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.

I've had three back to back labours. All at home, all fine (yes it hurts obviously, but no horror movie moments), with no pain relief, and I'm a giant wuss.

In terms of length of labour, 1st was 8 hours, 2nd 4 hours, 3rd about 15 minutes (well, if you ignore the 3 days of weird pre-labour stuff - but 3rd labours are notoriously on-off).

catholic, I don't know whether they give morphine or pethadine. I had pathadine in both Australia and in the UK, but now I hear that in Aust they are giving morphine instead of pethadine. I assume the effects would be similar, whichever they give.

They wont give it close to delivery though, so be aware of that. With my 3rd I left it too late to ask and this contributed to the very difficult labour. If you think you might want ti, tell the midwife when you arrive, and hopefull she will remind you when its a good time to have it. You never know though, you might not need it at all, but from what I hear a lot of people go straight from G&A to epidural, and personally I found pethadine a real help and good way to avoid epidural.

As others have said, be very aware of your position in labour (all fours, leaning forward are reccomended) and tell your DH/Birth Partener/midwife so they can help you to get into those positions when you are too knackered to move or care.

My DD1 was back to back, induced labour at 41+6.

It was a 23h labour, the last 4h in water with G&A. It was hard but i never stopped walking and the movement made it easier.

She was born without assistance weighing 8lb 8oz.

It's painful, but the walking constantly really helped.

My DD2 was back to back, and came out that way, with a VBAC. Yes, it was painful, but I don't have another VB to compare it to. My pain was mostly in my back, and was worse when I was lying on my back (which I had to do every now and then as was being monitored as VBAC). Also, baby heartrate kept racing whenever I was on my back.

I had G&A from 6cms, and didn't need anything else. I had to push her out very fast as the monitors showed her heart rate slowing, so I did end up with a 3rd degree tear, but that was stitched well and has given me no trouble at all.

I don't have any 'bad' memories, and would do it all the same way again.

hi, my 1st was back to back, but also 9lb 5oz so after prolonged 2nd stage she was born by emergancy c-section. 2nd was back to back but turned towards the end of pregnancy-i knew it 2-the pain (not bad pain, good pain) and sight of the whole shape of ur tummy changing/moving around was quite bizzare!but can happen, i 2 spent quite a bit of time on the gym ball.
good luck

DS turned back to back late in my pregnancy. I was lying on my back reading (!) when there was an almost audible (?sp) glug and he flipped round!
My labour was quick. I had 3 contractions that I could talk through, then my waters broke and it all kicked off.
My sister is a mid wife and thought I was being a wimp but 2 hours later I was in hospital and fully dilated.
I pushed for over an hour but had little actual urge to push, from what I understand this is because back to back babies don't put pressure on the cervix the same as a normal presentation does.
I survived on gas and air but DS was not budging. At one point the Dr tried to turn him by shoving her hand inside me and trying to push him round. She made me lie on my back during this and it was the only time I really lost control and shouted out.
In the end I was taken to theatre and given a spinal and epesiotomy and he was pulled out with ventouse and forceps.
The whole thing was over in 6 hours and I would rather go through the labour again any time rather than the first 2-3 weeks after the birth.
The episiotomy (after the birth not when they did it) was agony and so was the first few weeks of BF though that did settle down and was worth the initial pain.

my 1st was op and the labour was painful, but ok. however mw was awful and i asked for epidural just to get away from her really.

it was the worst thing i could have done as dd got totally stuck as i was on the bed. she ended up trying to come ear first. ended up with rotational forceps in theatre.

with ds i was adamant i would not have another op baby, all pregnancy he was lovely and anterior, however slowly at the end of pregnancy he started to turn posterior. i was doing all i could to avoid, but in the end i figured that's how my body wanted it. the birth was beautiful, at home, 4 hours from 1st twinge to birth. he was 9lb 11oz and i had no tears, so op doesn't have to be long terrible labour.

(sorry if that doesn't make much sense, but i've been on the old vino!)[hsmile]

2 babies, both B2B. Both bloody painful, but gas-and-air and an episiotomy and 2 babies arrived without further intervention.

