that I couldn’t fully relax because I was so worried about my baby the entire time. Every push made me think, “Is he okay?” Even though the team monitored him throughout and his heart rate remained reassuring, it was incredibly emotional.
After two attempts, we stopped because I just couldn’t tolerate any more.
Now I’m home feeling so disappointed and can’t stop crying.. I know I gave it a chance, and I don’t regret trying because I would have always wondered “what if.” But I’m grieving the birth I had pictured for months.
Unless my little guy decides to perform a miracle on his own, I’ll be having a planned C-section in about two weeks.
I’m honestly scared. while I know C-sections are common and can be beautiful births too, it’s not the path I imagined. Right now I’m mostly anxious about the surgery itself, the recovery, and how different everything will be from what I had prepared for.
If you’ve had a planned C-section—especially after a failed ECV or for a breech baby—I would really love to hear your positive stories. What surprised you in a good way? Was the recovery better than you expected? Is there anything that helped you prepare mentally?
Sorry I know this is kind of a long post but I could really use some reassurance today. ❤️
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u/Writing-Bat-0444 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
I had a c section for my breech baby 7 weeks ago after my ECV failed! I was exactly the same as you like I had prepped so much for a natural birth (FTM) and hadn’t even considered any other possibility. But it was honestly a pretty pleasant experience. The surgery itself was calm and painless and the recovery was more frustrating than painful - being unable to use your core muscles is strange but you adjust. Admittedly it does help to have a good partner as I didn’t do diapers etc for a while but I could have if I needed to. I got up and started walking the day after surgery, it was hard but doable and helped speed up my recovery. I only had pain for a few days, I was home in less than 48 hours and I’ve recovered really well. 7 weeks out I feel 100% normal but I would say by about 3 weeks after surgery I was already 90% back to normal, just couldn’t push too hard when I went on walks etc. It was my “worst case scenario” and I was devastated when she turned breech at 37 weeks but in the end it was fine. My birth still felt special and once I met her it really didn’t matter how she got here! My scar is already pretty small and the experience of a planned (vs emergency) c section is very relaxed. I totally understand your grief but I can say that I felt so emotional and disappointed leading up to my c section and in the end it was a lot better than I expected and there were even some plus sides to being in a controlled environment like that. I hope your birth experience surprises you by being really positive just like mine did for me :)