Baby is stuck midwives not doing anything

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Just got back from being sent home yet again from labour ward after contractions have stopped again. Im 39 weeks on Friday. Been having on and off contractions since the weekend. This is baby number 3. The baby is laying back to back and it’s head is basically stuck in my pelvis so every time contractions start they can’t get established because baby isn’t pressing on the cervix enough. Baby was measuring 41plus 6 days last week in length and bump is 37 weeks. I think it’s reached its limit because so stretched and tight and I’m only small.
I’m so so worried the response from midwives is that they can’t do anything because I’m not overdue but they acknowledge body is trying to go into labour. To me there are so many warning signs it’s like just waiting for something to go wrong but to them even if the baby doesn’t make it they aren’t really bothered it will just be a statistic. I don’t know what to do the midwives I’ve seen are pleasant but quite young and I find them patronising like saying oh I know it’s frustrating for you when I get upset!! I’m so bloody worried about how the hell this baby is going to come out and be ok!! My community midwife is crap and has never once answered or even returned a phone call, she does a clinic for half a day a week so basically booked up over a month in advance.

If you're worried tell them you think there's reduced movement and you keep getting pain. That should give them enough to induce you. If not just say you aren't leaving until the doctor has done a full check and had their input

It'll turn and tuck itself. Get on all fours and rotate your hips.

Prepare yourself that when it turns things will happen quickly.

I was like that for 2 weeks and then she turned and my husband delivered her 19 minutes later.

My back to back labour was essentially on/off contractions for two full weeks (I gave birth 14 days after show and was in on/off contact with the hospital throughout) before my waters finally broke and I went into labour. I gave birth naturally in the end but they did attempt an internal rotation once I was in established labour which was spectacularly shit. They actually gave me 15 minutes to deliver after 24 hours of labour as they prepped for EMCS (it was also a VBAC) but in the end he turned literally as I pushed him out.
I think it’s pretty normal for b2b to take longer to establish labour, but I didn’t expect it to take two weeks

I would be demanding to see a consultant OB/GYN. Does the NICE Guidelines give information on 'Failure to progress in labour'? You may need a CS if your baby is stuck and your cervix can't dilate.

Thank you for your reply’s, I got a few hours sleep, starting to cramp up and contract again now. It’s tough with my 8yr old and 4yr old DDs being at home for summer hols I feel really bad that I can’t do all the days out I had planned, they’re being so good though.
DH has taken today off work and his mum is going to have the girls so we can try and turn baby but also get into see doctor. I can’t stop thinking about why our NHS has these really strict guidelines basically not doing anything until baby is in real trouble like this whole reduced/ no movements which they keep saying, surely by then it’s almost too late! They did a section on Victoria Derbyshire yesterday about refusing women CS it’s shocking really and changed so much since I had my last DD.

Much the same thing happened me as nellyellylove - baby was badly positioned after self-turning from breech at 38 wks. I did exercises from the spinning babies website and walked about at home while having contractions on and off. All of a sudden everything clicked into place and she practically fell out! Keep active and hopefully the baby will find its way round to the right position

Thanks Smallchair I will have a look at that website now.

I had a back to back labour too and same story, on/off contractions for days. It was a sweep that got me properly going in the end but DD didn’t turn until minutes before she was born.
It is miserable! I was so sleep deprived. Have you asked for a sweep?

It felt like they stretched my cervix last night when they examined but didn’t do a sweep. Is this something a community midwife should do? Mines terrible she works one morning a week and doesn’t return phone calls, if I booked an appointment it would be for middle of next month.

hotteacup that guideline is applicable to women in established labour. OP seems not to be in established labour yet.

Check out spinning babies website. If you think that baby's head is wedged at a funny angle there are some positions you can try to undo that. You might need some cushions etc but you need to have the top of the uterus lower than your pelvis, so chest to the floor and bottom in the air. Not great with heartburn unfortunately

I could have written your OP when I was pregnant with DS (13 years ago). I niggled on for a week with contractions lasting 12 hours of the day then subsiding. It was completely frustrating and so tiring. Like you he was back to back. He did eventually make his own way out a week after my initial contractions started.

Hopefully it happens for you soon.

I had this with dc3. I had on off contractions for weeks because he just couldn't engage enough to put pressure on my cervix. Was bloody awful and I got so fed up and worried. Even on the day I gave birth my contractions were on and off, it was so frustrating. My waters went in the middle of the night and contractors started. Spoke to midwife and told her waters had gone but contractions weren't consistent enough but they insisted I come into hospital to be checked and booked me in for an induction for 10pm that evening and I went home . All through that day my contractions would be strong and consistent for an hour or two and then stop completely for a while. I was sure I'd end up induced. I was doubled over in the maternity assessment until with the contractions and by the time I got to the car they had stopped completely. Me and dh went home and snuggled on the sofa with the fire lite drinking tea. It was surreal how the pain was so all consuming and then nothing.

