What's worse - back or normal labour?

[jenrose29]

My first baby was born after over 30 hours of horrendous back labour, the pain was excruciating and I was really disappointed that I couldn't move around etc as I'd planned to. Though I was awkward enough to make it through with no pain relief! :) I've heard varying opinions as to whether back or normal labour is worse. Up until recently I'd heard that back labour is much worse, but then a few people have said they'd had both and preferred back labour! What are your experiences?

I think it depends on the individual. I didn't realise back labour was meant to be bad until I came on MN - all three of mine were OP, and I got through them all on gas and air (12, 4 and 5 hour labours) TBH, I had more problems before I went into labour, a lot of back pain and not being comfortable either standing or sitting for more than 10 minutes at a time!

First was back labour and sheer hell with a nearly 10pm baby.

Other 2 were normal and very little botheer!

I've had three back to back and one normal, the normal one was a breeze in comparison, very fast, alot less pain. I find the back ache unbearable, it doesn't let up which makes a huge difference, at least with no back pain you get some proper rest between contractions, when your back is constantly painful and you can't get comfy no matter what you do, it drains you so quickly which makes you cope less well with the pain. I also had alot of pelvic pain with my back to back babies which wasn't there with my normal one.

I've only had one labour, it was back labour and while I know nothing can prepare you for the intensity of labour, it was HORRIFIC. Everything about it felt 'wrong'. I didnt feel any contractions at the front or across my womb, just constant crushing, agonising pain in my coccyx and bum for 3 days! Stayed at 1cm for 2 of those days as baby was nowhere near my cervix, just ramming his head into mu coccyx each contraction (that i didnt feel). Got a targeted spinal block towards the end, and only then did I feel tightenings across my abdomen. It was a lightbulb moment of "oh so THAT'S a contraction!!'

I may be talking a load of hooey, but still feel I could have 'handled' a normal labour...can't explain why, just that it felt so 'wrong' as it was.

I hadnt heard of back labour until my friend was in labour with her first. She had not contractions to speak of around her bump, but excruciating pain in back and down her legs - she described it sort of like sciatica.

Watching her carefully thought out birthplan go out the window was a fun moment! As was her giving her DH grief for eating her labour sweets.

she had a tens machine, huge swiss ball and we walked all round the hospital grounds while in early labour with her. Her mum and I went home and left them to it, but I really felt for her.