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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

VBAC with back to back baby

76 replies

Carlyt93 · 26/02/2025 17:16

Hi all, hoping for a VBAC. My first was undiagnosed footling breech ending in emergency c-section. I’m 40 weeks and midwife told me yesterday baby is back to back. I don’t know now if this will change how I feel about a Vbac. Or have a planned c section. Has anyone got any advice? Or been in the same situation? Thank you

OP posts:
MaryGreenhill · 26/02/2025 20:01

OP please have a planned caesarian . I laboured for 20 hrs , they tried Ventouse , forceps and l ended up having to have an emergency CS in the end . We both nearly died and l was in HDU for 2 days. I had to have 3 units of blood which Ch caused me terrible anxiety because it was around the time of the CJD crisis .
Good luck with your decision.

OneKookyPinkShaker · 26/02/2025 20:07

My baby was back to back he is my first and only so can't compare I had a very painful labour, he didn't turn and was born Sunnyside up. After being stuck a while he then came out in one go the midwives were very shocked I managed to push him out as a first time mum with no interventions. I had quite bad second degree tearing they did think it was third degree initially and had a consultant come in for stitches. At my 6 week check up I was told I had two kinds of pelvic organ prolapse.

I'm now 10 months pp and still struggling with prolapse and having pelvic floor physio but found there's very little support

Quercus3 · 26/02/2025 22:46

Both of mine have been back to back.

First was horrendous, she also had her hand up by her face, needed assisted delivery. Waters were broken ahead of induction and I think she just got wedged.

Second turned during labour, I felt him twist which was strange - was fantastic compared to first birth though, easy by comparison. I was up and mobile during delivery which I think helped. Retained placenta so still needed surgery afterwards unfortunately.

Going planned section with third 😅

Coloursofthewind2 · 26/02/2025 23:17

Mine was back to back and my labour was (give or take) 48 hours. I did give birth vaginally though with no intervention just took bloody ages to progress. I also had no pattern to my contractions, as in they didn't get closer and closer together but were just all over the shop. I'd opt for the c section.

justasking111 · 26/02/2025 23:31

First baby no-one knew he was back to back. Episiotomy, lots of stitches. Had pethidine and gas. 14 hours labour. Sewing me up was the most painful bit.

Second one came out hand first then head and shoulder that was painful even with pethidine and gas. He was horribly bruised. 14 hours.

Third one text book no painkillers at all. 14 hours.

Comtesse · 26/02/2025 23:39

Supsupsup · 26/02/2025 17:51

“What does it mean if the baby is ‘back-to-back'?
Most babies who are ‘back-to-back’ (OP) at the start of labour turn into a better position during labour.

In a study of babies who were all OP at the start of labour:

  • 20 in 100 were born by caesarean before or during labour
  • 61 in 100 rotated to an OA or forwards position during labour
  • 19 in 100 were born OP
If your baby is OP, recent research suggests that the labour is likely to be longer as the baby has further to turn. This can be exhausting and may raise the likelihood of having a caesarean birth. However, in the past, having a baby in the OP position wasn’t thought to be a problem. Some specialists feel it is modern maternity practices and beliefs that have led to longer, slower labours. For example, back pain is common in labour, regardless of the baby’s position. There is no evidence that back pain is more severe when the baby is back-to-back. It might help to consider that labour might be different, rather than better or worse. Medical care will be available if needed. Can a baby’s position be changed? Research shows that a parent’s positions during pregnancy can change the space within the pelvis. However, there is no strong proof that this changes the baby’s position at the end of pregnancy. Rather than trying to move the baby, it can be beneficial for the pregnant woman or parent to try and ease tension in their body. This could increase symmetry and create space which allows the baby to move. People with previous injuries to their pelvis or legs may benefit from physical therapy or exercise to address any imbalance. Those with strong pelvic muscles or who are inactive might also find it helpful. Some ideas for helping to ease tension might be:
  • brisk walking for 30 mins each day
  • pregnancy yoga
  • sitting with hips higher than knees
  • swimming
  • wearing low shoes and calf stretching
  • getting up and moving every 30 mins
  • wearing the right size bra to help the diaphragm move
  • eating a healthy diet to avoid constipation
  • seeing a physical therapist, osteopath or chiropractor trained in pregnancy to address any old injuries”

