Posterior/back to back baby and home birth - any experiences?

[QueenOfFlamingEverything]

I know I've already started one thread along these lines but I really need some reassurance. I am terrified of hospital/instrumental delivery and really really upset and worried now.

I am currently 40+5 with DC2. Have a DD already who was born at home on her due date with no problems - 12 hours established labour, 2 hours pushing (but I was not in a great position in hindsight). This baby however has been back to back at most (but not all) appointments since 28 weeks, and today was still completely posterior. Midwife said she couldn't feel the back at all, only tightly folded limbs. Head is still high and free.

Midwife tried a sweep but no joy, cervix is still long/thick/closed.

I have been doing lots of walking/kneeling/leaning forwards/rocking on birth ball for weeks now but it seems to be making no difference. I've been reading spinningbabies too, and taking it all in, and trying it all out, but no joy. I'm so worried, I feel (irrationally I know) like maybe this is what I get for having it so easy last time round.

Is home birth still a realistic prospect? Please be honest, I need all the time possible to get my head round this if not. I feel panicky and rather hopeless tbh, have spent most of the afternoon in tears.

Still pregnant!

Bit achey, bit tired, very grumpy.

Well I shall keep everything crossed that something will begin this weekend Try and focus on being positive and try and forget about what may/may not happen next week. There's no point thinking about it really until the time comes! Positive, calming thoughts...can you get out for a nice meal just you and your dh? More nice walks etc ...good luck

Well, after days of bouncing on my birth ball (whilst MNing and eating lots of cake) I now have something burrowing into my pelvis, banging into my bladder and making my lower back twinge wierdly. And poking my left hip bone, and making the odd popping sensation very low down by my cervix.

I am thinking maybe this is the baby trying to get its head down properly? Maybe?

Yey!! Sounds like it

I had 2 posteriors both at hospital with loads of intervention, neither time were they in distress though and I thought half of it wasn't necessary on looking back and to this day I wonder if I should have just had them at home and would things have gone better.

Have it at home, this thread makes me want to try it myself next time. If there's a next time (have to meet a new man first, as my H left me)

I'm going to be following this thread with interest, as I'd love to not have a hospital birth, if I ever get pregnant again. Thought I was doomed to it due to having 2 posterior babies. You've given me hope it's possible, reading these testimonies.

Good luck Queen you WILL be fine x

teaandcakeplease - its really really heartening to know it can happen naturally and at home isn't it . I am determined to give it my absolute best, and if circumstances mean we'll be safer in hospital for whatever reason I will know that I am making the best informed decisions I can which should make it easier to come to accept and deal with.

And as for needing to meet a new man - I thought that would be it for me after DD's excuse for a father walked out on us. But have been with DP for nearly 3 years, he is amazing and I feel very lucky to have him supporting me now. So don't give up hope on that front either

Ooo hope for me yet then

DD totally back to back - homebirth in three hours! born still back to back - slight tear byt i should have take it esy on the last push.

give it a go and see how you find it - you can transfer in if you wnt more drugs, but you can't transfer out once in hospital IYSWIM.

No news on the labour front - somehow I don't object to MNers asking, though if my dad rings one more time I may have to do Shouting.

Going to cease the bouncing now and go to bed. Baby is playing some new havoc with my bladder today which should make for an interesting night.

I forgot to mention the very important point that when I transferred to hospital, DS was still born vaginally with no intervention. We only went in because it had been going on for days, we thought I could be in for another 12 hours or so and I wanted an epidural and a kip!

The journey to hospital actually seemed to get me dilated the last few cms as I was ready to push on arrival. So if things are going slowly for you at home, go for a ride on that bumpy lane of yours!

Fingers crossed for some action this weekend.

Read thread now - Hope you have had some joy? contx? at least some more late-pregnancy sex?

sex for induction worked for me last time (Ds, 5 hours also at home, not OP but a Big Baby at a full 1lb heavier than big sister.) in combo with plenty of nipple stimulation (a full half hour at least)

now read bit about your local hospital - not promising. good poisitioning more likely to be achieved by the kind of labour you say you want anyway!

I feel sorry for you too - poor QOFE

sympathy vibe

No joy in the QOFE house this morning.

Got all excited after going to bed last night as I was having vaguely painful tightenings every 5 minutes but then fell asleep and it had stopped when I woke up.

And DP has hurt his back unloading 160 bales of hay, so no sex either.

That's a good sign though. All this pre-amble is annoying but it means that when you do get started properly it'll go much quicker. You're probably already starting to efface & dilate.

When do you see the MW?

Bet this baby is out v soon.

MW rang yesterday afternoon and said she is on call tomorrow and is going come out here to do a sweep if nothing is happening.

Oh I am just so fed up and tired and grizzly and I know its pathetically self indulgent but I don't care.

Thank you to everyone for the hand-holding

And DP has hurt his back unloading 160 bales of hay, so no sex either

doing Manly Things does make him sound attractive!

though men with bad backs often = not attractive at all....

last nights contx could be a preamble to something today - i remember feeling v. odd the day before last labour....

lol @ Manly Things.

I think it is some sort of displacement activity or maybe even a male nesting instinct. He has been chopping wood too

I don't even feel odd, goddammit. Just grumpy and a bit achy but mainly rather normal (physically anyway - mentally is another thing!).

my DH has just come back from doing our bedroom & bathroom - he also is partaking in Male Nesting and has bought a wallpaper stripper.

this means two more days at Mums house so no sex for him either (and he is not touching my boobs..).... however attractive i find a man fresh from his DIY endeavours!

It's mental torture the last few days. Especially with all the teasing that goes on. I'll be exactly the same come October. In fact, I'm getting impatient already...

Just out of pure nosiness, what will you do with DD when you're in labour? We're undecided about whether or not to farm DS out if I'm having the baby at home.

We live in a housing co-operative on a farm, with 7 other adult members, so someone will be around to look after DD. I definitely wouldn't want her present at the birth, and she is quite excited that she might get to go for a sleepover with someone else - she has her own bag packed with jamas/book/penguin torch and the like

Mental torture is about right. I hardly even believe a baby is going to appear at the end of all this any more!

labour?

none here!

hopes abence of post is not merely because it is stupidly early on a sunday morning, but you are otherwise engaged

Nope

I wish....

Last night when I went to bed the baby was wriggling around and it was so uncomfortable, and my bump was so tight, that I cried. Hoping my midwife is still coming out today to try another sweep, she said she'd ring me this morning

Hello It does sound like the baby is starting things, will be interesting to see what your mw says later i.e if there's been any change! I'm sure you'll get your homebirth

Thank you

She rang a few minutes ago and will be round at about 2-2.30 to check us over and try a sweep again. So nice of her to come out here up our dreaded track on a sunday, she knows how important the home birth is to me.

I managed to persuade DP into providing some more prostaglandins this morning and have had pokey feelings in my cervix ever since.

Have realised I am telling 100000s of internet sprites about my cervix on a daily basis - what has become of my normal discretion and dignity ???

bollocks to discretion and dignity, it's not like you'll hold onto them during labour

good one on the pokey feelings, let us know how you get on with the midwife

'pokey feelings'

i have a feeling the bouncing about helps too...