2 babies, both B2B here as well. First one was overdue - induction - pain - epidural - failed forceps - emergency section followed by a week in hospital for various things.

as second one was also B2B doctor strongly suggested elective section which I agreed to and all went smoothly.

am sure your birth will be straightforward though - good luck and hope your baby turns!

Only have one labour to go on, but here's my 2p worth:
27hr 'labour' (waters broke early, no real contractions for several hours) then syntocinin drip got things going.
I managed contractions for a few hrs then we realised my DD was OP - I think it was my swearing that gave things away - before I got an epidural...
She was eventually born with intervention from (failed) ventouse then forceps and episiotomy..BUT she was healthy and well and much less overwhelmed than I was!

Unfortunately I was bed-bound due to monitoring (we knew I had Group B strep) from the off, but I do think it might have gone differently (ie less intervention) had I been able to move around as I'd so hopefully planned

That said the epidural felt AMAZING by the time I had it - would recommend to anyone in the same position (no pun intended)

PS Like some other posters here, I agree that labour is usually over in the space of a few hours/days and its the first few weeks that many people (myself included) find the bigger challenge.

What will be, will be for the birth, but it's worth reading up about basic baby care stuff too - eg it's so nerve-wracking bathing your LO for the first few times for instance

Good luck! Hope everything goes well for you and your family.

I had a back to back labour with my first. It wasn't very painful and I managed with gas and air, but as someone further up the thread said, the baby's head doesn't always push against the cervix in the most efficient way in that position. My labour slowed down as a result and I needed a drip to get things going again. That made the pain worse but it worked and my son was born soon after. I think it is difficult to predict how it will go. Best to be informed about the different interventions but don't assume that you will necessarily need any.

Heres a positive one for you, when my son (3rd preg) was back to back towards the end I worried that maybe Id have a hard time (had been lucky with the other two, 6 hours and 5 hours). I remember scrubbing floors etc to help turn him! A friend gave me some moxobustion herb which you burn near your toe, its meant to turn breech babies but I thought Id give it a go and see if he just turned! I used it in the morning, took the kids to playgroup, went shopping, was putting shopping away and started to get contractions. They were at the point where I was having to breathe through them so I went to Dr surgery to see if I was in labour (was 8 days before due date) mw said I my cervix was softening but not open yet! Went to hospital anyway, when I got there I was 3cm and 3 hours late Charlie was born with just gas and air in a beautiful water birth passed to me by his Daddy :) I think I must have started contracting before I started dilating so he could turn around. I know everybodys different but not all back to back births are awful thank gdness! Xx

4gt to say he was 8lb 3 Xx

Hello, here's my story: quick and painful but managed without pain relief or too much intervention...

DD was in a good position nearly all late pregnancy, but my waters broke early and I think she turned after that. I was induced after 60 hours of broken waters (tried to wait and see if natural labour would start but no joy), once on the drip contractions got going fast and fully dilated after about 4 hours, pushing stage was horrid and after about 2 hours of it they gave me an episiotomy and out she popped. She was back to back and also her chin was sticking out at a funny angle.

I think I'm lucky it was fast as I was getting really worn out from the pushing. Also lucky DD was small (just under 6lb)! Unlucky that I had to be on my back and strapped to the drip and monitors, it definitely makes it harder.

All the best with your baby when it happens, OP!

DD was back-to-back and turned during labour. It was long: contractions began 2am on Sunday 5-10 mins apart, but irregular, and she was born 5pm on Thursday.

The slow build-up meant the pain never seemed overwhelming and the worst thing was not sleeping. I had pethidine on the Wednesday night, which was great because it meant I could sleep for a couple of hours, then had G&A from 7ish-10 cm.

I felt I was coping well at that point, but then the contractions stopped. I had syntocinon to start them up again, but her head was stuck at the wrong angle, so I had an episiotomy with local anaesthetic and ventouse to deliver her.

The only thing I regret was trying to push for ages, on the midwife's orders, when I wasn't having any contractions. I think that wore me out and led to the need for the drip.

DD was back to back - had to be induced and did not progress. After 48 hours I only got to 5cm. They told me it was more than likely going to be a delivery with forceps or vontouse (not sure of spelling) and I was like NO WAY so I spoke to the consultant about a csection and that is what happened in the end and I was very, very glad for it!

