Back to back baby

[MrsL0805]

Hi everyone,

Currently 37 weeks pregnant and my midwife said to me yesterday that my baby has now moved to a back to back position. He's been head down since around 32 weeks and in the correct position however now he's decided to move!

Just wondering if anyone had any experience of a back to back birth ? I have read up that it may take longer for labour to start naturally and the birth itself can be more painful.

any tips and experiences would be grateful, thanks

OP it's great that you know your baby is back to back- I think it is known as OP! My baby was OP but we didn't discover this until I'd been in labour for ages and wasn't dilating. I ended up having an emergency Csection but I recon if the staff had known baby's position prior to labour it could have been managed better, it was also 24 years ago!

So the important thing is you know and they know so you can manage it better. Good luck pet and stay active x

I had a back to back birth, after many, many hours (over 2 days) of trying a normal birth I ended up with an emergency Caesarian. I had an epidural that keep “running out” as the midwives were to busy to top it up. It wasn’t a great experience and a big worry that my baby was in distress. I wish that I could have had the C section sooner. I opted for a C section for births two and three. Unfortunately both my daughters in law had very similar births and it wasn’t nice to know they’d gone through the same experience. Trying is one thing but I think making you try for two days or more is too much and a danger to both mum and baby. I wish that I’d been more assertive now.

My boy had turned to back to back at the 40 wk appointment. Went back to see midwife at 41 wks exactly and he was still back to back, I went into labour that night. When I got to the hospital I asked if he was still back to back, which he was. I was quite scared of the pain, however my son was born 5 hours later and amazingly had turned during labour! It was a quick labour, about 6 hours from first contraction to end. Apparently they usually do turn during labour. Good luck OP! Also - I watched my sisters birth, she came back to back but my mum did amazingly well and there were no complications during or after the birth.

My DD was b2b and labour was very painful. However, this may have also due to very fast labour, being stuck on my back and being denied any pain relief. If I have another DC who is back to back and end up being inducted I will be demanding an epidural before I let them touch me!

Both of mine were back to back, so I don't have anything to compare it to. Both were not fun, but both were natural labours, DD (second) was also face presentation, which was even less fun.

Trying things to turn them is good, but if not labour will probably be fine and if not a cs will be fine too. Planning for labour is impossible.

My first was back to back but nobody realised until I was crowning. I'd been pushing for two hours and she was stuck so had an episiotomy and she flew straight out. I'm guessing that if the midwives had known in advance it would have been a lot easier!

All of mine were in a back to back position throughout my pregnancies, but only DS1 and DD were back to back labours.
Labour with DS1 was long and had continuous contractions in my back, patchy epidural and in the end I needed an episiotomy and ventouse to get him out.
DD managed to turn during labour but came out with her hand by her cheek resulting in a third degree tear for me, lovely!

My 6 month old DS was in perfect position until I went into labour (on due date😁) and he decided to go back to back... I felt most of my contractions in my hips and Lower back but overall the pain wasn't unbearable! However as my labour was so quick he didn't have enough time to turn around in the birth canal and came out oblique (sideways) and being a big 9lb baby meant I had quite a lot of stitches however I still look back on that day and only rate the pain 8/10 with just gas & air. Good luck x

My only birth has been back to back. Delivered no problem with just grazing. Don't know how it compares to normal labour

I had back to back birth, although labour was quick, was very painful with constant back pain, although had to lie down as was constantly monitored for heart beat, and ended up with ventouse and episiotomy, all on gas and air. Would recommend taking any other pain relief and try not to stay lay down! It’s all worth it though when your little baby comes out okay! 😊

My baby was back to back. The pain was horrific. Paracetamol and gas and air did nothing. Even morphine barely took the edge off. I was screaming in agony and begging them to make it stop because I was immobilised with pain and literally couldn't move. In the end they gave me an epidural and a c-section. I've never been so relieved in my life. You know it's bad when you're in so much pain that you're begging for major surgery just to make it stop.

I've had 2 x b2b births and one facing the right way (the middle child).
B2b is LOTS more painful, so my advice is to insist on an epidural early on.

I was back to back for labor and birth. It was my first and so far only, but it was bloody painful. Like a previous poster said, the contractions started fairly painfully and did not let up. Mine started with 1minute and something contractions and with only a minute between them. Pressure on the base of my back really helped, as did kneeling. However, I knew it could be long and was only going to get worse so I had an epidural.

Hi All,

Sorry it's been a bit of a whirlwind so I haven't had chance to reply to you all,

I gave birth at 38weeks+3 days. It was such a fast labour I didn't have chance to worry if he was back to back or not. He came out side wards a little but the midwife said he wasn't back to back.

Didn't have time for any pain relief and just had gas and air.

Thanks for all your advice

Congratulations OP. Hope you're both doing well