”The parent’s position” oh really what can the father do to change this?? Clue: It’s the mother - only women can birth a baby - back to back or otherwise. These weasel words help no one.

stitchy · 26/02/2025 23:57

I tried for a VBAC with ds2 (emergency cs with ds1), I actually had an elective cs booked in but went into labour a day or two before so I opted to give it a go naturally as it seemed like a sign.
He was back to back, he had been for ages as you'd see his little limbs strobing across my stomach. Labour was fucking agony, morphine didn't touch the pain so they gave me IV parcetamol too to try and help and he ended up stuck so it was another emergency section anyway.

I wish I'd just gone for the cs straight away and not bothered trying for the vbac and saved myself pain and distress.

Bobbi730 · 27/02/2025 01:09

I had two back to back babies. First one very long and incredibly painful labour ending in emergency C-section. Second one, I opted for an elective and the surgeon said if I hadn't, it would have been the same as before. I tried everything to turn them but nothing worked.
Both babies able to breastfeed and both now enormous healthy teenagers. Good luck whatever you choose.

justasking111 · 27/02/2025 01:25

Looking back I can't believe that first baby was back to back. Second baby was nuchal arm. Both vaginal delivery and no-one knew beforehand no chance of a c section in either case.

Happyinarcon · 27/02/2025 07:05

I also ended up with a c section after back to back labour. In an ideal world with a perfect team of midwives with decades of confidence and experience you’d be fine with a vaginal birth. It depends how likely you feel you’d get that level of expertise

Coloursofthewind2 · 27/02/2025 09:12

Comtesse · 26/02/2025 23:39

”The parent’s position” oh really what can the father do to change this?? Clue: It’s the mother - only women can birth a baby - back to back or otherwise. These weasel words help no one.

Show quote history

Yes and how on earth can modern medicine beliefs lead to longer slower labours? Mine was 48 hours with a back to back baby and had nothing to do with the midwives' beliefs.

Supsupsup · 27/02/2025 10:35

Coloursofthewind2 · 27/02/2025 09:12

Yes and how on earth can modern medicine beliefs lead to longer slower labours? Mine was 48 hours with a back to back baby and had nothing to do with the midwives' beliefs.

Show quote history

Fairly simply…being forced to stay supine during labour strapped to a monitor or a drip is not going to help a lot of women!

Supsupsup · 27/02/2025 10:50

@Carlyt93 I would hope that your midwife or dr can give you more advice for your particular circumstances, there is an oldish document here https://rcm.org.uk/publications/evidence-based-guidelines-persistent-lateral-and-posterior-fetal-positions-at-the-onset-of-labour/ but only available to RCM members .humans are programmed to share and remember negative experiences more than the positive experiences…it may very well be that a planned c section is the best option for you but your midwife should be supporting you to make the best choice for you.

FeelinTwentySixPointTwo · 27/02/2025 10:52

Fairly simply…being forced to stay supine during labour strapped to a monitor or a drip is not going to help a lot of women!

Fair enough, but I was trying to hypnobirth my way through my back to back labour, in a pool with dimmed lights, and that didn't help me either.
Whereas a "normal" birth was easy peasy by comparison.

Nomnomnew · 27/02/2025 10:54

FeelinTwentySixPointTwo · 27/02/2025 10:52

Fairly simply…being forced to stay supine during labour strapped to a monitor or a drip is not going to help a lot of women!

Fair enough, but I was trying to hypnobirth my way through my back to back labour, in a pool with dimmed lights, and that didn't help me either.
Whereas a "normal" birth was easy peasy by comparison.

It did help me through mine though. It’s all different for different women and different circumstances. No right or wrong, we all have different bodies, different experiences, different babies etc.

Hopefully OP has a range of experiences here that have been shared and she can make a decision with her team based on her own circumstances.

Supsupsup · 27/02/2025 11:16

Where there are choices to be made, it’s the role of a health professional to explain both risks and benefits, not to solely impart information that may cause concern or anxiety, especially as we know the majority of patients will simply head to google and/ or social media and hear all the worse case scenarios from traumatised people.

