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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

back-to-back labour - your experiences?

42 replies

williaminajetfighter · 18/10/2013 17:36

Would love to know about any experiences of back-to-back labour and how/if it was worse than 'regular' labour, if you're able to compare.

Did you know the baby was back-to-back or did you only find out once baby was born? Did it change your birth plan? How much harder was it and how was the pain?

Any experiences/stories appreciated!

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TheWanderingUterus · 18/10/2013 17:47

Havent had a 'regular' labour as both DC were back to back.

Both labours were long and relatively painless. Very slow early dilation and then very fast, in my second labour I went from 6 to 10 cm in less than an hour after 18 hours dilating to 6. With my first I laboured for 17 hours at home, entered hospital at 8cm and delivered five hours later.

I didnt know they were back to back at any point, although I suspected with my second child. With my first I didnt find out until about an hour before she was born.

I didn't find it very hard, just tiring, pain was minimal and manageable by walking/TENs/G&A.

The pushing stage was very fast with both of them, once I started pushing the pain went away.

There is a helpful blog post somewhere. I'll go and have a look if no-one else posts it.

TheWanderingUterus · 18/10/2013 17:49

midwifethinking.com/2010/08/13/in-celebration-of-the-op-baby/

Here is the blog, I was expecting a few more posts by now, but I guess its tea time for most people.

GreenGiant3 · 18/10/2013 18:07

DS was back to back, I had a VERY long labour, 50hours or so, slow dilation and 2nd Degree tear. I got an epidural as I was so exhausted, needed to get some energy back for the pushing stage. I reckon this baby is back to back also, but there is always a chance they could turn during labour if they don't prior x

LookMumNoHands · 18/10/2013 18:13

My DD was back to back, first and only baby so nothing to compare it to but it all went as plan, just gas and air and a few stitches for a minor tear. No one realised until she was actually born. She did however have a bruise lump on her head and a bruised bridge of her nose and so looked like she had just done 10 rounds with mike tyson! She was 7lbs

ClaimedByMe · 18/10/2013 18:13

My second labour was back to back, the whole labour was 1hr31mins I made it to the hosp with 6 mins to spare, it wasn't as bad or as sore as my first labour, keeping on the move and upright!

FrogsGoWhat · 18/10/2013 18:50

DD was back to back. The initial contractions were so full on and painful I went straight to hospital, which was a mistake as I ended up being monitored on my back with a cascade of interventions.

I believe if you stay moving the baby can turn in labour. In hindsight the initial full on contractions were my body's attempt to turn her.

ClenchingPanda · 18/10/2013 21:42

I had a back to back labour for my first (and only, so far) and it was agony for me. DS had been back to back for weeks, and no amount of spinning babies/floor scrubbing helped him to turn. I went in at 2cm unable to cope at home. I had an epidural ASAP (once my waters had gone, at 3-4cm dilated), and laboured v slowly. He didn't turn in labour so I ended up with a forceps delivery in theatre and a few added complications (third degree tear, big bleed).

However, LOTS of back to back babies turn before or during labour. Mine was 9lb6oz and hula-hooping in loops of his cord which can't have helped. I know that the whole cascade of intervention idea won't have helped, but I wouldn't have done anything differently. I needed the pain relief. I'll happily have a vaginal both next time regardless of the baby's size/position.

Advice-wise I'd say just go with the flow. You never know how you'll cope until you're there. Good luck!

LoganMummy · 18/10/2013 21:48

DD was back to back. The midwife knew during my labour as I got back pain a lot. I'd had a scan at 39 weeks and DD wasn't back to back then so yes they can move!

Sammie101 · 18/10/2013 22:01

Absolutely bloody awful! Sorry, that is a terrible thing to say to an expectant mum but I have to be honest! I didn't find out until after DD was born and I haven't had anything to compare it to but it was a very stressful labour. Went from having 1 midwife to 4, probably not helped by me completely losing my cool and panicking

ThreeBecameFour · 18/10/2013 22:51

really sorry to say this but I had a long painful 3 day back to back labour resulting in an emergency c section with dd. Ds was born via elective c section but was also back to back (not that it mattered so much)...

BentleyBelly · 19/10/2013 06:55

My daughter was back to back and i had a very straight forward labour. Got to 6cm at home and then went into lovely birth centre and had her 5 hours later. I had a very active labour, stayed on my feet or in the bath or pool. Just had a bit of gas and air for later contractions. She flew into the world, none of this 'there's the head' she arrived all in one go and i had a tear that need a few stitches. Really wasn't that bad though. Good luck, you will be fine. I found the breathing exercises i learnt in pregnancy yoga helped immensely.

Original poster

williaminajetfighter · 20/10/2013 16:23

Thx for everyone's comments. Didn't realise that baby can turn at last minute/in labour. Good to know!!

