Anyone had a back to back (OP position) Labour/Birth for first baby?

[catholicatheist]

Hi ladies..I really need to hear some experiences. I am currently 36 weeks pregnant and my little boy decided he wanted a change of view and turned and is now in a back to back position. I have tried everything to turn him (all fours birth ball etc) and he isnt budging. Can people tell me their experiences as I feel I may need to rethink my birth plan (had hoped for just gas and air) but now considering epidural if it is going to be really really painful and long.

My daughter was back to back but no one realised until after 30 hours of labour. It was tough going and quite traumatic. I was prepped for c-section but they tried forceps then ventuse as last resort and she came out. She was bruised and had very swollen head but no lasting effects, she's my gorgeous girl. I'd be ready for anything and don't try to stick to your birth plan as things change the whole time. Good luck though!

lushlady..my current birth plan is not to have one. I will give it a go in the pool but if it gets too awful I will have whatever pain relief is offered. I think from reading the threads it seems like its a bit luck of the draw as to how these back to back turn out.

Not all back to back births are bad. Mine was back to back and was born with just G&A and I had no tearing. When I got to the hospital I was 4cm (without any pain) and he was born 47 minutes later with no intervention. Only downside was that I could hardly walk for 3 days after the birth but other than that all went OK. Good luck!

DS was back to back, very difficult pregnanacy, sciatic nerve damage (long term)

Consultant said there was no way she would let me deliver naturally and we had a really lovely, calm, planned c-section.
The nerve damage was bad, and I had longterm physio from it.

I was terrified by a midwife at 5 months who told me to move that baby or labour would be hell - so unprofessional it still blows me away.

However what I susbequently learnt that however much I wanted a natural birth, I saved my body and my back a whole load of trouble. There was absolutley no trauma to baby or me, it was lovely.

I haven't got a personal experience of this, but I have a friend who is a bellydancer and she was back to back through labour.
she ended up using bellydance techinques (hip circles mainly and other dance moves) during contractions.
there's a youtube clip on it:

(oh, she was water-birth)

DS was back to back and I gave birth with only gas and air, the labour was 12 hours long with 3 hours of pushing that is.

DS was back to back - very painful but also my first so no idea how much more than regular.
I did G&A and in the water.... the water helped so much. When I felt a contraction coming on I rolled over so I was on all fours and the gravity seemed to help ease the "back to back" during the contraction.
1st phase labour was quite long but then I pushed him out in 4 minutes with no tearing :)
Good luck!

wow I may give the belly dancing a go! I will try anything to turn him! Your friend looks remarkably calm!

she's been dancing for quite a while, but I can't see any reason why a beginner couldn't learn the few basic moves she did. :)

She didn't want any interference, and to keep the birth as natural as possible.

My dd was back to back - a 48 hour labour, ending in her having to be pulled out with a ventouse.
I can honestly say that it wasn't traumatic - just very, very exhausting, and I was so completely worn out, as I hadn't had much sleep for 2 nights.
I had an epidural - which gave me some time to take a breather. I couldn't get dd out though - despite pushing for 4 hours total!! I was desperate to get her out, as they threatened forceps, and they terrified me. The epidural ran out and they chose not to top it up, I think to help me push. I had a episiotomy, and then she was out - all the pain disappeared, and my beautiful girl was there!
I haven't got anything to compare it to, so I couldn't say if it was more painful- I just think all labour is BLOODY painful, by all accounts!
As for birth plans - I think they are a bit daft when you haven't had a baby before. How can you plan for something that you haven't any experience of? Alot of womens plans seem to go out the window once they're in labour anyway, as you just don't know what situation you will end up in.
Good luck with it all x

mmm had a back to back birth last monday. A bit slow and did have to be assisted in the end, still a bit sore but have a beautiful girl to show for it

you will be in safe hands with your midwife they were amazing and will make sure you and your baby are just fine. Try not to worry your little one may decide to get in to position soon.

Hi

DC2 was back to back - my fault, too much sofa time trying to get my ankles not to look like elephant feet...

Labour hurts anyway and he was my second so I knew a bit of what to expect. The first was an epidural, contractions and progress slowed down, drip and ventouse, so I wanted to avoid the epidural...

I spent the first few hours leaning over the sink in the labour room sucking away on gas and air with a tens strapped to my back, then another bit of time leaning on the bed head (the bed head was raised right up and I was propped up on pillows, leaning forward kneeling, very comfy ironically as I could relax and just lean on the bed)

Gas and air does take a bit of timing ie breathe it in as much as you can, just in case a contraction starts as it takes about 10-20 seconds to kick in. Counting was therapeutic...

