Am I in back to back labour? And choice between MLU/CLU?

[dizzy77]

Nearly 39 wks w DC2 and I was triaged a couple of times overnight on Sunday/Monday in early labour, and got to 3cm dilated before everything calmed down. I was full of energy yesterday but have been uncomfortable all night, with pain in my lower back and a general tightness rather than rhythmical contractions. The midwives said the baby was back to back 48 hours ago and I've been bouncing on the ball etc since trying to convince it to move.

This implies to me stuff is still going on, and based on where I'm feeling movements that the baby may still be back to back. Having googled back to back labour and reading a few threads on here, I'm wondering about skipping the (beautiful) MLU and calling CLU to improve chances of getting an epidural if I need it. DS was born on g&a and whilst no picnic, straightforward as births go. Any experience or guidance? Yours hopefully...

I ws back to back and hadn't done any trading so didn't really have any expectation.

I laboured for 2 nights and 3 days mostly standing up as sitting down or lying was too painful. My body just gave up in the 3rd night so they out me on a drip to restart contractions, I had an epidural at thus point. I later ended up with an emcs but there you go!

What other pain relief options are available at mlu?

Good luck whatever you decide.

I've only got one dc so nothing to compare it to I'm afrai.

Thanks lily. There's water and pethidine + another opiate, which I think I'd take if I needed to rest although not that convinced about it. Everything about this pg is so different from last time I'm not trusting my previous experience now anyway.

Have asked DH if he can stay home today as if this is the start of something, (thanks quoteunquote) it might move quickly...

How choose are they to each other? A friend walked from mlu to clu at our local hospital, so trying for the most active labour then getting moved for an epidural was possible. Its less attractive if its a 30min ambulance transfer.

And good luck.

Good q MrsH: They are next door in the same hospital (lucky I know) so i can easily be pushed along the corridor (and was for some monitoring the other night). The midwives in the MLU are very low intervention ethos (which appeals, unless I'm in more pain than "usual") though so I'm thinking I just talk this through when I arrive.

Discomfort has subsided since I've got up and been to the loo so maybe not now: swallowed a couple of paracetamol and will get DH to drop DS at nursery so at least I don't need to make a decision about him till later this afternoon.

I had a back to back birth in a MLU with pethidine & G&A. Was in slow early labour at home for 3 days - 2 cms dilated but with contractions every 2 mins for most of the time - admitted a bit early as I needed the pain relief to progress the labour. It took another 24hrs, with lots of instruction from midwives to be as active as possible. I walked a lot of corridors & flights of stairs, even though I really really didn't want to.

So I guess I'm saying an epidural & CLU isn't inevitable, if you really like the MLU

Thanks Flibberty: yes whilst it's the last thing I want to do I can see keeping moving is v sensible. I think I'll potter around the house today as much as possible as things definitely halted when I went horizontal the other night, the midwives did invite me to pace the corridors etc but I was finding walking v hard after a long active day, whereas now I'm much more rested despite difficult night. If I get too tired and need the rest the MLU pain relief is an option as you say.

I had a back to back labour with my first. Am 39+6 with another back to back baby!

I delivered DS1 in a MLU with gas and air and much earlier on diamorphine which had worn off by final stages of labour. I went into labour at 810pm on a Tuesday and delivered at 1240pm on Thursday. I spent much of this time walking, being active and either in the bath or in the birthing pool in the unit. The birthing pool for me helped immensely with the pain but I think it did slow things down as by 8am on morning DS was born I was still only 5cm dilated. I got out of the pool, did more walking around and with being threatened with the drip and advised to have an epidural I dilated the other 5cms within an hour!

I'm hoping this baby turns before labour! He did last week but seems to have turned back!

Sorry pressed post too early.

Good luck dizzy. You will be fine. Stay active if you can and have lots of baths today.

staying upright and sort of leaning forward to take the pressure of the back will help. Another thing is to get a strong cloth and pull that around the small of your back in a contraction to help with the push on the back iyswim Best wishes

Try rocking your hips from side to side, might just encourage your lo to move.

Good luck! Ds3 was back to back, I had him at home, it was more painful but manageable (I had G&A)

If its in the hospital I'd go mlu - if you can transfer quick that's all you need.

Good luck!!

Thanks team, really appreciate the shared experience and the positivity that this is do-able - I'm not averse to having the drugs I need, it's just I'd had such a positive experience w DS under my own steam, so to speak, I'd like to give this a proper go.

Amazed at my own effectiveness (tidying etc) keeping moving this morning. Now swaying hips whilst mn'ing getting ready to do some ironing. Will keep you posted.

Preggers 39+6 here too! Good luck.

No miscounted: 38+6 . Doesn't diminish the good luck vibes though.

Try for MLU if you feel up to it, but make sure you flag up early on that you're open to an epidural and make sure that they tell you when the window of opportunity is to have one so you can get transferred etc if you choose to go ahead. I had a back-to-back birth with DC1 and was begging for an epidural only to be told I'd missed the window.

The plus side of not having an epidural is that if all goes swimmingly you won't need to be kept in overnight and can get back to your DC1 the sooner!

Good luck!

I had two back to back babies. First labour was fecking horrible. Days of back contractions, pethidine, epidural the works. Second one was a few hours of manageble contractions followed by four pushes, no pain relief other than a TENS. Was bloody brilliant.

So not all back to back labours are horrible. And I've heard that with second labours your body gets baby into right position quicker.

Best wishes!

I back to back laboured in March. The latent phase lasted 3 days, and was very tiring as I wasn't able to lie down/sleep- so I was pacing up and down the entire time.

I was on G&A and in the birthing pool for the birth and it was totally manageable. It was my first DC so I have nothing to compare it to, but it really was ok.

These are v encouraging stories, thanks for sharing. Still desperately uncomfortable but nothing like real contractions (3days of it!) and the house is sparkling, not sure what ill get on my knees to scrub next!

dizzy77 I suggest settling down (leaning forward) to watch a dvd series you've been meaning to watch for ages

Good thinking flanbase. So far, the list of "things I haven't got round to for ages" have all included some sort of cleaning :(. The baby, sensibly, is not interested in interrupting that. I should plan to have some actual fun.

I have downloaded a major family saga onto my kindle so maybe I should make a start on that. DS was 7mo before I finished the book I was reading when I went into labour with him.

The saga sounds perfect - I look forward to your good news. Best wishes