So, I've had 3 OP babies. What are the chances for number 4?

[ceolas]

Due in August. They do turn in labour, but all 3 have started OP.

Last time I did all the OFP stuff religiously for weeks beforehand.
Should I give myself the hassle this time or just accept it as a given?

Hi, ds was OP and didn't turn in Labour. Dd was in the optimal position and now at 38+2 with no.3 this one is OP.
I try to lay on my left at night but always wake up on my back. I didn't do anything different with dd though so I'm not sure for me it makes any difference. I'm sort of thinking along the lines of what will be will be. Or trying to.

I say they turn, but the first one didn't. Had forceps

The other 2 did.

Your pelvic shape is probably what makes your babies op. OFP is widely thought of to make a difference but it is just anecdotal, there have been no big studies about it afaik.

What OFP techniques have you been using? Yes OFP is largely anecdotal and I actually believe some OFP techniques are at best a waste of time and at worst might actually make you more likely to have an OP baby. If your babies are rotating in labour then that's great - what's your concern, is it the length of labour, the possibility of backpain, or something else? Yes I do believe that some women are just "made" to have babies that go OP in labour - I think I'm one of them, as it happens. You might like to have a look at \link {http://www.wannabeadoula.com\this} from childbirth international - scroll down to the section on Rotational Positioning. You'll need to register but it's free.

Last time I never sat on the settee from about 34 weeks. Dining chair or leaning forward. Tried leaning over cushions in bed for about 30 minutes a couple of times a day. Lots of hands and knees positions, hip swaying etc.

I do labour standing up, leaning forward which I think makes the difference.

Labours are not too long but the back pain is pretty intense. I've always needed entonox. Planning a home birth this time and just wondering how I'll cope with the pain at home.

Ceolas, have you seen this ?

I hope you find it useful.

Hi Ceolas have you thought about a waterbirth? Tens machine? Someone willing to do lots of sacral pressure with heat packs? Don't know if you've had chance to read the rotational positioning stuff but if baby is direct OP then leaning forward might actually be counterproductive - once baby has gone to OP then what can help is side lying on your left to encourage baby round to the left side, then once baby goes past left hip, onto all fours to encourage further rotation round to the front. It really works I can vouch for it. Have you considered seeing an osteopath? Can also sometimes do adjustments to help bub get into the optimal position pre-labour. But having said that my second baby was in a perfect LOA position for about a week before I gave birth and she still went OP and was in fact born direct OP. FWIW I feel that too much forward leaning type stuff can actually encourage baby to settle into an ROA position and if they end up ROA then they usually go posterior in labour anyway. Controversial area this but that's my view.

Whater birth sounds fab. Am contemplating la Bassine inflatable pool

both my dds were op. first birth pish - put on back in bath then bed and monitoed.

second one fabulous on my feet or upright on my ball then hands and knees for pushing. Went from 3cm to 10 in under two hours and 8 min second stage.

Totally recommend being upright walking about staying distracted at home.

Waterbirth IS fab - I had a big inflatable paddling pool from Toys R Us for my 2nd birth, it was so lovely, I got in when I hit active labour and it was lovely, took away all the pain and made positioning so much easier. Good luck, am sure you'll do fine. You've done it before, so the odds are on your side.