Things changed quite quickly at 6pm that day and I had my baby that evening. I've never know anyone to have a labour like it and the last few weeks were so hard. Midwife told me it was because of babys position and being back to back meant my body was trying to go onto labour but babys position meant it couldn't get going. As soon as he moved into a better position labour was quick and straight forward. When I posted that on Facebook that I had the baby a fb friend commented that she had seen me walking a few hours before in our local park and how I seemed so fine . That's how on and off it was. I also managed to go to a wedding 2 days before and no one had any idea I was in labour on and off. Had to leave early because the pains were so bad in the evening but I made sure I had my food first

My midwife told me that this was quite common for 3Rd labours. Once baby gets into the right position labour can move fast. My other 2 labours were so different so dc3 labour really had me on edge.
Good luck op, hope your baby is here safely soon

My community midwife did my sweep but I think I’ve heard of people having them done by consultants or even when in for reduced movements. Could you ask to see a different community midwife? If you aren’t happy with the one you have I certainly would. At the end of the day they need to consider your energy levels for the actual birth! I hadn’t slept in 4 days by the time DD arrived. It wasn’t great!

Any woman can ask to be induced at 39 weeks (my sister is an obstetrician). If you’re not happy phone them and tell them you want induction.

I'm sorry that you're going through this but please please pursue this further because you desperately need a second opinion. My son was back to back and stuck so never made it into established labour, eventually it got to the point where his heart was stopping during every contraction and they needed to perform an EMCS immediately because he wouldn't survive labour. I had also been sent away earlier the same day and only got allowed back in because I was bleeding (small cut from speculum exam). They were about to send me home again when a consultant noticed the drops in heart rate.

You and your baby may well be absolutely fine to wait it out but if there is anyone you can go to for a second opinion (maybe another hospital if you're close enough?), please please go for your own peace of mind. You know your body and your baby better than they do so if you're worried you need to be proactive.

I hope it all goes okay, wishing you the very best! ❤️ (And sorry if I've stressed you out more, I remember how stressful it was at the time and feeling like no-one believed something was wrong.)

Insist on a C section don’t take a chance. Be forceful and advocate for yourself and your baby. Make a fuss! I sometimes think this is the only way with the NHS

user1457
I'm pretty sure that you can't just rock up and insist in a section because you're having on/off contractions at 38+ weeks...
Although I'm open to correction

grouchy - that’s what I don’t seem to be getting across when I go in, that I’m not upset because I’m just fed up which i seem to get a patronising head tilt “awww” from the midwives, I’m bloody worried about the baby. I’ve been up 3 times since Saturday to labour ward and when my DH rang up last night they said “come up for a review then” like they already had me down as a time waster or something!
DH and I are going to pop into town for some clary sage or something and I’ve been doing some of those movements thanks to the PP who said about chest down and bum in the air. Thanks to everyone who have shared their similar stories, I feel so much better from having this support from you all x

Sorry, I didn't realise you were worried so my post probably isnt helpful. I just thought you were fed up and worried about stop start labour.
If you are worried about the baby I would ask for a second opinion and to see someone else. I think mothers instinct is so strong sometimes we can pick up on things before the midwives. Hope you're OK op

If you’ve been up to the labour ward three times, they will have been checking baby though? So they know that baby is fine - you are just not in established labour yet and so don’t meet the criteria for ‘failure to progress’.
I feel your pain (I’m 5’2” with a giant husband and all of mine measured huge) and dc3 was brain damaged at birth (not my b2b labour) so I’m queen of the labour anxiety trials. Try to relax and keep working on turning the baby though. It was 2 weeks before I got into established labour but hopefully will be quicker for you xx

How are you getting on OP?

Not been able to sleep at all tonight. If I lay either side I get pulling and back ache pain straight away. I’m sort of laying on my tummy with pillows under me. I hope midwife can get out to see me tomorrow. Going to talk to DH about whether we play the reduced movements card to get induction. It seems wrong no but getting desperate and I feel like baby is better off out than in now.

It’s unlikely they will induce just because you report reduced FMs; they will base any decision on the CTG.

MrsPatrick all women are entitled to induction at 39 weeks if they request it. A medical indication isn’t needed.

I would like to see a link to the 'right' to an induction . I have long latent phases of labour it's really tiring and worrying. I hope you are keeping well op. Have you told midwife / labour triage you are worried about the stress of non productive contractions on your baby? They should investigate this and hopefully reassure you or take appropriate action.