Feeling pretty disheartened :(

[jessyoliver]

Feeling crappy...

I'm 40+1 today with my second little boy...

My first was 2 days late but I had a sweep on my due date which I was always convinced got things started as I lost my mucus plug as soon as I got home... fairly straightforward natural birth (active labour was 4h44) but I was transferred to another hospital from the MLU as my contractions started to dwindle off durning the pushing phase... other than that, no complications and went home after 6 hours.

This one.... pregnancy has been fine. Head has been down since about 32 weeks and I've felt lots of pressure in my pelvis and my "lady area" so I thought he would be good to go! Anyway... had mild period pain on and off for a few days and I had a sweep today (40+1) and I've been so excited because with my first it really started things off! My midwife today (who I've not seen before) was so pessimistic and literally the first thing she said to me was "have you booked your induction?" I was just like... noooo, what?! Why?! I wasn't expecting to need one as only went two days over with my first baby... she went on to say that that means nothing at all and could still go longer with this one!

She then examined me and did my sweep. She told me that baby was -2station but didn't explain what that means properly?? She gave the impression that he's not head down like I was told before :( she also said that my cervix is posterior but "tipped" and again didn't really explain what that meant... and lastly apparently baby is now back to back!!! :( I'm really terrified that something's wrong! And I've gone from being so excited and positive to feeing down in the dumps!

Am I in for a long wait do you think?! Was she just a pessimist?? What do all these things mean?? Please help :( xxx

[MelsMam]

Tipped posterior means it's tilted towards the back rather than your front. I have the same and had to push while on all fours.

-2 means two fifths 2/5s engaged. x

[MelsMam]

Baby is 2 5ths engaged in your pelvis x

[jessyoliver]

Thanks for the reply! With it being tipped... is that a bad thing?? Does it make it harder to push etc?? I'm really scared now :( and as for 2/5ths engaged... is that a good or bad thing given that I'm overdue?? Xx

[redexpat]

Oh its horrible when someone pisses on your chips. My cervix tilts the other way too but no MWs ever commented on it so in my case it obviously didnt make much of a difference. My non medical brain would also suggest thst 2/5 is better than 1/5. Also remember that a lot of what they say is their estimation. It is an educated estimation but there are no guarantees.

[northernlites]

Cervix is not a problem being posterior or tipped at present, it's just not ready for labour yet. When you labour it will become anterior, come to the front.
When it's your second baby this may happen in a very short space of time so don't be disheartened.
-2 means the heads position above the ischial spines of your pelvis which is also normal and nothing to be worried about, the baby's head is engaged for her to say this.
Hopefully the sweep will help things along and you can have another sweep in a few days?
Every pregnancy is different and things don't play out the same but second baby's are generally easy to birth even if back to back.
Being back to back, this can some time mean a longer first stage as the baby takes longer to rotate round but this tends to be mostly affecting people's first births and less likely in subsequent births.
Hope this helps

[SocksBoatsAndQats]

Gosh your midwife sounds really crap, so basically as a second timer all of the above means diddly until you're in labour.

Your pelvis muscles will be stretched from last time, so baby can bob in and out of engagement. However, once labour starts I would reckon things would crack on relatively quickly especially as you had a short labour first time round.

Additionally, babies do move around in labour so whilst baby is back to back now, doesn't mean it'll stay that way.

[jessyoliver]

Thanks both, she just seemed so negative from the start & when they don't explain themselves properly, it leaves you feeling very concerned and disheartened!! I never dreamt I'd go so far over with my first only being 2 days late but she's made me feel like I will be in for a long wait! I'm also terrified to sit down or lie down now as I feel like I need to be upright and letting gravity bring his head down! She was telling me to do all these blummin exercises and I don't know where to start 😩

Can I ask though... how effective are sweeps?? Was I just lucky first time round? Or maybe it was coincidence?? Xx

[jessyoliver]

Anyone? Xxx

[forfucksakejanet]

I'm 40+2 today and not being offered a sweep til 40+10!

I'm just waiting it out, I guess that's all I can do. DD was born at 40+6 so I'm hoping things will start moving soon

for you, hope things get moving soon

[CatsCantFlyFast]

There's no evidence that sweeps help I don't think. There is evidence that sweeps for the sake of it aren't necessarily a good idea, as they can introduce infection
Second babies can (and more regularly do) go from not engaged at all to born pretty fast. So what's happening today isn't indicative of when things will happen as it will likely change pretty fast.
My first was back to back and a fast labour so again it's not always terrible. She turned after transition

[purpledonkey]

I had loads of ineffective sweeps with both my DC's. Midwife tried to sweep at 40+6 for DC2 and says she couldn't reach it and booked me in for an induction for a week later. Baby came that night of it's own accord.