Fifthtimelucky · 27/02/2025 11:40

My first was back to back. I didn't know until they told me when I was in labour. In fact I didn't know that back to back was likely to be more difficult/painful until they told me at the time.

The labour as a whole was pretty quick (under 6 hours from the first contraction) and was manageable with just gas and air, but I had about 2 hours of pushing and it was hard on my back (I was upright which may not have helped).

Cakeandusername · 27/02/2025 11:43

Mine was back to back. Long labour. Signed consent for c section but had baby in theatre with kielands forceps, wasn’t pleasant. I’d seriously consider c section.

Shivvy1 · 27/02/2025 11:53

Both mine were back to back. 1st one I had diamorphine and epidural so was quite out of it for a while, but it was still painful. Second only had morphine, which didn't touch the sides pain wise. It was excruciating, when I asked for epidural it was too late as she was on her way. She came out with her hands up in wee fists over her face. The pain was unbearable. However both born with no interventions and required no stitches with my second and I think only a few with my first and both labours were fairly quick but i wud opt for csection if they are offering x

ThelastRolo20 · 27/02/2025 12:12

@Carlyt93 I also had an undiagnosed footling breech with my first ending in a section. I wanted a vbac but my second had other ideas and was transverse!

I had another section and now I'm 7 weeks post partum I'm happy with that decision. I already have a scar and don't plan on any more children, vaginal births can be wonderful but given I'd had a section before I went with better the devil you know! I was only going to entertain a vbac if it was a straight forward, uncomplicated one x

SweetBaklava · 27/02/2025 12:53

My first was back to back but didn't know until 12 hours after I was induced. Was brought to theatre for forceps delivery but I ended up with EMCS. I have to say back labour was the most horrifically painful experience of my life and was enough to convince me that ELCS was the only way to go for DC2... zero regrets!!!

retreatingheadlights · 27/02/2025 13:05

I had a VBAC home delivery with my back to back third dc. My first child was a back to back home delivery. Dd2 was an undiagnosed breech and an emergency section which was awful. The recovery was awful too. Both home births were great with quick recoveries. I was 38 with my third too. Gas and air for the last bits of labour and a tens machine.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 27/02/2025 13:11

Two b2b. First ended up in a C section on day 3. Recovery was straightforward, no continence or other issues
Second was an unplanned vbac which in hindsight I was pushed into as I was dilating nicely and things appeared to be progressing. There was no mention she was b2b too until everything stalled and she became distressed and was delivered with forceps. A lot of post birth trauma for me, serious bruising for her that took 8 weeks to fully disappear.

I would have a section. Vaginal delivery is not an achievement. Birthing a baby safely with your continence intact for the long term is an achievement whatever route out they take.

Starlightstargazer · 27/02/2025 16:33

I’ve had 3 children, 2 back to back. Baby 1 and 3 - the posterior ones were absolute agony. So bad that if I had been offered a gun, I would have used it. Unrelenting pain not waves. Stuck for ages. Tried tens, pool, hypnobirthing, pethidine, entonox and epidural. Transferred from a birth centre (baby 1) and home (baby 3). Baby 1 born via ventouse but prepped for c section in theatre. Lots of blood loss, deep tear, extremely traumatic. Baby 3 a normal birth with epidural.

Baby 2 in contrast was an anterior position and home water birth. A massive difference in pain, it hurt but manageable and progress too!

Baby 1 and 3, I did every spinning babies move, every homeopathic remedy, acupuncture, birth ball. Nothing worked.

Baby 2 - weekly osteopathy which cost a bomb. I was absolutely terrified of giving birth so basically bankrupted myself! Couldn’t afford to do that with number 3.

x

ThePartingOfTheWays · 27/02/2025 16:41

I've never had or attempted a VBAC. I have had both a vaginal back to back (instrumental) and an EMCS, and would not recommend either. Think back to back was noted about a fortnight before the baby was born.

Personally, would only attempt VBAC if everything were in place for it to be straightforward. Good positioning, ripe cervix etc. Otherwise I'd go for the elective, unless you want loads more DC after maybe.