Back to back labour at home?

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Has anyone done this?

My first child was induced and he was back to back. It was absolutely awful but I think part of the problem was being on the bed being monitored/ not moving/ not allowed into the pool to help manage that pain.

My second Labour a completely different experience. At home, very short, in my pool, no pain relief needed.

Now almost 37 weeks with DC3 and at a recent MW check, she said she thought the baby was back to back. I have a scan next week so will be interesting to see if she is or not. I'm planning another home birth and though I feel a bit more experienced in how to cope with a b2b Labour, I also remember how painful it was in addition to contractions.

If you had a home birth that was back to back, how did it go/how did you cope? I know many babies turn in Labour and she might well turn before but I'm just a little apprehensive.

I had a back to back labour at home with Dd1 (7 years ago). It was my first baby and I found it ok until the last hour or so but I think I was just so tired and exhausted and that's why I lost control. The labour took longer than the midwife would have liked and she said that because she was back to back, she wasn't dilating my cervix very quickly. I was dilating 1cm every 4 hours. She was back to back throughout labour and turned whilst coming through the birth canal. I coped ok just with gas and air but I did request pethadine but by the time it was brought to the house, I was pushing so it was too late.
I had DS a year later in hospital (also back to back) and found it a far more stressful experience. Being at home made it far easier to get comfortable and wander around etc.
I'm 21 weeks pregnant now with DD2 and I'll be going for a homebirth even if she is back to back, but I'll be using a pool this time too. My sister had a water birth with my nephew (also back to back) and the water really helped.

Thank you. That's really helpful to read. Really interesting what you say about the second hospital b2b birth being more stressful. I was very stressed in hospital but the back to back added to the stress, not caused it. I think - I know - I will be more relaxed at home anyway and I've been reading Spinning babies for positions for back to back. Yes to water definitely helping. That's what made it hard with my son - first child - because I couldn't do anything about the pain. Good luck with your second home birth! I'm due in a couple of weeks so maybe she'll turn.

Yes there's still plenty of time for baby for baby to turn. When I was in early labour I was scrubbing the skirting boards on all fours trying to get her to turn!
Best of luck!

I honestly wouldn't risk a home birth with a baby known to be back to back based on my own experience.

My baby got stuck after 40 minutes pushing and needed an emergency forceps delivery.

There was physically no way she would fit through back to back and had to be rotated.

Her oxygen supply dipped suddenly and her heart rate became dangerously high. I was told afterwards (because I asked about the severity of what happened) that she may not have survived had we not been down the corridor from theatre.

It literally was a case of one minute everything was going 'ok' with the possibility of assisted delivery, to a mad rush with a room full of various consultants and midwives.

I had a home birth planned with DS and at the later antenatal appointments (36, 38, 40 weeks) he was back to back. I was given advice on things I could do to try and turn him but it wasn't suggested it was a reason not to have a home birth.

In the event, he turned during labour.

It was more painful than my previous labour (also a home birth) but not excruciatingly so; I coped with hypnobirthing techniques and a TENS machine.

Good luck!

Both mine were back to back. First labour was hideous. 3 days of painful but fairly useless contractions. All in my back. Waters broke. Went to hospital. Was three centimetres for what felt like forever. Had pethidine, epidural and almost ventouse.

Feck knows why I decided on a homebirth for my second. Especially after finding out he was back to back too. But after 12 hours of regular contractions and three pushes on the living room floor with no painrelief he was born. A million times better than the first.