Some questions about back to back position

[sillysillysally]

According to my midwife baby is lying head down but back to back. Anyone experienced back to back delivery? did it cause any complications? Can I do anything to move it into a better position?

[biglips]

i believe it can make the labour more painful and longer if back to back

i may be wrong!.

[whomovedmychocolate]

At what point in pregnancy are you - they can turn right up to and during delivery. But yes, this can lengthen labour. Try sitting on a birth ball to encourage turning or crawling round on all fours (excellent practice for when your LO starts legging it around anyway).

[pinkrangerstartstowaddle]

mine was back to back from 36 all the way up to 40 weeks, i still planned a home birth, he turned 2 days before i went into labour, i just kept as active as i could

[walbert]

I had dd back to back! To be honest, my contractions were whizzing out one after the other with no gaps of rest in between!!! arghhhh! so it wasn't a major cause of pain, the midwife got me to roll on t my side to push at first, then i was allowed to roll onto my back to carry on, so don't worry, it's not too major!

[professorplum]

My dc2 was back to back. I got contractions for about 30 hours but only dialated 3cm. Then she turned and rest of the labour was normal (7 hours). MW said because of her position she couldn't move down and press on cervix to make it dilate. I don't know if this was true.

If you crawl around on all fours it might encourage the baby to turn.

[antid]

i had back to back with first but not with second. hate to say it but the back to back one was excruciating as there was no respite between contractions, longer labour (well first ones generally are so that may not have been connected) and I was so exhausted by the end I had to have epidural
delivering no 2 was a walk in the park compared to it, and was totally drug free
I would do as much as you can to shift thingsat this stage - I believe crawling around on hands and knees is recommended
sorry!

[antid]

just read professor plums message - I think that is what happened with me too - DD was in bad btb position so couldn't press on cervix to dilate although the contractions were coming
i needed induction (after 24 hours of labour)
get crawling!

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

same as antid, sorry.
I sat on a birthing ball a lot when I was pg with the second and that may have helped him go into a better position. Or it may have just been random.

You will be fine whatever, though - even if it is a tough labour, there is lots of effective pain relief out there, and the baby will come out in the end just the same

[Piggley]

Both my DS were back to back. Told to go on my birthing ball and rock to turn babes - made no difference.

First labour - terrible, pain ridiculous.

Second labour - amazing. Reason being with DS2 I was in birthing pool, no pain relief needed, all over in four hours (from entering pool to cradling DS2) plus he was 10lb 3oz. Just get in pool, breathe deep and listen to some cool music - cannot reccommend it highly enough. P x

ps. ttc at mo.

[1crazymumof2]

Hi sillysillysally, wow what a mouthful! My labour with DS1 was a back to back, although i only found out when i was in labour!

Yes it was more painful than my labour with DD2, apparently this type of labour is longer because with each contraction you are labouring into your back and the head is not presenting in the right place to dilate the cervix, also the head presents at a wider part than with a 'normal' labour. I had an epidural, because i already had an existing back condition SPD and was in labour for 19 hours, they thought i may need an emergency c-section. I did'nt however.

I believe that there are a few ways to help turn a baby, including envisioning the bubba being in the correct position, and also spending a lot of time on all fours!

I think you should speak to midwife and ask i'm sure she'll give you much more professional advice.

[1crazymumof2]

I'm also a very big fan of a birthing pool, i used one with DD, it was bliss, never underetimate the power of water!! I delivered a baby the same size (length) as the average two month old with a bad back condition with just water, and it was bliss. I was showered and home in three hours.

[MegBusset]

DS was back-to-back and I only found out once I was in labour. Like antid the labour was mind-bogglingly slow and painful, I lasted 42 hours before having epidural, 6 hours later needed ventouse delivery as his heart rate was going down with every contraction (I imagine because we were so tired). So I would do everything you can to shift bubba (scrubbing floors etc!). But at the end of the day we got through it and DS was born fine and healthy, so it's not the end of the world (but make sure you can access pain relief if you need it!).

[lulumama]

look at www.spinningbabies.com for tips to turn an OP baby in labour, and also have a look for Optimal Foetal Positioning

if baby does not turn, don;t worry! be prepared for a longer labour, with slower dilation, and avoid lying on your back. If you are able to remain active, upright and able to work with your body, you will move in a way that helps shift baby into a better position.

even if baby does not turn, there is no reason that you cannot have a vaginal delivery, it might take a bit longer !

water is wonderful, as has been said, to support you and allow you to move, whilst still helping with the pain

my OP baby turned, and once she did, my labour was very quick....but took 18 hours to get there ! but it is possible, and around 1 in 10 babies are OP, so plenty of women do manage OP births.

