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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Please share your positive back-to-back labour stories!

18 replies

SpinMyBaby · 17/07/2015 20:54

DC2 is due in 2 weeks and is back to back (has been for weeks). DS was back-back-to-back and got stuck and I ended up with an EMCS. I plan to try for a VBAC this time round and have been doing spinning babies yoga, lazy daisy classes, chiropractor, in an effort to help baby turn or at least make more room for her to turn in labour, but I'm still scared of a repeat of last time.

So if you had a successful labour that started back-to-back I'd love to hear your story to give me some hope - and especially so if you'd had a previous experience like mine.

OP posts:

differentkindofpenguin · 17/07/2015 21:01

I got one!!!

Didn't know she was back to back until got examined in hospital ( awkward madam flipped last second!) . Intense but quick labour (37mins 4cm to baby), entonox for pain relief, no tearing or anything. Only thing I found strange was that I couldn't bear to be in the water. Wanted to be on all fours, and gave birth like that ( tmi!)

Good luck!

TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle · 17/07/2015 21:02

Both mine were back to back...first one I was in labour for 4 days which the midwife said is what turned her as she was born without any intervention. I did spend a reasonable amount of time in the positions recommended on the Spinning Babies website during my labour.

Second one I was a bit blasé about and she got well and truly stuck after about 7 hours of labour. Everything ground to a halt and we had to talk about next steps. I had an amazing midwife who used a rebozo to "sift" me, made me lie down for a sleep and 30 mins later DD whoosed out of me in about three massive pushes. No stitches and she even had one hand above her head.

I consider both births as really positive experiences but I'm aware I was really lucky.

Original poster

SpinMyBaby · 17/07/2015 21:09

Thanks both! Maybe it's time to get DH to have another go at rebozo sifting

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 17/07/2015 21:11

My first was back to back. Took a while to push him out but no intervention needed.
YY to all fours!

plummyjam · 17/07/2015 21:40

I had a back to back VBAC recently. I opted for an epidural as I needed a syntocinon drip and was aware the contractions would become a lot more painful. I was 8cm by the time the epidural went in and up until that point it had been manageable with just G&A. Ended up having an episiotomy and ventouse but recovery was fine and much better than my previous ELCS. It was nice to be able to walk around immediately after and pick up my toddler etc.

Overall I found it a really good experience - I'm sure an ELCS would have been fine as well - mine was actually booked but DD came early.

I was told that there was a good chance my baby could have turned in labour but that didn't work out for me.

Why are you thinking VBAC this time rather than another section if you don't mind me asking?

Bythepath · 17/07/2015 21:57

My DD3 was back to back. I actually didn't know this until her head was out. I had 3 hour labour from waters breaking (which was my first sign) to delivery and had gas and air and in the pool. I asked my midwife who delivered her if she had thought she might have been back to back and she said the only slight clue was that I had contractions very close together and then a gap until the next few. I didn't really notice any difference.

I found it a very good experience especially as DD2 was born in a hospital corridor as she came so fast (under 2 hours from first twinge) and I didn't like not feeling in control. DD1 was only 6 hours in total so know I am lucky with my births.

Good luck

Roseybee10 · 17/07/2015 23:27

My first was back to back.
Not going to lie, early labour was majorly painful and I couldn't sit or lie down. I went to the hospital and they tried to send me home as I was only 3cm but I was climbing the walls with the pain. They tried to monitor the baby's heart rate but I couldn't lie down and stood swaying my hips as this is what felt natural.
An hour later I started pushing involuntarily. Turns out I was 10cm. I a managed to rest a bit with gas and air and then after two hours of pushing I managed to deliver her myself facing up with her arm around her neck. It could have been negative but turned so positive for me as my second stage was very quick. I'm almost completely certain it was because I stayed active for the majorly of labour and this helped her move down.

For a first birth and being back to back it really was very positive.

SweetSorrow · 17/07/2015 23:36

DD2 was back to back, my labour time is recorded as 1 hr 15 mins (it was about 3 hours from first twinge), no intervention needed and I pushed for 5 mins & out she popped!
Good luck!

coldteaforme · 17/07/2015 23:49

My second Labour was back to back, I did not know until I went into hospital at 6cm dilated. It was not much different to my first, only once the midwife told me I noticed the pain was more focused at the bottom of my back. The pushing stage lasted a bit longer but I didn't require any stitches unlike the first time!
Pain level wise my back to back labour was similar to my first straight forward birth!

