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Pregnancy

back to back babies

18 replies

megarobotdiscoparty · 07/05/2013 14:40

Am 38+2 and been told by the midwife that the baby is back to back (would explain the awful backache I've had for the last week!). I've talked to the mw, been to spinningbabies and am doing all the leaning, bouncing and definitely-not-slouching I can.... and I know it's not unusual for babies to correct themselves in the last few weeks or during the early part of labour, but I'm scared! I know that sounds silly, but my mum had an excruciating labour with me (I was back to back) and it's been the one thing I've been really worried about. Now it's happened and I'm actually starting to feel anxious about the birth for the first time - that it might be slower and more painful than I can manage (had been hoping for a home birth too - although quite relaxed and realistic about switching to hospital as I'm a FTM).

Could anyone tell me some positive stories about b-2-b labours that weren't terrible, or babies turning in the last few days, or magic tricks that worked for you to turn your LOs?

Or just tell me to pull myself together - I know it's not the end of the world!

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MummyJetsetter · 07/05/2013 15:07

It isn't the end of the world but I can see why you're worried.

Have you tried getting on all 4's with a glass of bleachy water and an old toothbrush and scrub the hell out of your tiled floor grout? Make the job last A few days and see if it helps at all. I didn't have to do it but someone at work told me that his wife did that to turn the baby and it worked.

x

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HamletsSister · 07/05/2013 15:13

I had a B2B 2nd labour. Yes, it was a little longer (1.5 hours pushing whereas for No 1 it was 1 hour) but it was fine. There was a weird moment when my stomach was a triangle shape because of her knees but it all seemed to work fine. No stitches and I was knackered but, unlike the first one, I had laboured from midnight to 6am and I do love my sleep usually.

There are positions that are supposed to help but my daughter was in the perfect position for a normal labour at 4pm the previous afternoon and by the pushing stage had flipped round so I am not sure that once the baby moves it will stay moved.


Maybe I am so enormous she was doing backstroke? Anyway, good luck. It really wasn't that bad and I was in a midwife led unit with no surgical back up so they would have moved me had there been any cause for concern and they seemed very relaxed about the whole thing.

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Pumble · 07/05/2013 15:14

My first was back to back but I didn't find out until I was in labour. DD1 was born in water with no pain relief and it wasn't particularly long. The only thing I found difficult was trying to be in certain positions as at times the pain in my back was just excruciating (sorry I know you don't want to know that). She did turn herself during labour though.

I wouldn't panic though. It really wasn't awful and my labour was one of the most straight forward of my friends so it doesn't mean it will be difficult.

Hoping all that makes sense.....

Good Luck! Smile

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Trazzletoes · 07/05/2013 15:16

DS wasn't back to back when I went in to labour but WAS by the time he came to be born(!) so you never know, the baby might sort itself out at the last minute!!!

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Myneaux · 07/05/2013 15:22

Just wanted to tell you my story too...I had back to back labour (in total 35 hours) ending in emergency forceps and episiostomy....was very nearly a C section and then had to stay in hospital for 5 days for monitoring

I realise this probably sounds like your worst nightmare...and it was certainly no picnic..however I just wanted to reassure you that you will be ok even if your baby doesnt turn and trust me you will get through it!

While my experience was certainly one of the hardest of all my friends there were others whose babies were in the perfect postition and they still had a difficult time. As others have said on this thread...just because its back to back doesnt mean that it will be necessarily harder

Thats the thing...until it happens you just dont know so please try not to worry and make sure you ask for morphine and epidural as soon as you can

Im currently pregnant with DC 2 so it cant be that bad...and I still maintain that the first 6 months with a new baby is much harder than the 35 hours of labour it takes to get them here probably not helping here am I?

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SneakyBiscuitEater · 07/05/2013 15:30

I have had 3 back to back labours and births. None turned during labour at all. (A big +ve side effect for me was that I never had an outy tummy button)

DC1 was an unplanned unassisted home birth in 1 hr 51 minutes. I had two paracetamol for pain relief.

DC2 was a planned hone birth still unassisted as the mw didn't get there in time. It was about 50 mins from start to finish. I had an orange calypso drink as pain relief that time.

DC3 was induced in hospital at 38 weeks and I had been an inpatient since just after seven months as I had a pulmonary embolism. The midwives on delivery suite seemed obsessed with telling me how bad my labour would be how painful back to backs were, how painful an induction would be. I couldn't have an epidural as I was on blood thinners and they went on about everyone needing one once they are on the drip. I had DC3 after a sweep, having my waters broken all to no avail and then being put on the drip. I had 4 measurable contractions each 10 minutes apart and DC3 arrived with the mw on the other side of the room saying I wasn't in established labour yet! (I had half a chocolate orange for pain relief that time as it was a couple of days after Christmas).

It can be done quickly and with bearable pain levels it may not be everyone's experience but it is not impossible. The mw said that probably my pelvis had something about the shape that made a back to back presentation more likely so it wasn't that I had been slouching about necessarily.

Good luck Mega

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SneakyBiscuitEater · 07/05/2013 15:34

oh and I found that all fours or kneeling with my elbows and chin propped up worked for me. I simply couldn't lie down on my back. I have since read that these are good positions for back to back labours. But at the time I just went with what worked which was leaning forward on my knees.