The leaning forward seemed to ease the worst of the pain which was more like back passage pain (it was quite bad) than labour pains and after my pelvis had stretched I was flipped onto my back and in stirrups to push.

No problems with a slow down or stopping dilating and I managed him on just gas and air plus the tens and a midwife who I knew very well was delivering me. He was 8lb 9oz and 57cm long so not a teeny baby.

It hurt, but when does labour NOT hurt????

I think he must have turned during labour as he came out OK, upart from coming arm first - this caused quite a long second stage (silly baby wanted to fly out like superman - don't they read the books!)

It cna be done - also remember, birth plans are only plans - htey can be changed and often do change, but it's not a problem if they do change. Do what you're comfortable with at the time, there's no right way IYSWIM, just what's right for you - might try water birthing if I'm lucky enough to get another chance...

Good Luck and enjoy your baby however it gets into the world!!

PS - agree with the other posters about not trying to be a hero.

Do whatever suites YOU at the time and remember it's YOUR birth, NOT some kind of test...

Gas and air plus a tense machine suited ME and my baby second time around - plus the very good support of a midwife I knew extremely well, throughout the majority of the labour and the final stage was a godsend! SHE really helped me give birth!

Hello
My first was back to back after turning at the start of labour.. the thing that really helped me was my TENS machine.. made a HUGE difference to the back pain.. ended up with an epidural as after 20 hours I wasn't fully dilated.. she then "popped out" 3 hours later..
All I can say is go with it, talk to your midwife and OH and see how you cope at the time.. My birth plan for No 1 was 2 pages long, for No 2 it simply said "get them out safely and as quickly as possible" :-)
Good luck! x

My baby was back to back. I never really had a birth plan, more the wait and see what happens. I was also induced- and that does make it more painful. From the start of waters breaking and contraction starting, stopping and re-starting, I was in labour for 52 hours. Somewhere in there I had an epidural (after 22 hours of continual contractions), when the gas and air and tens maching weren't doing enough.

Thanks for all of that ladies. I do wonder if going for the pool is going to be pointless if I end up wanting an epidural, but I suppose at least I speed things up by leaving the epidural as long as possible? Would you say that was the right way to approach it?

See what happens on the day - you could start off pool and see what happens? Just because you change you mind doesn't mean a pool is pointless IMO as you've every righ to do what you want.

My SIL has used a pool before and raved about how it helped with the pain etc. Could they do pool with gas and air as if you do need to get out of the pool it can apparently be a bit eye watering, going from lovely pain relieving support to the cold harsh reality of the open air?

I could be wrong but is an epidural better earlier on, so you're not too numb when it comes to the pushing part??

Remember - you can change your mind minute by minute if you want, even during labour.

Birth plans are just that - plans - they're NOT set in stone and it doesn't matter if you change them or how often you change them even during labour.

Yeah the gas and air is available whilst in the pool, I made sure I checked this before saying I would like to try it. Apparently the epidural they give at my hospital isnt one that fully immobilises you (although most women feel too unsteady to walk about) so guessing it may still be effective but you can feel the urge to push. Ah I am going to quit worrying about it and just see what happens. It would be lovely to do it gas and air in the pool but if needs be they can give the epidural as there are no prizes for doing it without! Thanks.

My DS was back to back and there was no way I could sit still long enough for an epidural to go in so good job he arrived (after 5hrs) as the anaethetist did. Trainee midwife was pleased as it was her first delivery of a baby with a mum standing up!

was planning a homebirth with dd2, until it was discovered she had a kidney problem.
she was still footling breech at 37 weeks so was offered an ecv, thankfully she turned but was still back to back.

she was quicker than dd1 who was front to back...but it did hurt more...and they had to break my waters.

blimey, that was 13 years ago..

[reminisces]

Birth plans shouldn't be about planning exactly the birth you want out in great detail; they should be a chance for you to look at the available options and have a think about how you feel about different things and in what circumstances you'd accept certain interventions. Because if the first time you hear about something is in the middle of a contraction you're probably not best placed to take in all the information and make an informed decision about the best choice for you.

Just another thought - is there, or could you put a step in the pool. Going up and down stairs sideways can be very good at rocking the hips the right way to encourage a baby in a less than optimal position to descend. And is something that could easily be duplicated with one step (like a low energy pregnant water version of step areobics!)

My ds2 was back-to-back, managed with gas and air, although do vaguely recall whimpering into my pillow at one point that "I caaaan't do this".
Turns out I could do it after all and ds2 was 9lb 13oz

Yes the midwife told me yesterday that according to my measurements the baby is likely to be about 8lb 8 if I go to term. I am 5ft 2inch and very very petite so wondering it that is going to be bad news for me!