Induced, back to back baby, pain relief?

[soontobefour4]

I'm 40 + 8 with second DC and due to be induced on Sunday. Saw the midwife yesterday and baby is completely back to back. Had 4th sweep 2 cm dilated which is the same as I've been the last 3 weeks so not looking likely that anything will change before Sunday.

I was induced with DS. Pessary put me into labour after about 15 hours, delivered on gas and air with no intervention about 12 hours later. 9lb 6oz baby, 2nd degree tears.

What do I do this time about pain relief? Last time the pain was horrendous and I was desperate for an epidural but ran out of time. DS wasn't back to back, so now I'm terrified that the pain this time is going to be on another level. Had a growth scan at 36 weeks and baby is average size this time apparently, so that might help. Would you go straight in and ask for an epidural? Or try without and see how things go? I'm on l fours as much as I can but I want to be prepared.

I was really hoping to go into spontaneous labour this time and have a water birth so I'm feeling really disheartened that I'm going to be medically induced again and all I can think of is the spiral of intervention I'm going to end up with given that the baby is back to back.

Epidural as soon as you can get one. There's no medals for suffering. And that's from someone who has had a spontaneous drug free 5 hour labour (and a hideous induction with epidural)

Epidural!!!! No question about it and ask early! I've had two back to back labours and couldn't get the epidural the second time as labour progressed too fast, was not nice to say the least.

Tens machine helped me while i was at home with dd who was back to back

I’d ask for an epidural ASAP.

I was induced twice with very late , large babies .

Can I ask whether having an epidural had any negative effects on the progression of your labour? I've often wondered if I'd had one with DS whether I'd have got him out - I was one push away from forceps and maybe if I hadn't been able to 'feel' as well I'd have needed intervention and that might have led to more damage/distress for both of us.

I guess in my head epidural = intervention, but I'm sure that's not always the case.

Thank you so much for your replies.

Yes, I don’t think I was able to push as well .

But you already have intervention because you are being induced. And many women find the drip gives then very strong contractions which come right on top of each other. Which can be very hard to deal with using gas and air alone.

My first was back to back - they didn't know - and I was induced (which is was turned him the other way, the pessary/sweep did it, they thought he had gone breech at first!)

I had intended drug free but had pethdene, did nothing and tried for an epidural twice but it didn't work. I ended up with an emergency c section in the end.

I'd check that an epidural will be available to you quickly and then give it a go without an epidural, but get one as soon as (if) you need one. That's what I did and the fact I'd flagged up with the midwife before the induction process that I might want an epidural was helpful.

I've had 3 all positioned b2b towards end of pregnancy.

Dd1 - induced at 42wks did not turn. 12 hrs and assisted delivery.

Dd2 and 3 both in that position again and I could not turn them but both moved round in labour. Dd2 was 6hrs and I did have an epidural.

Dd3 was induced by my waters being broken and actually was a very positive induction as it was only 2hrs long! I wanted an epidural but there were no anaethetist available - and obviously no time either!

Anyway I just wanted to say it might be ok and they might turn during labour. Good luck

Oh and I'm expecting number 4 and I expect he will settle b2b too!

@EverythingNow wow 2 hours! Hopefully by DC will be like your DD3! Good luck to you too.

Thank you everyone for your replies, all really helpful and have made me feel more relaxed.

My plan is to make sure the medical staff know that there I will most likely be requesting an epidural and I've written as much in my notes. I'm not worried about getting a medal for going it alone - been there done that and once was enough!

Epidural! DD was back to back and I was induced.
They gave me a drip to bring on labour after the pessaries failed and the contractions were awful as a result.

Definitely epidural!

Yes it makes it harder to know when contractions are there but midwife's help with this.

Don’t let them start your induction or the drip until you have your epidural. That way you can’t be fobbed off by the MW. Don’t let them talk you into “seeing how it goes”. Be firm! Good luck.

Epidural! I was induced and ended up with one, yes I think it hindered me being able to push him out but they couldn't tell which way up he was
It wasn't until the pulled him out they said he was back to back and I would have never been able to push him out without help. Vontouse (sp?) did t work so had episiotomy and forceps.
Found the contractions horrendous and had the epidural because they put me on the drip to make contractions stronger and I knew I couldn't take any more pain.

Agree epidural! Though there is no way to ensure there's an available anaesthetist. In most places there's only 1 in evenings/ weekends and overnight and they may be in theatre so all early!

*ask

Yes, epidural! Why suffer if you don’t need to?

I always thought epidural = intervention. With DS1 I had gas and air and Diamorphine and got stuck at 9.5cms and couldn’t fully dilate. After about 11 hours I ended up in theatre with a spinal and forceps (had been prepped for a c section but they thought they would give forceps a go).
Should have had an epidural! Would have prevented 11 hours of ouch ouch ouch!

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply, all your comments made me feel so much better.

However I didn't need to ask in the end as I went into labour naturally on Wednesday just after midnight, arrived at hospital at 4am, baby boy born in pool at 5:30am. All very quick and completely sporadic pattern of contractions (last 2 were 5 minutes apart!) but I only pushed 3 times and he came out in his sack!

8lb 8oz, name to be decided. Here's a photo of the wee chap

Oh my god congrats!! Beautiful baby, enjoy x

Congratulations !

Congratulations! So pleased for you!

Gorgeous!