Home birth - posterior baby

[Poosnu]

I am planning a home birth with DD2 (currently 37 + 5) but found out this week that she is posterior and 3/5 engaged.

Does anyone have any positive home birth stories to share with babies in posterior position?

DD1 was born in a midwife led unit, but most of the labour was done at home. I managed fine using tens and gas and air, so thought a home birth would be best for us this time round. I'm now wondering whether I should be re-thinking our plan based on DD2's position.

I can't answer your actual question but have you been given exercises to do to help turn her? My DD was breech posterior at this stage and helpful MNers pointed me to the spinning babies website. I used the techniques there and she was in the perfect position by the time I went into labour.

My first, born in hospital, was posterior. He turned as I was pushing so came out the right way but was a quick and easy birth with just gas and air toward the end. Had dc2 at home. I wouldn't let posterior lie put me off another homebirth. Admittedly if they don't turn and come out the wrong way it can be a longer more painful labour but you would realise this and get transferred in if need be. Good luck!

Dd, home birth, posterior and didn't turn - my fastest easiest labour! Smallest of the 3 tho.

These are great - thank you. It's reassuring to know that posterior positioning doesn't necessarily lead to more interventions.

I had a look at the spinning babies website - thanks for the link. I will start on some of the exercises tonight.

I'm hoping DD2 will be fairly small which may help (although you obviously never know). DD1 was 6 lbs 12 and latest scan estimated DD2 to be around the same.

Ooh should have mentioned, my posterior labour was a 9lb 4oz baby and still no problem :)

My first was a posterior in hospital - second a homebirth. Second was showing as back to back for a while but like you I was directed to that website - I dont know for sure that thats what turned him but it doesnt do any harm!!

My first was back to back. Utterly shit labour. Excruciating back pain, failure to progress past 3 cm for hours and hours. Then epidural, sybtocin and nearly ventouse.

Had been told by midwives that second was also back to back. Was dreading it being a repeat performance. Still booked in for a homebirth though.

Few hours of manageable contractions, four pushes and out he popped. Nothing but a TENS for pain relief. So so different. A walk in the park in comparison.

Both mine were posterior and 9lbs+. Both hospital births, and neither turned during labour, but second was much easier because I refused continuous monitoring and was able to be upright and move around a lot. No pain relief at all (not even gas & air). I think it would have been perfectly possible to have DC2 at home. What does your midwife say?

My midwife is great and very supportive of my having a homebirth. She advised that most babies turn during labour and that in any case 2nd births are generally easier.

My understanding is that with back to back labours it is important to keep mobile and adopt positions that would increase the likelihood of baby turning - so more important to avoid an epidural if possible. If that's the case then I suppose it would be better to stay at home and hope the labour is manageable.

It is really useful to know about these experiences.

All three of mine were posterior. The first two were born in hospital the third at home. Only two two turned during Labour the was born posterior. Good luck.