KatnissEvermean · 17/07/2015 23:53

My baby was back to back, I managed the first part of labour easily at home in the bath. When it started to get more painful I went to hospital but was told I was only 2cm and sent home, but within two hours I was pushing in the bath at home. I made it to the hospital and the pushing stage lasted a while but really wasn't bad with gas and air. He turned around at some point during the labour but I'm not sure when.

I was really frightened of back to back labour and spent ages trying to turn him, but I actually enjoyed the birth.

lizabeth0607 · 18/07/2015 00:01

My daughter was back to back, I didn't know until I got to the hospital at 8cm dilated.

I stood up the whole time I was in labour and bending my back was agony. But... This did seem to speed everything up, she was born within a couple of hours.

She didn't turn until just before I felt I needed to push! She is my only child so I have nothing to compare it to, but it wasn't so bad, no pain relief, just tired legs!!

Good luck!

lizabeth0607 · 18/07/2015 00:02

As not and**

Original poster

SpinMyBaby · 18/07/2015 07:07

Thanks for all the stories!

plummyjam I think the main reason for wanting VBAC is for the recovery when I've got a toddler to look after. But I'm aware that I could still end up with a CS this time - and hopeful that we'd make the decision to do so a bit earlier if I'm not coping well, though I'm trying to arm myself with as many coping tools as I can!

OP posts:

Sausageypyramids · 19/07/2015 12:33

I had one on Thursday! She was also a VBAC, my first born by ELCS, which I wanted to avoid due to recovery time + toddler.

I knew she was back to back but tried not to think about it too much. For a first labour was quite quick- admitted at 11.40 4cms, 9cms 4 and a half hours later. Got to that stage on gas and air and a shot of morphine fine.

Unfortunately due to 8lb 11 DD, 94th%tile head, need to be monitored due to VBAC (and her heartrate did keep dipping) I just couldn't push her out! I tried for an hour and a half and DD was trying to turn but there just wasn't space.

Ended up in theatre with forceps delivery where the consultant managed to rotate her out. I had episiotomy and 2nd degree tear, still v bruised and swollen but now at home (with snoring newborn on top of me) and healing fine. The worst bit was them trying to get the spinal in with me having constant agonising contractions and the pain relief having worn off. In the end I had to sit up as I couldn't stay still enough otherwise for them to get it in!

I consider it successful and positive as I got the VBAC. Had DD been smaller I may also have been able to push her out. The one factor that wasn't great was the monitoring restricting me (my inclination was to be upright/leaning forwards but I was limited to sitting on bed with the end down) but it was necessary due to fluctuating Heartrate.

Good luck with whatever happens!

coneywonder · 19/07/2015 18:07

Hi OP my baby is also back to back and I am 11 days over. This is my first baby.

Was just about to post a thread when I saw this so thank you :)

Hope everything goes okay for you I think I'm going to try the robezo!

HighOverTheFenceLeapsSunnyJim · 20/07/2015 08:44

I had one two weeks ago exactly. DC3, I knew he was OP going into labour, but thought he would turn. He didn't. It was 12 hours & I did find the back pain very painful... He came out OP too, the head moulding was incredible - sugar load mountain! But he was born at home with just gas & air. My midwives were amazing.

marmitemofo · 20/07/2015 10:37

my DD (now 21 months) was back to back. labour was prolonged (2 days) and ended up having syntocin drip and epidural so I could get some sleep after being up for 2 days with contraction pain. they didn't know she was back to back until very near the end (partly as she never engaged and was moving around lots even during labour), but suddenly the fact I had been in so much pain but not very far along made a lot more sense. she managed to turn before I got her out, and I had to have an episiotomy but no assistance after I begged them to not use ventouse or forceps. At the time I thought my birth was awful because of how long it was and because beforehand I wanted an active birth with just gas and air blah blah but looking back actually I'm happy with how it went, had a natural non-assisted birth and recovery was pretty quick, was only in the hospital one night.

jeee · 20/07/2015 10:55

My first dc was back to back - a fact that I was completely unaware of until a midwife commented on it a couple of days after the birth. It may have been mentioned to me, but as I didn't know that this could be an issue, it obviously went right over my head.

I had another back to back, but I can't even remember whether it was no.3 or no.4.

Honestly, back to back doesn't need to be a problem. I think it is simply that a back to back labour may be more difficult, not that it will inevitably be more difficult.

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