Would you still homebirth an OP (back to back) baby?

[PipCarrier]

36 weeks with DC2 and was planning on a homebirth. DC1 very easy, straightforward 4 hour labour, no tears etc. so thought a hb this time would be a wise move time-wise and be lovely.

However yesterday midwife said baby is 2/5 engaged (3/5 palpable) and currently back to back. She has advised me to try and move him/her and warned that my labour this time may be longer and more painful.

Any experiences? Now wondering if hospital may be a safer bet in case I need any intervention.

I dont think my hospital had birthing balls 10 year ago. They didnt have one with my 2nd but i think times have changed. With my 1st i was only admitted jut before the birth after being sent home 3 times as they didnt realise she was bb and cervix didnt open. I i was hauled onto a bed for an hou to deliver whilst arching my back saying no i cant lie flat. I was offered a birthing ball with the 2yr old but also had spd so spent the whole labour hopping from foot to foot and i was chucked onto the bed to deliver as i passed out. I think it was due to too much gas and air

1st and 3rd babies OP during labour.

First baby born by forceps following looong labour in hospital.

3rd baby also born in hospital after transferring in from homebirth because of a failure to progress (over 12 hours stuck at 8cm). But normal birth.

I honestly think that had I opted for a hospital birth with 3rd baby I may well have ended up with a c/s.

Likelihood is your labour will be short and completely straightforward.

If it does turn out you have a longer and more arduous labour then you're better off at home with a nice midwife than in hospital being bored and anxious.

Good luck!

Thanks spud that's a really positive post.

Just thought I would update this thread in case anyone reads it for info later. Had my homebirth, good job too as I only had 30 mins of contractions and then was ready to push! It was a back labour but the baby turned as I stayed in good positions. Much easier than my first labour, even though that was easy by first labour standards. She was a 10lb-er too!! Homebirth was amazing.

Wow! Congratulations! A 10lber back labour in 30 mins. I think you must win a prize or something

Thanks Easy - think I'm still in shock that it was so easy! Keep looking at her and thinking "how..."

Yup, because if it doesn't work out you can always transfer in. It will give you the best shot at a natural labour.

Do lots of hands and knees time to try and help turn that baby into a better position. Bum in air, head down can be good too.

reikizen, you said - And there is a school of thought that OP labours being longer and more painful is a myth not supported by evidence.

I'm sorry but that is not my experience. One easy, quick OA labour and two very painful long OP labours that ended in forceps. It was much more painful with the OPs and much more concentrated in my back. I wouldn't want to give birth to an OP baby at home personally though each to his own. Good luck!

No - definitely hospital. My baby was back to back - very quickly things went downhill - meconium/heart rate dropping etc and I needed a very quick cs. If I had been at home I have no idea what would have happened

hooray!!!! well done you :)

does she have a name (that you want to share)??

Thanks thisis - yes her name is Millie!

ahhh lovely name :)

Congratulations and thanks for sharing the birth story!

My first labour started with my waters breaking, followed immediately by awful back pain which I can now attribute to an OP labour. As DD was IUGR, I had to go into hospital and stay flat on my back throughout for monitoring and was only allowed an hour or so in the night to walk around. I used a TENS at home, then had G&A, morphine, pertussin and then an epidural (as demanded by the MW). I found kneeling, holding onto the back of the bed most comfortable but wasn't allowed to stay in that position and had to have my feet in stirrups for the final stage (although I did push her out without help). After all that, the MW told me she thought DD had been OP and turning throughout which explained the erratic heartbeat and long (35 hours) labour with little progression.

This time I'm going for a home birth as I now know what BB labour is (had never heard of it until then) and refuse to be stuck on my back with interventions being forced on me. Reading the result of this thread has reassured me that I can do it, so thank you to all that have responded - it's just what I needed!