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

[Moulesfrites]

...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!

Not impressive - fortunate, maybe.

My OP labour was 39hours - I had no pain relief for the first 21hrs, then I had an epidural because I felt like my lower spine was splitting open. I wouldn't wish that sensation on my worst enemy.

My DS was OP. I got to 7cm with G&A and the pool, but the back pain was excruciating. Tried pethidine and it barely cut it. Eventually had an epidural which took a good long while to work. I was really trying to remain calm but I remember moaning 'my poor back!' and some high-pitched screaming when I had to lie down flat in theatre prepping for forceps and a CS if that didn't work and the epi wasn't working. It did feel like bone cracking pain in my lower back and hips. In the end he was forceps.
Quite traumatised and do feel guilty for not being able to 'do it properly'. So, friends, let me take comfort in the thought it might have been extra hard for me because he was OP! Apart from anything else, I would like him to have a brother or sister one day...

I had no pain relief with ds1 (or any of them for that matter) and didn't even know he was OP til after the birth when dp commented on which way he was facing.

I did wonder why the mws looked so shocked right after the birth though!

i honestly can't say his birth was more painful than either of the others... although I felt intense pressure far earlier than with the others.

It was a very back painy labour though in retrospect. And it was long... 18 hours of proper contractions... not niggly pre labour, proper full on contractions

I did it too, with DC1, she came out without turning. I had pethadine though. It was very painful, and the midwife thought I was being a right PITA, until DD came out the wrong way round, then she was very sweet to me.

I didn't actually realise the full extent of what had happened until pregnant with DC2, when midwife looked at my notes and explained.

I agree with the lady who said made DC2 seem like a piece of cake, I kept waiting for the proper pain to start, even as I pushed all 10 lbs of him out.

All HCP's I have spoken to have told me they are impressed I gave birth to an OP baby with just gas and air. It was my first so have nothing to compare it to but have been told a normal birth will be a walk in the park after that. I bloody hope so!

Second DC born facing pubes (what's the correct term they put on your notes?) and no-one realised till he was out. Did it on G&A alone but only because I'd also done first on G&A and also because I am a quick-birther and knew that there would be no time for any other pain relief. I was surprised to learn afterwards that it is meant to be harder when the babe is back-to-back and I think that's what the OP is trying to convey, not that she's thinking anyone else is inferior.

Both of my DDs were posterior, DD1 turned as she crowned, DD2 was forehead first. Both without pain relief, DD2's birth was painless! Labours of 7hrs and 4hrs, so nope really not difficult.

Hi,
Feel a bit dim for asking, but my baby was born with a pointy head - I mean - extremely pointy! - because he'd been trying to come out forehead first (I was induced at three weeks overdue).

Does that make a labour harder, in general? And does that mean he was back to back, or just OP or whatsit?

FWIW, I don't remember it being massively painful, just very, very intense and quite overwhelming. I puked a lot. I took pain relief because I was told to, not because I asekd for it - I'm not being hard, just saying that the thought didn't occur to me while I was in labour. I eventually ended up with about five shots at an epidural that didn't work, then a spinal, then an emcs. So I think that means unimpressive whichever side you look at it from!

Scrimshaw -

OP means that the back of baby's head is facing the back of mum's body ie. back to back. Usually, the part of the head coming out is the top, or vertex. Ideally baby would come out vertex first but facing the floor rather than the ceiling.

It sounds like your baby had a brow presentation - so the forehead was coming out first. This is different from OP but arguably harder to deliver as the forehead is bigger than the vertex.

Either way - it usually hurts.

On the contrary, I think it is quite impressive that managed to keep the anaesthetist on his/her toes.

Have had 2 op births and 1 "normal" and have to say that the "normal" birth wasnt even comparable.Had epidural at 10 cm with first op as needed asssistance getting him out had to be transferred in (had been going for a homebirth), but no pain relief with the others. As someone else posted, with the normal presentation,I kept waiting for the proper pain, even at 10cms. Had no idea how far along I was and was actually ready to give birth. My neighbour had same experience: first baby op and with 2nd was at 9cm by the time she called midwife. The main difference for me was that there was a total break from the pain in between contractions, so it was less tiring and I was more able to concentrate and feel positive. The pain was also in stomach. With op babies I was unaware of any pain their as the back pain eclipsed everything else. The "normal" was also very much quicker than the other labours.

I did a brow presentation (back to back)with first twin and then had the second turned manually as in breech position. lst twin 6lbs 14 ozs; 2nd twin 6lbs 15 ozs. Was just grateful to learn there was nothing wrong other than the positions. Pain wasn't any worse than dd1 but did get a bit niffed at midwives not listening to me that I thought something wasn't quite as it should be. After 9 hrs labour they decreed to summon a consultant who immediately declared it was not me being un-cooperative (how could that be - crossed my legs, fell asleep or something) but the position of the babies that was holding progress up. Both arrived safely but I was shattered.

