Anterior placenta - will this make a back to back labour more likely

[notasausage]

Anyone know? I just wondered if baby was more likely to settle into a position facing the placenta and therefore back to back?

I have researched and researched this and my very lovely obstetrician found me all the relevant stats that he had to hand.

I had an anterior placenta and a back to back labour.

The basics are that an op baby is seen more frequently in those with an anterior than a posterior placenta. But...

You are still far more likely to have a baby in the OA position with an anterior placenta. There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to have a normal delivery even if your baby does end up op.

iirc only a small percentage of mothers with an OP baby have the classic 'back labour' anyway.
Despite it being very much feared.
If you look into active birth you can find positions which make rotation to OA more likely.

There was a thread about this a few months ago, I remember because I had an anterior placenta with DD2. I think an anterior placenta does make back-to-back labour more likely but only very slightly and as Turtles said you are still more likely to have a baby in the OA position. DD2 was facing my left side for the whole pregnancy but spun around during early labour. I did lots of walking, bouncing on a birth ball and various other exercises during the last couple of weeks of pregnancy.

FWIW, the labour I had with DD2 was long (my cervix is slow to wake up) but it was a totally normal delivery at home and the third stage was easy peasy unlike with DD1 where I ended up pushing for an hour and begging for the injection. Purely anecdotal but it might make you feel better

dd was not anterior placenta and was back to back pulled out by forceps face up, ds was anterior placenta and also back to back came out face up. Both were induced and am not having any more as the pain was so bad I may actually pass out the next time with the pain!! Dd pushing for 3 hours, ds about 4 pushes and tried to hold it in as was still on the infuction ward at the time!!

I agree with what Turtles said above.

Fwiw my story is that with ds1 I didn't have an anterior placenta and he started out back-to-back at the start of labour, but lots of walking sideways up and down stairs shifted him round. With ds2 apparently I had an anterior placenta, but I had completely forgotten this until I rediscovered the notes the other day - his was probably my best delivery and I think he was in the ideal LOA position. Ds3 I have no idea.

I am currently pg with number 4 and have an anterior placenta again, so have found the 'spinning babies' website very interesting just in case this baby isn't in a great position in the last few weeks.
www.spinningbabies.com/baby-positions/anterior-placenta

Thanks for the link HighFibreDiet. Had a look and it's interesting. I was pretty active through my first pregnancy. Antinatal yoga and swimming - baby was ideally positioned. Will stay positive, do the same stuff as last time and hope for the best.

yes I'm going to try to do loads of swimming too! Good luck :)