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workingonitagain · 20/10/2013 20:24

it was my first so it was long and painful and was told at the end that he'd been back to back. second was quick and not as painful but then I can't tell if it's because 2nd are generally quicker and we tend to cope better with the pain. good luck

soontobeslendergirl · 20/10/2013 20:33

Both mine were back to back - we didn't know the first time, I also had sacroiliac hip dysfunction which made most labour positions impossible and that didn't give many options for him turning - add to that he was 9lb 13. I never got past 8cm dilated after 36 hours full labour as his head was stuck and wasn't pushing on the cervix any more.

I ended up with an emergency cs.

No2 baby was lying the same, I had the same hip issues and he was expected to be another large baby, add to that the fact that there are only 13 months between the births. So I had a planned cs.

spanky2 · 20/10/2013 20:37

Ouch!
Much less painful and quicker delivery with ds2 who wasn't back to back. No episiostomy either!

Drhamsterstortoise · 20/10/2013 20:37

Two back to backs.Didnt know first time round as had nothing to compare it too.pushing stage was long and had a few stitches.2nd time round I knew and tried to stay in all fours in exercise ball in the weeks leading up to the birth.Baby must have turned though because I had a very straightforward 1 hr labour.Gas and aid both times

CatFromAcrossTheRoad · 20/10/2013 20:46

Yes, mine turned during labour though but I pushed for hours on end. One bit of advice: Request epidural!!! It is absolute agony without. Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear.

MrsCinnamon · 20/10/2013 21:00

My dd was back to back and turned around during labour, it is possible. She probably realised she would not get out the other way she was 10 lb 4.
It wasn't my easiest birth, but not horrible either. I only had gas & air.

All 3 dc were breech until 38/39 weeks btw. Anything is possible.

PilchardsonToast · 20/10/2013 21:06

My ds was a back to back birth - I still was able to have a water birth and according to my notes was only in labour for 1h15m but I'm not sure about that! It was definitely more painful during contractions than with dd who was normal but the actual birth was fine, a little 1st degree tear any home the same day

joanna0211marie · 20/10/2013 21:25

My dd was back to back, no comparison as she is my only child, very fast labour, didn't feel early labour pain at all, first time I felt,anything I was 4cm and was 10cm 3hrs later, pushing was ok, was pushing for 45 mins and just as they were,about to make the decision to do an episiotomy I got her head out but I had an internal 2nd degree,tear

Threetofour · 20/10/2013 21:44

Have had 2 normals & 2 back to backs, both came out face up & didn't turn in labour , all equally painful but about the same time lengthwise! The midwife on my 2nd b2b was surprised I hadn't needed assistance I would suggest not to labour on your back if at all possible with dc 4 I had constant monitoring on the bed & that was unbearable, moving to cope with the back pain was so useful in other labours
Good luck!

Helspopje · 20/10/2013 21:52

my second was back to back. I have rapid labours - #1 45min, #2 13min.

The pain was just 'different' rather than worse. Felt it in a totally different place and responded to it differently. I felt that I wanted to lean forward and hold onto something during a contraction with #1, found pushing backwards and upwards against the wall best w #2 (to the point that I got horrendous friction burns!). I wouldn't cooperate with efforts to get me to lie on the bed to be monitored or checked over either time.

First was a shocking borderline horrific experience, second much more tolerable as I felt more in control and new it would end soon.

sugarandspite · 20/10/2013 21:58

If you know that baby is back-to-back before labour, I would totally get a session with an accupuncturist / reflexologist as they are really great at getting the baby to turn.

pokesandprodsforthelasttime · 20/10/2013 22:01

Very very long.

Very regular painful contractions started on Friday night - went to hospital Sunday morning. DD was born Tuesday lunchtime by EMCS. She was also brow presentation though, so that probably made everything worse.

Weegiemum · 20/10/2013 22:16

My first labour was back to back. She was LOA when I went in to hospital but turned to LOP after about 6 hours, and it was another 24 hours after that that she was born (37 hours in total). It was very painful and I got increasingly tired, had diamorphine x2 to allow me some rest, I really didn't want an epidural.

After 10 hours in hospital I had a syntocin drip to augment labour and spent a lot of time on the birthing ball. My waters were broken for me. When it came to pushing I had no urge to push at all as her head wasn't making good contact with my cervix. After I'd been pushing for over an hour they called the obstetrician and he went for ventouse - 3 pulls and her head was out. She was a stargazer.

I had a 2nd degree tear (I'd asked for no episiotomy) but no wonder, she was 9lb 12oz at 39+3!!

Ds was totally different - waters broke naturally in bed at 10pm, went in at midnight, was born after 10 mins of pushing at 8am. Small tear, he was anterior the whole time and 9lb3oz at 38+4 (I was rather glad he was 10 days early!!!

Dd2 was an induction but following the pessary it proceeded like a normal labour, induction was at 6am, she was born 6.30 pm very easily, again anterior the whole time, 7lb13oz at 36+6. Had my worst tearing with my last, smallest baby!

I was worried both times I'd have another back labour but it just didn't happen. They both had a very different atmosphere than my first labour.

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