I think having a baby is impressive.

I had an OP labour with only gas & air. Didn't feel impressive, it was bloody horrendous. I would never do it again. Thankfully the second was vastly different.

I had back-to-back labor the first time on gas and air, meptid and in the water. It was really difficult, but I didn't know any different. The midwife just told me my second is set to deliver the same way and I'm hoping for the same method though seriously considering the epidural.

I had back to back labour with DC2. The first 12 hours were okay - after transition though I was in agony and I was unable to have an epidural.

Hello
Just reading your messages, I too had a back to back labour with my 3rd baby, but didn't know. At first my midwife thought "big baby", but then we heard, "Oh that's why" as he came out facing the ceiling, his head had looked large because of the angle, but in actual fact he was small for me at 7ibs 15oz. I remember the labour feeling a lot worse than my 2nd, who had been an absolute doddle after my first who had been induced, with contractions coming thick and fast almost immediately.

I had only gas and air until after about 4 hours, when we discovered I was only at 7cm, I couldn't have had worse news, it was already very very painful throughout and I knew it "felt different", much more of a sharper pain all round which didn't seem to ease. However after begging for pethidine and receiving a reassuring answer, I relaxed and 20 minutes later had my gorgeous boy - before the drug could take affect!

Because the pain was pretty bad I had gotten into a really bad position which I couldn't talk myself out of, reclining on the bed, even though I knew I should be a lot more upright, this would have really really helped, that is my one piece of advice, as upright and as active as possible is the best for most labours!!

:( The thing that scarred me the most with my daughter's birth was someone in the theatre where I was having a rotational forceps delivery with a spinal block (2nd of two as first didn't work, following diamorphine and 2 epidurals) who told my husband "most women can normally push a back to back baby out themselves". He repeated this to me a few days later and, after the traumatic birth this just made me feel like a failure and I cried every time I thought about the birth. I went back to see my lovely OB 10 weeks after birth and she went through my notes and explained that baby was back to back plus brow presentation and that there was no way I could have delivered her myself, but that as soon as she was turned with the forceps she came out no problem. I left the hospital feeling like a new woman, knowing that I wasn't the wimp I'd convinced myself I was, even though I KNEW that I coudn't push her out, it just felt physically impossible.

To all you women who have delivered a back to back baby with virtually no pain relief "congratulations" but don't make every one else feel bad about it - I'm still having to have counselling for post traumatic birth stress and comments like that don't help.

There are so many factors affecting birth like tiredness, previous births, size of baby etc etc that it's pointless to compare, we should just be thankful for our babies and not try to outdo each other.

with my DC1 the first midwife (after 30 hours labour to get to 8 cm) said 'oh dear he may be coming face first' , the second midwife frowned and the Obs said - 'thats not an eye' .
I was delighted to have an emergency CS for undiagnosed breech, and what a welcome to the world for DS

have a medal OP.

My son was back to back but I didnt know that it was an issue or any worse than any other presentation?? No one made a big deal of it when I was expecting. I think he turned a bit during labour anyway, I cant really remember. Home birth, with gas and air for some of it, and delivery on the toilet in a sudden rush after being told that I was being transferred to hospital for non progression of labour. I thought I was dying, I tore badly, but I thought that all labours were like that!

My 2nd was back to back, I only found out when I was 8cm! I was very scared after hearing all sorts of horror stories but it was no different to my 1st labour.

She also had her hand on her face - No stitches needed and she was 8lb 13!!

I delivered kneeling up which I am sure helped.

If you're having a big baby that's stuck fast it is fucking agony. I had an epidural, dd1 got stuck and then the epidural wore off with her stuck in my pelvis. The midwives were so busy telling me to push her out they hadn't topped me up. I was whisked away screaming in pain for emcs.

No-one likes a smug cow. Just be grateful.

My first was back to back, the pain was utterly unbearable, I had an epidural, in the end she wasn't coming out and it all ended in a cs. My 2nd was not back to back and my only pain relief was 2 paracetamol. The levels of pain were not remotely comparable, the 2nd was so very much easier to cope with.

However I think it's a bit more complicated than back to back or not. As I understand it if they are back to back then the position of the head is critical.

Oh and with my second I barely made it to the hospital, was 10cm and fighting the urge to push, because I just didn't realise how far I'd gone the pain levels were so different and it all happened so much faster.

I don't think anyone's saying that you deserve more kudos for a back to back without an epidural as obviously birth in any way is something to be properly proud of, however it happens and I detest smuggery in any way.

BUT the last of my three labours was back to back and it was sheer hell. I did it with G&A but that wasn't through choice. I was desperate for an epidural but it never happened.

Interestingly my sister is an anaesthetist and she says it is one of the worst in terms of pain. That's from professional observation as well as personal experience!