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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Is back to back labour without an epidural really that impressive?

79 replies

Moulesfrites · 08/02/2011 09:57

...because I did it a couple of weeks ago, and having read the obem thread where the woman in the pink pjs did it, it would appear we are some kind of superwomen?! Am feeling all smug and proud now...sorry!

OP posts:

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scaredoflove · 08/02/2011 12:00

How do you know if baby was back to back? did they tell you?

EdgarAleNPie · 08/02/2011 12:18

mine was OP at 20 week san, then MWs at check-ups told me by feel.

Original poster

Moulesfrites · 08/02/2011 12:20

Scaredoflove, yes, he did not turn and came out "face to pubes" but I didn't know up until that point, which was probably a good thing. In terms of pain, he was my first so I have nothing to compare it to, but it did seem to take a long time - 16 hours officially but that didn't include the hours of contractions before I got to 3cm.

I agree that giving birth in any way is amazing, I was just surprised by the reactions on the obem thread last night!

OP posts:

asdx2 · 08/02/2011 12:23

I didn't know until dd came out "face to pubes" either. Not sure if midwife did either because she never commented until dd emerged tbh.

onimolap · 08/02/2011 12:24

They would feel where the spine is (or look if you were being scanned for any reason).

I had an ROA baby who went all the way round the back - so an even longer route than an OP. It was a very long labour that just didn't seem to go anywhere (glad I stayed at home for most of it!). It didn't occur to me that it would be particularly impressive.

TabithaTwitchet · 08/02/2011 12:31

DD was back to back, although nobody realised until she finally appeared. I'd only had gas and air.
The midwife said "Aah, that explains why you were struggling to push her out".
I did feel vindicated by this, as I had been feeling during the labour that I was being pathetic for not managing to push her out. It also makes me feel more confident about DC2's impending birth.
However in my case I don't think more pain relief would have helped anyway. The difficult part was how strenuous it was (because I was lying on my back and DD was stuck) not how painful it was.

HeroShrew · 08/02/2011 12:38

This has really got my back up, no pun intended. DS was back to back and my waters broke early. Labour was fast and at one point I was blacking out with the pain of each contraction. Should I feel that my efforts were 'unimpressive' because I eventually chose to have an epidural?

Original poster

Moulesfrites · 08/02/2011 12:57

No not at all hero, "impressive" was the wrong choice of adjective, clearly. You should of course feel proud of your efforts, as I have said, I was just surprised that the woman on obey was being lauded for being "hard" and I didn't realize that op births were thought f in that way until I read the thread. But I suppose what this thread has shown is that everyone's experience is different.

OP posts:

TooImmature2BMum · 08/02/2011 13:03

Actually, this thread is helping - I just got back from the MW who said baby has turned back to back. I'm 36+5 and this is my first. I'm hoping she'll turn back again, but in the meantime reading that people have done it and didn't find it too awful (in the grand scheme of things!) is encouraging.

Firawla · 08/02/2011 19:16

my first was back to back, and i dont think i could have coped at all without epidural as the pain was so bad. much worse in comparison to my 2nd so yes i would consider it impressive in a way, as i remember how much worse it was.

Shipscat · 08/02/2011 19:29

My DD was OP, which they hadn't spotted till she arrived, but had the added awkwardness of being a face-first presentation. When she was born, the mw said I should be proud of myself for doing it on g&a. Having said that, they had finally found room for me on the delivery suite after 10 hours of not getting beyond 4cm following induction, and I was being prepped for an epidural when I started needing to push, as I was really struggling to cope with the pain, and had really started to panic :(

GMajor7 · 08/02/2011 19:43

No more 'impresive' than any other childbirth scenario.

NinthWave · 08/02/2011 19:46

My DS2 was back-to-back until he was almost out - I felt him turn himself around in the birth canal (very weird!). The labour was FAR more painful than with DS1, and I asked for an epidural quite early on - I really think I would have been traumatised if I'd had to do it without one, so I really applaud anyone who births a posterior baby without one :)

thisisyesterday · 08/02/2011 19:55

i had my second baby at home with no pain relief at all, he was back to back, and 9lb 5oz AND his head measured in at something like 38cm

so if there's awards being handed out I want one

TheSecondComing · 08/02/2011 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WoTmania · 08/02/2011 22:40

I dunno. DS1 was a bcak to back 28+ hour labour but delivered naturally and was pushing for 40 mins which is, I've been told, quite quick for a first-timer. As a planned HB (transferred to hospital as ketotic and dehydrated) I didn't have nay pain-relief til 23 hours in. I'd like to think I'm some kind of superwoman

Violethill · 08/02/2011 22:47

My first was back to back and I didn't know. She was born in a MLU so no epidural. I think first babies are generally a lot more painful anyway

Cosmosis · 09/02/2011 14:52

Mine was back to back, didn't turn. I had a bit of g&a but that's all, it was fine.

Cleofartra · 09/02/2011 14:59

The 'impressive' thing is that she pushed the baby out baby face up.

Most OP babies turn before delivery.

Must have a pelvis you could drive a bus through!

neversaydie · 09/02/2011 19:45

My son was induced, and they didn't actually notice he was back to back until he was pretty much out!

However, when they set up the drip, they recommended pain relief to me, very strongly indeed, and gave me diamorphine. It worked!

The point I got very arsey indeed was when the very junior doctor appeared to stitch me up, and proceeded to do it with no pain relief at all. I have never been closer to kicking a man in the balls. Stupid sod thought I had had an epidural and neither checked not listened when I objected.

PonceyMcPonce · 09/02/2011 19:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QueenOfFlamingEverything · 09/02/2011 19:53

ds was op, and 20 days late, and 10lb

ow fucking ow!

i was induced and had nothing until when my waters were broken at 6cm, when i had g&a

he did partially turn in labour but not fully, he wasn't in an optimal position at birth and then had shoulder dystocia

i was so ashamed of the way i was handling it at the time, i was crying and pleading for an assisted delivery because it felt unbearable - and this was my 2nd baby after a completely natural homebirth first time round!

but afterwards, when it had sunk in more, yeah, i was (and am) proud

as should every mother be

EngelbertFustianMcSlinkydog · 09/02/2011 20:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PenguinArmy · 09/02/2011 21:55

i hated the hot stuff, but the contractions made me feel like my back was burning.

I did ask for a epidural but didn't get one. I didn't have the g&A as it gave me an asthma attack

I also didn't have the urge to push but the MWs were happy to let me run over time and also got 3rd degree tear.

Have just found out I'm pregnant again, think I might ask for ELCS (not that I found it that bad, just with tear history)

WoodysHat · 09/02/2011 22:06

My 3rd labour was back to back. Had no idea until her head came out and rotated as it did so. It was agonising, it was a home birth with no pain relief whatsoever - MW forgot to pack the mouthpiece for the G&A

It was far more painful than my previous 2 labours and have since had DC4 which again wasn't as painful. However, it was mercifully short, just 2hrs from start to finish, but the contractions were so intense and long and close together. The pain was all in my back and I do remember screaming at one point that my back was breaking and it really did feel as though it was.

Had I been in hospital I know for a fact that I would've asked for an epidural - there are, unfortunately, no medals given out for giving birth and I strongly believe that you should take whatever you feel you need when it comes to pain relief. I managed the other births with just G&A but if DC4 had been back to back then there's no way I'd have done that again without pain relief.

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