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TinkyPeet · 07/05/2013 16:01

Both of mine were back to back and came relatively quickly.
With ds my labour was 2 hours and I think I pushed for around 20 minutes (his cord was round his neck a few times so took longer to get him out). With dd I was induced but labour started around 10pm, went to delivery at 11.30, was given diamorphine and told to sleep, woke up at 3.15am with pains, born at 3.29am, but I think I pushed for around 8 minutes, however I wasn't fully displayed so had to keep stopping and waiting.
Sorry that was a bit garbled, but they were both quicker in the pushing stage than some I've heard x

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TinkyPeet · 07/05/2013 16:03

Dialated, not displayed, stupid iPhone! Lol x

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beckie90 · 07/05/2013 16:46

Honestly if in worst case baby doesn't turn you will be fine :) ds2 was back to back and theyd not even realised till he was coming, but my labour was 5 days long and painful and he was a big baby, BUT it was all forgotten about compared to my easy 4 hr labour with ds1 cause I had lots of complications with during labour and after. If I could choose which labour again I'd Defo choose ds2s back to back. It's awful at the time but like I mentioned all forgotten. Honest you will do great and some others do have easier and shorter back to back labours too. Good luck xxx

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FairyPenguin · 07/05/2013 16:51

Both of mine were back to back. With first, I lent on bed on my forearms, then same in the birthing pool, with DH constantly massaging my lower back. I did find it very painful. With second, I had an epidural. It was brilliant.

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alienbanana · 07/05/2013 16:57

Apparently I had a b2b labour, but nobody told me until I'd given birth!

It was fine, managed with tens and gas and air, but I was on my knees so that probably helped.

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alienbanana · 07/05/2013 16:58

I've just remembered.. when I did lay on my back it was absolutely unbearable. Agg I'd forgotten that bit!

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Happylady09 · 09/05/2013 10:57

My DC was b-2-b and I had all contractions in my back, it was very unbearable! I ended up getting an epidural which resulted in 3rd degree tears sorry TMI ouccch! Very nervous about this DC don't want it again, hope your baby turns for you Thanks

Congratulations and good luck!Thanks

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Rockchick1984 · 09/05/2013 11:03

I didn't know DS was back to back until after. I have a very low pain threshold, but managed fine with just a little bit of gas and air (didn't really like how it made me feel). My labour was less than 10 hours from first twinge to holding baby, although pushing stage was fairly long. No assisted delivery however I needed an episiotomy - nothing to do with him being back to back though, apparently I'm not very stretchy down there Grin

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suntodayplease · 09/05/2013 12:09

DD was back to back from 30weeks probably due to long commutes sitting on trains etc. I tried all the turning etc and spent hours googling convinced I'd end up with a c section (was also induced) I put 2 and 2 together and came up with 7! Labour wasn't too bad although I also had back to back contractions with little gaps in between once the induction started. DD turned at the last minute, pushing stage was quite long - nearly 2 hours but no intervention needed. Good luck, I'm sure all will be ok!

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Woodifer · 09/05/2013 15:53

My DD was back to back (I think to do with anterior placenta).

Anyway - a weird side effect of her particular presentation was for me I got the urge to push before I was fully dilated.

My birth went like this - in a lot of pain so go to hospital

Have painful exam from triage midwife AND trainee (I'm not have an internal this time without gas and air)

Got sent home as was only 1 cm - very painful and scary at home started pushing!

Go back in (within an hour) - I am now at 4cm (normal expected rate of progress (i.e. why they sent me home) is 1cm/hour)

Unfortunately with all the pre-emptive pushing against not fully dilated cervix get stuck at 4cm, try bath, try diamorphine (which I am never having again!) nothing makes me stop pushing except epidural.

As soon as that worked I dilated to 10cm pretty intantaneously (prob becaue relaxed)

Then - cos I can't feel anything need drip to help me push (after all that time of unwanted pushing)

I had episiotimy and ventouse as DD's heart rate dropped.

Even with all that happened birth was only 6 hours from when they let me in and I went home the next day.

I am trying to say I had a lot of excitement - but it was all ok - you can't book a perfect birth so its not worth getting worried about one aspect - baby could turn before the day or during labour. Congratulations and good luck!

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megarobotdiscoparty · 09/05/2013 16:31

Thanks so much to everyone who has replied on this thread with their stories. It does seem to be such a mixed bag with B2B labours but then I suppose that's true of all labours to some extent!

As well as reading all your stories I have been reading up on potential interventions/reasons for them and little quirks of b2b presentation -like getting the pushing urge too early as some here have said, long latent phases and it helping to labour on all fours and stay active if possible. Scared to death about contractions with no break - have suffered from a bad back for many years and the thought of a back labour is terrifying - but the baby is the prize, and as long as I can stay focused on that I'm hoping not to be too traumatised. All I can do is prepare for the worst and hope that I'm one of the lucky ones!

I also found this enormous MN thread from a few years ago which has all sorts of stories if anyone else is interested.... //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/1071718-Anyone-had -a-back-to-back-OP-position-Labour-Birth-for-first -baby/AllOnOnePage

I am leaning forward over a chair as I type -and I even had a bath on all fours today!! There's still time... come on baby!

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