Back to back baby :/

[K8eee]

Had an appt with my mw today and due to fetal movement being decreased I ended up waiting 3 hours at my hospital. anyway have found out baby is back to back with me any advice what I can do to shift it or is bouncing on a gym ball sufficient enough? i'm 39+2 weeks, and have heard a back to back birth isn't too nice. If you have any good stories please feel free to share

[JuniperTisane]

Have a look at spinningbabies for some techniques to encourage baby to move. I haven't had a posterior baby but both mine were breech at one point and I found this site good reading and very informative.

[JabberJabberJay]

Yes have a look at the spinningbabies website. Lots of info there on optimal positioning.

But try not to worry too much. Babies can turn at any time (even during labour). Back to back labour doesn't always mean labour will be horrible either.

I had a back to back labour with DD2. Had no idea she was in that position until she popped out face up! Though in retrospect I should have realised since I felt the contractions in my back rather than my bump.

Good luck and try not to worry

[hugshugs]

I had a back to back baby a week ago (am 38+3), and have moved him as I wasn't keen on a back labour. I don't know what worked, but I did the following -

• all of the stuff on the spinning babies site that has already been suggested
  
• didn't sit on the sofa at all, or ever sit on a chair slouched (even a tiny bit!). I even moved my car seat so that it was at 90 degrees
  
• spent as much time as possible leaning forwards, especially on all 4s (leaning over the birthing ball)
  
• made sure I slept on my left side
  
• moxabustion
  

From what I understand, it is about leaning forwards to encourage the baby to move and give space / gravitational help to do so. Bouncing on a birthing ball isn't going to encourage your little one to move, although is good for your posture.

Hope that helps ... good luck! x

[PenguinsEatSpinach]

Oh gosh, this is a bit of a personal soapbox issue of mine. I have had two back to back labours. One in hospital, managed as if it was a normal labour. One at home where we tried to respond to the specific circumstances. You can guess which went better.

In terms of pre-prep, bouncing on a birth ball isn't massively helpful. Take a look at Spinning Babies for techniques like inversion. What you are trying to do is lean forwards or be on all fours. Scrubbing the floor old style with a scrubbing brush is likely to do more than hours of bouncing on a ball!

If you find yourself dealing with a back to back labour, please don't think it's the end of the world, but be aware that many midwifes just trot out 'the baby will probably turn in labour' line. There are some things I've learned:

• ARM is often very unhelpful for back to back babies. It should be a last resort. A baby can turn in a bag of water far more easily than without. My midwife was far too keen to 'help' a 'slow' labour with ARM, and in fact it made things slower.

• Your body may try and tell you how to move the baby. I had the urge early in my first labour to get on my hands and knees with my head on the ground. I resisted, because I'd been told so many times to stay upright and mobile and walk. In fact, it may have been my body trying to tell me that DD1 was funnelling down wrong and tip her back up a bit to re-direct.

• You may want to focus in advance on ideas for dealing with any back pain. Look into techniques in advance so you have some ideas. Back rubs. 'Sifting' the bump with a scarf. Getting into various positions which open and widen the pelvis (like wide squats, or in a 'dog by a lampost' position on a chair).

• You may well not dilate very regularly or fast. Your body may spend a long time turning the baby and then go quite fast from there. It is worth thinking about how you feel about internals. Repeat internals showing 3cm can be quite disheartening, but they are quite common with b2b. It doesn't mean it's a disaster and it doesn't mean it's a long time still to go.

Good luck. You'll be ok!

[BakingBunty]

I'd echo all the advice above, especially penguins excellent post.

But I'd also add... don't beat yourself up about it, or feel that it's your fault. My perception is that some midwives feel that back to back babies are a result of mothers-to-be sitting on their backsides for the entirety of their pregnancies. I got comments like 'well, we see a lot more back to back babies these days as mums aren't as active as they were'. Which really annoyed me as I hardly sat still during pregnancy, exercised regularly and had a housework obsession (which has long gone!!).

Sometimes, it just happens, and whilst there are lots of things you can do to help the baby turn (see above), they don't always play ball. I ended up having an EMCS after getting to a grand total of 4cm in 72 hours. BUT the end result was good and DS was (and is) beautiful... though he initially had a really pointed head from trying to get out for so long!

I love the term 'star gazer' for back to back babies. Something nice about the thought of them coming out looking up at the world around them.

Anyway, hope all goes well for you.

[Inglori0us]

My dd was back to back and the labour was fine so don't expect the worst!

[ch1134]

I had a difficult bak-to-back birth so can only give the following advice

do all you can to turn the baby
agree to an early epidural ( I struggled on without for 20 hours and wish I hadn't)

[slightlyinsane]

I have no experience of b2b labours but just wanted to add that a back labour doesn't mean your baby is b2b. All 3 of my labours have been in the back and none of mine have been b2b. Just don't want people worrying if the go into labour and the pain is in your back that babyis star gazing, it's just the way it is for some of us.

[LouisaJF]

DS1 was back to back although I didn't know it until I was in labour. It did make the labour more painful but he turned at 9cm so it really can happen at any time.

[SleepyNess]

Go swimming! Aparantly breaststroke encourages healthy presentation and reduces chances of back to back.

[PenguinsEatSpinach]

I think the epidural point is very personal. I agree that there is no reason in the world to think you 'should' struggle. If you need an epidural, ask for one.

However, for me, having an epidural was quite a negative experience. Once ARM had slowed my contractions, I was put on the drip and demanded an epidural. In the context of being on the drip it was the right decision. But the combination of no waters and now being flat on my back (only type of epidural my hospital offered was fully numb) meant DD1 had little chance of turning, got stuck, got distressed and I had forceps. Also the epidural itself wasn't entirely successful (though obviously that has nothing to do with positioning).

Second time round, don't get me wrong, the pain was intense (I can actually pinpoint the moment DD2 turned, and the difference was incredible.) But I could do it, it felt productive, it felt like I was working with my body to do this, not against it.

So yes, epidurals are an amazing invention. I am all for them. I am not someone who thinks everyone 'should' do it naturally. But I also think that people shouldn't feel scared into asking for an epidural on the basis of being b2b. Unless you are one of those people who wants an early epidural regardless, try to go into it with an open mind as you would any other labour.

[rachyconks]

My DD was back to back. Didnt find out until I was in labour. It was a long labour, but fine. The pain was centred on my lower back and I found the tens machine really helpful.