a bit concerned about op birth

[TettyLouBar]

Hi all.
DD1 was OP birth and am now 38/40 with DD2. At my last antenatal just before christmas, Midwife said that baby is almost OP slightly ROL (think I got that abbreviation right!) So I've been sitting in recommended ways and leaning forward etc. Is there anything you can recommend that may help baby move?

Your post brings back memories. OP is back to back right?

DD1 was back to back. Was keen not to repeat that experience. Last month of second pregnancy spent every spare minute on all fours leaning over a gym ball. Sore on the knees but.....

second labour less than three hours with a bit of gas and air and no stitches.

Nowhere near as painful as first. Nowhere near. God that was hard...

wow, was expecting a reply about how hard back to back is but didnt expect you to say that! Oh how I hope your right. I'm determined to make sure it doesn't happen again.

She was a really easy baby too! Good luck!

To put this nicely, - you're a bit more saggy all around this time and your body is an old had - so chances are when labour starts, baby will move quick sharp.

If not labour should be shorter and easier in any case.

2nd births are fantastic generally

hth

Both my children were back to back

Second time around was a breeze - DD shot out after 2 pushes

I had a water birth which helped a lot - kept mobile and she turned during labour

Good luck!

OFP!!

Optimal foetal positioning - basically the heaviest part of baby (their spine) will swing to the lowest point of gravity so if you spend a lot of time slouched back on settee or laid on your back its more likely that baby will go back to back.

Spend as much time as possible leaning forward with your belly forward, knees lower that hips. On all fours, over a ball, kneeling, etc...

Also staying active during labour is great. Epidurals mean you will tend to be in the worst position for back to back so stay active and not laying down!

Best of luck x

Ds was op and that was not fun. I had two dds, who obligingly turned themselves around. I suppose space and sagginess might have helped? Try all the gym ball/hands and knees things too, and good luck Out of interest, until this happened to you laydees, had you ever heard of it? I hadn't!

Im a doula, so learnt a lot during my training

Babies wriggle about so much while you birth... s/he's sure to move into the 'right' position!

Thanks everyone. I'm due on 16th Jan so things are becoming increasingly real now.
I know labour isn't called labour for nothing, but I had an incredibly hard time with DD1 - (I used to think I had a high pain thresh hold, only to discover during labour that I'm a wimp)

I just want to feel a little more aware of whats happening and perhaps more mobile and active.
The combination of such a long early labour and pethidine (the devils work) made me exhausted and unaware of what was happening. My husband was the one who remembers them saying she was back to back. I don't have many memories of the entire saga.

I spent the whole evening leaning over our footstool or sat backwards against at upright chair last night leaning over the back of it.

I have a question though, last antenatal the MW said that baby is engaged, does this mean it'll be harder for her to move around? Is everything I'm doing in vain?

Thinking of you, my 1st and 3rd dc were both op. I tried everything possible to turn them, spent most of my pregnancies on my knees!! All I would say is that sometimes there is something anatomically that make it easier for babies to be op and that it is not always possible to turn them, not that it is not worth trying.

2nd labours on the whole are easier and most babies turn during labour. My 3rd dc (now 7 weeks old) turned at the beginning of the 2nd stage (she was engaged before labour started), labour in total was 1hr40mins and she was a very big baby (11lb11oz).

I wish I had enjoyed the end of my pregnancy more and not worried so much about the positioning and accepted that what will be will be. Good luck, i hope it all goes well for you.

Thanks greenbeanie. I've just seen the midwife this morning and she has told me that the baby has moved around to ROA and to keep doing what I'm doing. Fingers crossed baby will stay that way.
I am trying to relax and enjoy the last few days but I dont really enjoy pregnancy at the best of times and so find it hard to embrace it all! I'll do my best to try and chill out about everything.

I'm 39+2 and mine was OP until I started dragging myself to the swimming pool for half an hour every day a week ago. It worked immediately - I could feel her shifting. So I'd definitely recommend as much breast stroke as you can manage, and it'll build stamina for the birth too.

thats great alleykitten, really pleased it worked for you. Wish I invested in a maternity cosy and took up swimming ages ago.
Might have a look online and see if I can get a cheap one to use for the last few days

Hi all, Just to finish this thread off so future ladies can see the end result.

Baby Lowenna Grace was born Wed 05:01 am Wednesday 26/01/11

Baby was flitting from LOA and ROA for most of the final week. I was determined to bounce on the ball and spend my days/evenings leaning forward on my knees over the foot stool. Uncomfortable, but boy was the labour different this time around!

No back to back, no pain inbetween contractions. No trouble with positioning between contractions. really really gentle increase in severity on the contractions and the speed of the labour was alot faster too!
(I know it was 2nd baby so that was likely)
DD1 18hours, DD2 5.5 hours!!

Just wanted to let you all know who are worried about previous experiences with back to back births that it doesn't have to be that way the second time around.
fantastic experience and although I'm convinced I won't have anymore DC's, the labour was way way way better!

Thanks for all of your input and advice.