NHS Suffolk and North East Essex - Your Pregnancy Booklet

52 ECV is successful in about 50% of women and is generally safe. One in every 200 babies will need to be delivered by emergency caesarean after an ECV, and your baby will be monitored before and after the procedure to ensure they remain well. For more information visit: • RCOG www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/breech-baby-at-the- endof-pregnancy/ • NHS Choices www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/breech-birth/ Hand expressing colostrum Mothers start to produce colostrum (early breast milk) mid-way through pregnancy, and learning how to express this milk before your baby comes can be very useful, particularly if your baby is likely to be premature or separated from you after birth or if you are diabetic or taking medication for high blood pressure. You can start this from around 37 weeks gestation , and you can collect your colostrum and store it in the freezer if you wish. You may not see any colostrum when you hand express – this doesn’t mean you don’t have any milk and is quite normal. It is still worthwhile practising the technique in preparation for your baby’s arrival. For more information and to read about the technique: • Association of Breastfeeding Mothers https://abm.me.uk/breastfeeding-information/antenatal- expressioncolostrum/ • UNICEF www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/video/ handexpression/ If your baby isn’t head down, don’t worry – there are many options available to you and your team will help you to make any decisions regarding your care moving forward.