If your first baby was in posterior position for labour, is the second one likely to be as well?

[malloo]

getting worried as had a bad time in labour last time which I think in part was due to DS being in posterior position. just wondered if others have found that their second baby was the same? if so, was it any easier second time round?! I had an epidural which was fine but I'm just panicking about how I will cope if theres some reason I can't get an epidural. He didn't get into that position until labour had started so I'm not sure theres much that can be done in preparation to get baby into the right position but maybe I'm wrong?

[BigTeuchLittleTeuch]

It is common for babies to take up the posterior position at the beginning of labour. Generally, the posterior positioning poses less of a problem in subsequent births since everything is a bit stretched and looser, so provides a bit more space for baby to turn during labour.

The babyspinning website is great, as is antenatal yoga.

There is some research on the website that indicates that the position you adopt in early labour is by far the most effective at 'spinning' baby for delivery.

All fours and lying on left-hand side seem to help get the baby in a better position.

[Gemzooks]

oh god, I'm preg with 2nd and worried about this.

DS was transverse till about 37 weeks, and went into the right position in the end but was born OP (posterior). 36 hour labour and epidural. Don't fancy that again.

I did EVERYTHING possible to position that baby right, I never even slouched once after about 20 weeks, and still he was posterior, I never lay other than on my left side in teh whole pregnancy! I think it might be the shape of the pelvis as well.

interested to hear from others where they didn't have a prob with the 2nd..

[Theochris]

I'm worried too. I have an anterior placenta like last time (I heard they like to face them!)

I was good last time too, hardly any slouching, I scrubbed my floors and weeded in the garden in the weeks before labour but still had an OP baby. Please tell me that my lack of muscle tone will help

[MrsTittleMouse]

I did optimal foetal positioning with both of mine and DD1 was OP whereas DD2 was OA. So that's some evidence for the "more room to turn" theory. Both were OP at 32 weeks. I can remember the relief when I went to the MLU and was told that DD2 wasn't posterior - I thought that I was in for an easy quick labour - it wasn't quite like that, but DD2 was born naturally through my effort alone, and not hauled out like her big sister, which was a big improvement.

[malloo]

thanks for the responses, I will try the techniques to encourage the right position. I'm 25 weeks now so plenty of time to practice, no lounging on the sofa for me I suppose! don't know where my placenta is, at 20 weeks it was low lying so I've got another scan at 34 weeks to check if it's moved up so I'll see then where everything is!

[Playdough]

All three of mine have been posterior to some extent as I went into labour. The first didn't turn until right before delivery, resulting in a long, long, long painful labour. The second and third turned nicely as contractions got going so I didn't get backache during their deliveries and both were quick. (One lasted 2 hrs from start to finish, the other was about 8 hours of which only the last hour and a half was really strong contractions).

I, too, was really worried about the positioning of the second and third babies, because of my experience first time round, and I knew that I'd be desperate for an epidural again if it felt like the first labour. But both of the later ones seemed to know what they were doing (and had more room) and in neither case did I need the 'life-saving' epidural I had the first time. And I am a coward when it comes to pain.

(Incidentally, I did do what I could before labour to get the babies to turn and they sort of came off the back a bit, but not significantly. During early labour I did lots of leaning forward and moving my hips ... that seemed to help.)

Good luck!

[chocbiscuits]

my ds1 was posterior, dd dc2 was not and came out all in a bit of a rush for the hospital, so was a bit quick.