Back to back and very nervous

[Brussels1]

Hi everyone, so I'm 38 weeks today and just been told my baby is back to back, I'm really worried because iv heard it can make labour longer and birth a lot more painful than it already is. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this?

Hi DS2 was back to back. The labour was long, but no more painful than when I had DS2. In the early stages most of the pain was in my back. A tens machine helped a bit. At 38 weeks there's time for the baby to turn I should think? I've heard lots of walking and bouncing on a gym ball is meant to work. Good luck, sure you'll be fine. Apparently it's meant be lucky for the baby to be born 'star gazing'

Sorry in the first line I meant DS1 was b2b. DS2 wasn't!

I thoroughly recommend an epidural!

Both mine back to back. Had the epidural with no 2 !

Iv been told to get on all fours and wiggle my hips haha! I do have a tens machine so I'm defiantly going to use that! I was hoping to just use gas and air but I'll have to keep on open mind about an epidural! That's so cute born star gazing, bless

My Dd2 was back to back but we didn't know until her head was out, only had a 5 hour labour and a water birth without any other pain relief wasn't pleasant but totally manageable :)

Try not to stress too much about it, back to back isn't uncommon. Take a look at the spinning babies website, there are lots of tips for encouraging baby to move into the optimal position for birth. Active labour positions should help too - squatting, all fours, dancing etc.

DC4 was back to back

5 hours full on extremely painful labour after on off contractions for days

Two out of my three babies were back to back, I'm not sure if their labours were more painful but I think I just felt the contractions more in my back than front. Try not to overthink it as babies still move lot during labour and their position can change at any time. Good luck!

Thanks it's reassuring to here it's manageable. I will take a look at the site I'm determined to make this baby turn

I was induced and had a back to back birth, the active labour was 20mins although it felt longer, don't know how it compares to a regular birth as he was my first, sounds cliche but I would do it all again

Both mine were back to back. The first one was a slow labour but was manageable with a tens machine until nearly the end.

For the second I had weird sensations the night before which I think was baby turning around. Then I had a nice quick labour the following morning.

All three of my babies were back to back. Ds1 was the trickiest, but possibly as much to do with being my first baby as being back to back. Labour pains with him were mainly in my back. 14 hours and assisted delivery with ventouse. Dd was 7 hour labour, and ds2 1.5 hrs. Gas & air helped greatly

Very best wishes!

Don't stress! DD was back to back and she's my first so it's all I've known.

If I hadn't read about it on mumsnet I wouldn't even know it's meant to be a big deal!

Labour was six hours, I was in water and had gas and air. It was fine. I mean, it was painful, but I was expecting that anyway!

Also I was very active all through my pregnancy, did loads of walking, cleaning etc right up until the end so not sure what else I could have done to make her turn! I think some babies just want to be back to back

DS1 ( second child) was back to back and after a lot of niggling for a day or so shot out in less than half an hour of painful labour.

My second was back to back, total labour time was 1 hour. It was more painful than my first but gas and air worked wonders. Getting into all fours is supposed to encourage them to move.

Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences they are all extremely reassuring, I am feeling a little less anxious reading them!

All of my DCs were back to back so I don't know any different

My first was back to back. Had a lovely water birth! The pushing stage was longer and I had pain in my back with each contraction. (DH poured water over my back for each contraction. Bliss!)
It was completely doable. And at 38 weeks you could have up to 4 weeks. Babies turn and wriggle and shift about!

My DD was back to back. 36 hour labour on gas & air- she is my only child so I have nothing to compare to. It fucking hurt. But I didn't tear etc and recovered pretty quickly.

All 3 of mine were b2b & I did every spinning babies etc to get them to shift but nothing worked. All long labours, first epidural but mostly due to exhaustion & stupid hospital stuff, second & third nothing but birth pool & self hypnosis

Remember you were designed to do this

My first was back to back (after I'd spent the final weeks of my labour trying everything from the Spinning Babies website). It was fine, my active labour must have only been a few hours and I really enjoyed the gas and air! He was back to back at the beginning of the labour but turned at some point, not sure when. My second baby wasn't back to back and it wasn't much different at all.

All 5 of my DC's were back to back. I don't know if the labours were longer/more painful (having not had a "normal" presentation delivery) but the pain wasnt unmanageable. I had gas and air with all of them. I'd say keep an open mind in regards to pain relief but I'd say that for any birth. Try not to worry, even if baby doesn't turn in the next few weeks, you'll be fine.