Recovery was fine, breastfeeding was good.

I had gas and air and an epidural - but once the drip was in I could feel all the pressure of the contractions which was not nice. My advice would be see what you can stand and then be assertive about how YOU want the labour to be helped along(if you need it)

Usually lurk rather than post, but just wanted to add my story, cause I think it's a good one... DS was back to back, I went to 10cm dilated at home (oops!) with nothing but a TENS machine, went to hospital, TENS off, didn't bother with anything else, lay on the bed (admittedly very uncomfortable on my back but did as I was told because I hadn't the energy to question it!). I pushed for two hours, could have gone longer but DS was getting tired, so for the final little bit, I needed the help of a ventouse. The worst bit was tearing at the end, but to be honest, that lasted seconds and the relief as he slid out was indescribable! Oh, and DS was a little fatty, at 9.5lb! If I (the biggest wimp out there!) can do it, I'm sure you can too, if you're really determined. Though I certainly wouldn't feel a failure for accepting some help to take the edge off it! I might've done the same if I hadn't arrived at the hospital already pushing!

Good luck! :)

Ladies thanks so much for sharing your experiences, there are also some really positive ones here which have been reassuring to read. Thanks also for your good wishes. I have really enjoyed this thread as I feel I am well and truly prepared now for all eventualities! You have all been great!

I was back to back.

Get a Tens machine!!

Seriously!

I was induced and it was ALL back pain. No cramps at all, just horrible back pain. The Tens machine really helped.

I did the first day and a half with just the TENS on the anti-natal ward, then went to Gas and Air on Delivery and managed with just that. See my reply to your post about your MIL (hell, no, btw!) for more details.

It's hard... but it can be done.

Just leave your options open.

I needed a ventouse, but that was because my waters had been broken too long and they were worried about the little one.

And honestly, I swear to you, the momoent when you think you absolutely cannot cope, will be the moment before it all clicks and they tell you to start pushing!

Oh, and I'm seconding the people who've said walking helps.

I walked, and walked. It was what I wanted to do!

Thanks Ginny and thanks for your advice on my other thread. I wish I didnt have the additional worry of a pushy MIL as well as the prospect of a difficult birth. Interesting about the tens machine, so many people say they are useful and others say they are pointless. I may hire one as it will probably be worth 20 quid or however much it is, just to have an additional option.

Hi, my little girl was born 10 days ago, she was back to back from 27 weeks onwards and never turned once.
this was my 3rd pregnancy with previous labours of 15 hrs & 7 hrs.

the labour was slow, 12 hours at home, after which went to hospital with close painful contractions to find I was 2cm and 'too early' for pain relief (which I've noticed someone else has said too)

After 18 hours my contractions totally changed, 20 minutes of short, very painful contractions - and a baby that turned in those very last few minutes, and born normally!!
I know she moved during this time as I was frantically checking her position throughout. I was told labour was slow as the presenting part of her head wasn't pressing on the cervix.
So a happy story from me - I too didn't want an epidural because the chances of her turning would have been practically nil if I had been on my back.
I won't say it wasn't painful but I coped with gas and air and a short shot of meptid as I was getting so tired.
Oh - and a TENS machine! A Godsend if only to give you something to focus on!!

All the best!!

and I second what Ginnybag said - when you think you can't cope any longer you are minutes away!
I felt like this at 8cm dilated and remember thinking 2 cm to go, I CANNOT do this - then I lay on my back, had an uncontrollable urge to push, and out she came, 3 pushes later

Another positive experience.
DC2 was back to back, induced by pessary at 41+5. I kept active, got to 5cms before abusing gas and air . Waters burst at 6cms, and I delivered him 90mins later without need for any intervention or other pain relief.
Most definitely the most painful of all three of my labours, (due to constant backache) but not hideously so. (If pethidine had been offered, I probably would have had it, but the MW didn't mention it and I didn't feel the need to ask for any more drugs obviously couldn't have been that painful because I'm normally a wuss)
Good luck with your labour, I'm sure it will be fine, you seem opened minded and prepared. Let us know!!