Baby back to back at 39 weeks

[DimpleHands]

Anyone got any advice?

[Dogsmom]

Epidural

My dd1 was back to back but I didn't find out until I was in labour, I'd heard you could encourage them to turn by spending time on all fours but my midwife said it wouldn't work.

I won't lie it did hurt and was a very long labour but after since having dd2 in half the time who wasn't back to back I'd say there was no difference pain wise between the two.

I don't know what you plan to do regarding pain relief but keep your options open, I did 26 hours on gas and air and hated it, i then had an epidural for the last 4 hours, couldn't feel any pain and enjoyed it, in hindsight I wish I'd had one earlier instead of trying to do without as the early hours are a blur.

[Theonethatgotaway772]

I've had 2 back to backs,what help me was walking when in labour

[NickyEds]

Epidural.

Both of my babies were b2b- ds was a 30 hour nightmare I won't bore you with. Dd was 5 hour good birth. Dd turned during labour which was very painful but once she had she birthed easily. The mw told me to lay on my left side as much as possible. I think a difference is that you feel all of the contractions in your back. It really helped when dp rubbed my back really hard.

[krich88]

My baby was back to back at 39 weeks (nearly 2 weeks ago).
I got on all fours and rocked side to side for a while, and Baby moved to the front. My baby wasn't engaged though, not sure if that makes a difference

[ShowOfBloodyStumps]

There's nothing 'wrong' with the baby being back to back. Plenty of babies turn before or during labour. Some stay back to back and are born that way. And while it might be more likely that you'll have a longer labour and sometimes a more painful onel, it's not necessarily a guarantee of either fact. Some women have perfectly manageable labours and deliveries with babies in an op position. Some women have a baby in a ROA position for example and find it unbearably painful and long. It doesn't mean anything for definite.

I had two back to back babies and two longish labours (31 hours and 38 hours). Both turned to transverse during labour and got stuck. I tried to move both of them to an oa position during pregnancy. Neither budged a jot. However, one labour was very painful, one was in all honesty, completely painless. I had no drugs for either.

My advice is to try and turn them if you think it will give you peace of mind but don't feel you have failed or that it's a terrible omen of a bad labour if the baby doesn't turn round. During labour- and this is whatever position your baby is in - do what is right for you. Listen to your body. If you want to stand or lie down or sit or kneel or moo or screech or sing the Proclaimers hits, DO IT. If you need pain relief, have it. Each labour is different and it's all down to luck. You don't have to struggle on or refuse pain relief because you feel like you've failed or some such hokum. There is no right or wrong. Only right for you.

Best of luck. The baby at the end of it will be smashing, I'm sure.

[Scattymum101]

My first was back to back and I had a long early labour getting to 4cm but I stayed upright and swayed when the pain got bad and I then only had a 2.5 hour active labour and just gas and air. It doesn't have to mean it's going to be awful.
If you need pain relief take it. If you need to move about then do it.
Listen to your body and do what you need to do xx

[Gracey79]

My ds was back to back (didn't find out until it was time to push!) my waters broke at 7am I had no pain at all until around 3pm when contractions started and he was born at 10:15 he's my only dc so nothing to compare to but all my pain was down my back but wasn't unbearable I didn't have any pain relief and he was a big boy! (9lb 3) you will be fine whichever way it happens xx

[WineandDine]

B2B labour 8 weeks ago which started very quickly when I woke up at 7am (6cm by the time we got to hospital at 8.45am - eek!)
Nothing to compare it to, but the pain was intense and came on suddenly with no build up - my contractions were constant with no real break in between. DS was stuck in too high a position so everything slowed down later in the morning & ultimately I ended up with an EMCS at 11pm the same day (after having every bit of pain relief to going including epidural!)
My advice is to stay open minded as you never know what you will have to do to get baby out safe and well. We didn't know DS was B2B until I was in labour so the good news is that you know now and can prepare as much as possible beforehand.
Best of luck with your new arrival, you'll be great.