Don't let them bully you into an induction. I had that with DC1 and it wasn't really what I wanted.

Baby will come when it's ready. Don't panic! Good luck.

[jessyoliver]

Thanks all that helps loads! I've scared myself though as keep reading about back to back births and it's all sounding a bit problematic :( being 40+2 do you think it's a bit late now to get him to turn back?? I spent all night last night on all 4s and bent over my birthing ball! But I have no idea if it's worked! I don't know how to tell what position he's in? I always thought I could feel his bum round my belly button area but I guess I was wrong? I also read about your belly button being dipped if they are posterior now I'm paranoid mine is? 😩 il be honest... I'm terrified now. I'm also worried I won't be able to have my water birth in the MLU now! I'm going to end up high risk now aren't I? I could cry 😭 sorry to moan guys xxx

[Out2pasture]

Sleep and stop worrying really you need your rest.

[redphonebox]

I've read so many horror stories on here about back to back births but my DD was back to back as were the DC of two close friends and all three of us had pretty quick, natural births (in my case it was only about five hours from first contraction to baby being born). I think maybe the people who have major problems are just more likely to post about them.

Don't stress out, sounds like your midwife could have been a bit more reassuring and explained more to you (understatement!) but nothing you've said should really set alarm bells ringing.

[forfucksakejanet]

How you doing jessy?

40+3 and no progress to report here except some nasty cramps in the night that kept me awake

[BaffledMummy]

Was told by midwife 1 that baby was back to back when she broke my waters with DC2...Was terrified! Then her shift finished and I mentioned it to new midwife who said she would bet her house that baby would turn....and she did! She was a bit annoyed with the first midwife for making me panic. She said it happened all the time with second babies so dont worry in that front!

[Callamia]

Second (and more) babies usually take longer to fully engage, and many don't until labour. My second was 3/5 engaged right up until he was on his way out. So don't worry about how engaged your baby is; he IS, and that's a good enough start.

I think babies can still turn at this point - esp from posterior to anterior (and the other way).

Keep doing what you're doing, and please don't feel stressed - there's still tons of time before an induction is warranted, and things change pretty quick in childbirth (second ones are usually faster too). Good luck!

[SadSongsAndWaltzes]

I was induced with my second as she wasn't growing as she should have been, and it was fine. She wasn't engaged, my cervix was "unfavourable" and she was back to back when they put the pessary in. I waited a while for the contractions to start, but when they did she was out in 1 hour 3 mins from first contraction to delivery - she must have corkscrewed her way out as she was still back to back when I went up to labour ward mid way through!

My understanding is that second labours often happen much more quickly as your body has done it all before. It doesn't necessarily matter what your cervix is doing or where baby is as it can all change rapidly!

Good luck x

[jessyoliver]

Crappy :( I've done loads of exercises but I think baby is still back to back :( hope you're ok though Hun, it's no fun waiting is it. Feel like I'm in for a long wait now! Felt so positive before :( xxx

[jessyoliver]

Aww thank you everyone! I feel a little happier reading those last few messages to be honest. I've been so stressed and feeling negative but that's lifted my spirits a bit knowing that others have still had a positive experience xxx

[jessyoliver]

Any movement yet @forfucksakejanet ? Xx

[forfucksakejanet]

Not a sausage jessy! I've been cleaning furiously and bouncing on my ball but nothing doing. 40+4 today ...........

[PretentiousMNUsername]

I had at least 2 sweeps with dc2 and still got induced - was induced for both dc, am some sort of human camel that never goes into labour - it was fine, 2 normal births, no major long term issues.

Rest if you can, the newborn stage is a bit tiring and you'll be there before you know it even though it seems unreal and a long way away at the moment!

[jessyoliver]

Yes you are so right @PretentiousMNUsername it is isn't it. Human camel 😂 that made me chuckle so much hehe xxx

@forfucksakejanet you're the same as me then! I'm 40+4 today too!! We will have to keep in touch and see who goes first hehe! I'm taking bets on you! Imagine if we both started at the same time lol xxx

[forfucksakejanet]

40+5 over and no baby! How you doing jessy?