[belgo]

My first dd was OP, and I spent the whole 12 hour labour on my hands and knees. She turned and came out fine.

My second dd was also OP; I spent much of the labour in the birthing pool, sometimes on my hands and knees, sometimes on my back. I realise now that was a mistake. Dd2 didn't turn, and despite awful contractions , labour wasn't progressing. My midwife actually had to physically turn my DD2's head so that she would come out. Not an experience I would like to repeat, but dd2 was fine at the end of it.

Don't worry too much. Being scared is the worst way to face labour, and will not help.

Trust your own body, and also the health professionals who do this all the time.

[damewashalot]

Ds3 was back to back and yes it took a lot longer than my first labour and I was starting to think he would never turn and move down but he did (took 21hrs but ds1 was 6 so I had expected quick) I managed without drugs. I did spend a lot of time on a ball bouncing away

Good luck!

[sarahhal]

DS1 one was back to back although I didn't know that until I had had him!!!

Be reassured that I had a very quick labour - just five hours. I did end up with a ventouse delivery as his heartbeat was dipping but I have to say that although it was certainly a more painful delivery than with my non back to back DS2, it wasn't totally off the scale horrific!!!

[wb]

DS1 was back to back - made labour very long and dilation more difficult and uneven.

He turned on the way to theatre and so was a forceps delivery rather than c-section.

What nobody told me at the time was that there are things you can do both before and during lasbour to encourage turning. I did none of these but would strongly recommend them. They include:

• Sitting leaning forward rather than slumping backwards on sofa, pre birth.
  
• Being on all fours, on a birthing ball on kneeling by bed during labour.
  
  My midwife was very blase about baby being back to back and, true, its not the end of the world by any means but you don't really need labour to be any more difficult than it is anyway.

[tryingfortwo]

my dd was back to back and had same problem as other posters, lots of never ending contractions but didn't proceed beyond 3 cm ended up with everything, i.e. epidural etc and resulted in emergency CS after about 24 hours or so. Dd just didn't fully turn. And I was in birthing pool for first 5 or 6 hours.

I was poorly managed though- wasn't given any direction or advice by mw - nothing at all - in fact didn't even find out dd was back to back and that had been problem with delivery until pregnant with this baby and got to read through notes.

And I did all the positions prior to dd and had been advised day before she was in good position. this time round I am doing nothing but keeping fingers crossed. think it does as much good.

I had really wanted a natural birth etc and beat myself up a bit - Please don't if this happens to you - epidural was god send at time and I recovered so quickly from CS, wouldn't worry at all if I was told I needed one again.

[muma3]

dd3 was back to back. i never found out until i was in labour. my waters had broke and she kind of got wedged. got a bit stuck at 5cm but i could feel her wiggling and had a little trickle of waters now and again. couldnt lay on my back or stand up straight had to be lent over something. got in pool and managed to get on my back . i think she turned then as i had to get out and she was born 2 mins later. easier once she had turned and delivery straight forward ,worse pain ever when i was contracting every minute.

[GroaningGameGirly]

My second was also back-to-back and breach, although no-one had noticed until I went into labour. The midwife said I might want pain relief as it is apparently more painful but I refused as I hadn't had any first time around. She put the back of the bed up and recommended that I kneel and lean against it, which I did. I can't honestly say it was any worse than the first time around.

Belgo's right: don't be frightened of labour. Baby is in there and has to come out somehow! Labour's no picnic in the park, but you'll have a lovely baby at the end of it and in the overall scheme of things, it only lasts a short time. Just listen carefully to what the midwives tell you - they do usually know best, I'm sure.

Good luck!

[cantseemyfeet]

All of my babies were back to back and apparently it is more painful, I have nothing to compare it to.
DS1 was 21 hours only gas and meptid
DS2 was 8 hours gas and air
Ds2 was around 6 hours and a breeze, only had gas and air, although I did swear for an epidural for most of the labour. Had no complications and didnt need any help getting them out, it only took 2 minutes and 2 pushes to get DS3 out, even though his hand was on his head when his head popped out.
Everyone is different hun and I really wouldnt worry about having a difficult labour, I dreaded my 2nd and 3rd labour but they were fine. Dont really have any knowledge on turning them as I was unaware any of them were BTB untill I was in labour but if baby dosent turn and you feel your contractions in your back then stay upright for as long as possible, sitting down IS painful so walk about, bounce on your birthing ball or lean over bed while BP rubs your back, it does make it a little easier and quicker. Good Luck, let us know how it goes