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Childbirth

2nd back to back labour anyone?

17 replies

RUMPEL · 29/06/2008 19:50

Just wondering if any of you can give me your experiences of 2nd or subsequent back to back labours please?

My first was horrific and I am due my second in 2-3 weeks, found out he/she is back to back again and am now really quite scared about the birth thing in case it is as bad as last time so I would like some of your stories please ta.

Also I had a retained placenta last time (had MROP) so is it likely it will happen again?

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BigBadMousey · 29/06/2008 20:10

All three of mine have been back to back.

The first wasn't much fun but I put that down to having Pethidine which I didn't like. It was 32 hours

Second labour was 16 hours and fine really. I had pain relief but not pethidine. tbh I think it was easier because I knew what to expect, understood more of what was going on and thus felt more in control of things.

Third was 6 hours and about as easy as the second.

I think it really helps if you have faith in your body's abilities - I believe it isn't too late for you to do some hypnobirting if you want to try it. I got really worried about the birth 2-3 weeks before DS arrived, so maybe what you are experiencing is quite normal.

Is there anything specific you are worried about?

No idea about the retained placenta but I'm sure someone else will know.

Thankyouandgoodnight · 29/06/2008 20:25

A friend of mine's first baby was all twisted / corkscrewed as he came out (36 hours labour I think and every drug known to man) and then the 2nd was back to back and 3 hours labour. She was on a real high afterwards as she said it was painful but perfectly manageable and no tears or discomfort afterwards AT ALL. She said that she thought that because the labour was shorter and having done it before, that she was much more on top of things and coped a million times better.

candyfluff · 29/06/2008 20:38

my 2nd child was a back to back labour and it was very painful like back ache but much worse i only had pethadine and small gas and air,i found standing up and rocking helped as did massage.
my midwife only realised she was back to back as the head was crowning so they can get it wrong!

mamablue · 29/06/2008 21:21

Both my DDs were back to back. I had epidurals both times but they only partially worked. Not much help I am afraid as I have not got a 'normal' labour to compare too. I suppose it must be worse to sail through a first labour and then find your second harder. Good luck.

shanks313 · 29/06/2008 21:25

Both mine were back to back.

DD1 I hardly felt as had an epidural

DD2 was an hour and a half labour and I felt every contraction in my back...very painful.Didnt have any pain relief until 5 minutes before she was born.

TheBlonde · 29/06/2008 21:42

Both of mine were back to back
2nd labour was much easier, quicker and I managed with just gas and air

MissLiss · 29/06/2008 21:47

Both my boys were back to back. I found labour much more manageable the second time, and much quicker but I have to say that the pushing stage was not any easier and was really hard work because of his position and size.

Like candyfluff says, midwives can get it wrong - mine told me the second time that he wasn't back to back and I got quite irate with her, shouting that he was, and that I'd done this before!

Totally agree with BigBadMousey - your body knows what it's doing, just trust it and go with it. That baby will come out!! Good luck x

pardon · 29/06/2008 22:08

Both mine were back to back - first was awful - 36 hours, didn't really remember the birth, ventouse, epidural. Second went in to hospital at 11.30, baby was born at 2, it was painful in the bottom of the back but gas and air only (the mw went out to get some pethadine and my waters went and she was born face up 15 minutes later). Apparently I had a heart shaped womb and would only ever carry them b2b. Honestly the second time felt like a doddle. Expecially as I felt a bit useless after the first. Was so pleased with myself after the second!

FrannyandZooey · 29/06/2008 22:09

don't just accept you will have an OP labour - get trying to shift it round! good luck

littleboyblue · 29/06/2008 22:09

Does this mean that if you've had back to back, you're more likely to have the next one the same? Please say no!

littlelamb · 29/06/2008 23:16

Both of mine were back to back. With dd I went overdue so I had to be induced, which I wish I had declined. I had an epidural which left me strapped to monitors on the bed and had a horrible labour, with a 2 hour second stage, and dd did not turn, so came out looking up. I was dreading giving birth second time as ds had been back to back throughout the pregnancy, but I canhonestly say I had a fantastic labour. My waters went at 9.30pm, contractions started immediately, and he was born at 01.04 am, with just gas and air. I stood up through the whole labour, leaning over the bed and occasionally kneeling over the birth ball. I was in a supported squat, with dp sat behind me on the birth ball to push. It was fantastic, the pain was copeable and the pushing was nowhere near as bad as I thought (8 minute second stage, and crowning didn't hurt at all). Ds did turn during labour so came out the correct way. I think the key with op labours is trying to keep active to encourage the baby to get into a good position, and to really have confidence in what your body can do- I read Ina May Gaskins books during pregnancy and while they are a bit hippy-dippy they really emphasise what your body is capable of if you let it do its stuff. And do not lay down if you can possibly help it!

BigBadMousey · 29/06/2008 23:23

littleboyblue - according to my MW no, mine was due to a weird set of circumstances that meant a normal position was unlikely.

BigBadMousey · 29/06/2008 23:29

OOOoohhh hello littlelamb - so glad your labour went well, I remember we chatted beforehand and you were worried - how old is your DS now?

littlelamb · 29/06/2008 23:34

Hi BBM- he is 3 weeks today He is a porker too- putting on a pound a week I couldn't have asked for a better labour really, I think I am still on a high from it. The thing that amazes me is all the bloody time I spent on my hands and knees trying to get him to turn did nothing, yet in the three and a half hours or so of labour he turned around easy as anything! I had to ask the midwife which way he had come out, and she said 'didn't you feel him turn?!' and the funny thing is that I had, but hadn't realised what it was! And straight after the birth I declared loudly 'I am sooooo going to do that again!' I never thought that birth could be such a lovely thing, especially with the first time being so crap. I am sure it has made everything much easier as well- I was out in 12 hours, and life has got very quickly back to normal

stuffitllama · 29/06/2008 23:40

hello ..first back to back ended in section, trauma, crappy crapness

2nd back to back was a vbac .. she turned around during labour.. just gas and air

the pain was the same but knowing it was going to be awful made it less awful

i just kept on moving around and kept off my back as much as possible, and got that chuffing trace off as quickly as I could

good luck, and yes do the op.

BigBadMousey · 30/06/2008 10:32

BUMP - for answer to retained placenta question....

Littlelamb - thats great! Mine is 5 weeks tomorrow and a porker too . However, I will not be doing it again - seriously considering if I can get away with putting DDs on eBay right now. DS is lovely though and no trouble at all.

RUMPEL · 30/06/2008 13:36

Thanks everyone. We didn't know DD was back to back and I laboured for 36 hours. I got stuck at 5cm for 5 hours, contractions were all over the place, so I ended up on syntocinon (full whack) and had to have an epidural as the pain was so bad and I was so tired by that point. She did eventually turn in labour but then the umbilicol cord snapped so I had to have MROP. basically it was pretty awful (but I am lucky that I didn't need forceps/ventouse/csection).

I have been doing the gym ball, crawling, hands/knees things but I reckon I just carry them back to back. This LO is back to back for sure so I am just a bit scared that it is going to be as long/excrutiating and arduous as last time - I really wanted a waterbirth but couldn't have 1 so was hoping for one this time as this will be last pg for us.

Thanks for all your experiences and it is good to know that some people have experienced better 2nd and more births.

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