39 weeks -Baby is back to Back - I am worried! What are you experinces Please!!

[pinkrangerstartstowaddle]

I am 38+5 and was told by my midwife last week that my baby is back to back but head down. Now im planning (or was) to have a home birth but this has really worried me as i everything i have read had said that this can cause problems and if i know before hand that there may be problems i would rather be in hospital. This is my second baby but never experinced anything like this first time round!

I have opted for a home birth as i would rather be at home then hospital but if i have to go there anyway then i would rather do that and take what they ofter, i am already struggling with slight SPD and swelling and had enough, really dont want a traumatic birth as well!

Any adivce or stories ( good and bad) please X

TIA

My DD was OP, started long prelabour on a Sunday evening, by Mon pm contractions every 8 mins, all of Tuesday every 5 mins, then got mad pain in my side aggravated by every contraction, couldn't sleep at all, and by Wed pm was only 3 cm dilated and exhausted already, rather wishful thinking having birthpool ready and waiting downstairs for days...lovely stand-in MW suggested I could do well to go to Hosp. after all that, so I went in, had a delicious epidural, lay down on nice table, listened to darling daughter's heartbeat all night on monitor and had pain-free birth,during which she had turned to come out the right way, so it was fun and easy! I recommend trying it for as long and you think you can go, but be prepared to change tack if you feel like it. Enjoy it!

My DD was OP, started long prelabour on a Sunday evening, by Mon pm contractions every 8 mins, all of Tuesday every 5 mins, then got mad pain in my side aggravated by every contraction, couldn't sleep at all, and by Wed pm was only 3 cm dilated and exhausted already, rather wishful thinking having birthpool ready and waiting downstairs for days...lovely stand-in MW suggested I could do well to go to Hosp. after all that, so I went in, had a delicious epidural, lay down on nice table, listened to darling daughter's heartbeat all night on monitor and had pain-free birth,during which she had turned to come out the right way, so it was fun and easy! I recommend trying it for as long and you think you can go, but be prepared to change tack if you feel like it. Enjoy it!

oh, yes, forgot to say went in on one of my labouring days to check what back pain was, they gave me some painkillers (paracetomol, wow!)and also monitored contractions, which showed they were triple peaked, so each one kept going for 5 mins roughly with 3 bad bits. That explains why I got so tired. Felt rubbish, but as she turned in the end it was worth the wait!

I have had two back to back labours and i would go for homebirth if pregnant again. The first labour was difficult and I transferred to hospital and had a forceps delivery. The second time round I was advised against hom birth. When i got to hospital I depressingly found out I had only dilated 2 cms after 10 hours of labour but I dilated the next 8 cms and the baby rotated in less than two hours. DD was 9lb and I had no pain relief and it was fantastic. I think the thing that rotated her was following the midwifes suggestion of lying on my right because baby was to the left - this made the contractions last much much longer and gravity must have helped her to turn. I had also read this article push dont push and when I had the urge to push I sat on the toilet and let my body push through contractions even though as far as I knew I was still only 2 cms, this broke my waters and DD was born half an hour later.

Look, I don't want to scare you but giving birth is unpredictable. Don't push me or I'll give you the horror story of DS1's birth.

Does the benefit of being in your own environment really outweigh having on the spot surgeons, anaesthetists and equipment? After my experience, I have to say NO WAY.

99.9% of births (a made-up statistic!) are perfectly ordinary but if you happen to be unlucky, all hell breaks loose. For DS2 I was very worried about going through the process a second time so I went to the clinic and stayed for 5 days. As it happened, DS2 arrived in 2.5 hours with one push, and I spent the rest of my stay hating the food, being bored and having nurses burst into my room at 6 a.m. to take my temperature. All a small price to pay for knowing that if it had all gone pear shaped, I would have had the best possible treatment available on the spot.

Sorry to be the spectre at the feast but if I were in your shoes I would definitely be planning on being in hospital. Even the revolting meals are funny in retrospect. I had to send DH out more than once to smuggle food in for me.

Haven't read the whole thing, but my twopence worth... DD back to back, intense agony for a day and a half culminating in emergency c-section. From my experience (and I'm not saying it's the only one) I wanted drugs and lots of professional people at hand! Just a point of view - good luck no matter what you decide. The monkey could turn around soon anyway!

Oooh....Pinky.....no help from me but just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and can't wait to hear that all goes well.
Cogs.
X

Haven't read everything but agree with lots of it that I have. DS was back to back and refused to turn during labour. The MW told me that at that stage it gets more difficult because the positioning can stop your cervix dilating fully. I ended up in theatre prepped for an emergency cs but actually got him out with ventouse.

However, DS was never distressed. The decision for a speedy delivery was to do with my tiredness (long labour. I seem to remember DH suggesting I try squatting before they moved me to theatre and me turning the air blue ) and hospital protocols. If I had been at home then it may have all ended differently.

Was draped over bed headboard with G&A until taken to theatre.

Oh and DS was 9lbs and a week early! Thank goodness I didn't go overdue!!

I had an excellent home birth with DS2 and it was one of the best decisions of my life. However I would have gone into hospital if my midwife had felt there might be complications and a homebirth would'nt have been suitable. I must add my midwife was very experienced and I really trusted her judgement. If I was in your situation I would discuss the homebirth option with your midwife find out if she feels a homebirth would be advisable and if it is what would happen if there are complications during the labour.
Best of luck!

hello, my baby is overdue and back to back. went to midwife's yesterday for stretch and sweep to try and move things along, and discovered i am already 2cm dilated!! have felt nothing up to this point, though since sweep have had back ache a bit like period pains. No idea if sweep worked or not as paracetamol covers the pain for me

No birth experience i'm afraid, but just to put your mind at rest, that though everyone is different the pre-labour bit for me was unremarkable. good luck

both mine labours back to back, sorry but they werent good labours but both babies were healthy in end. in both labours had constant pain in stomach and mostly back with contrations on top, this was very hard to deal with as no rest. apparently constant pain is common with back 2 back labours. the 1st was 19 and half hours labour, 2 hrs of that pushing then an emergency csection. the 2nd was 17 and a half hrs labour, 3 hrs of that pushing then ds pulled out by forceps as i was unconscious due to blood loss. but a friend of mine had back to back labour and was fine so u can never tell. to help the baby turn spend time on all fours. dont slouch back on sofa as this is suppose to encourage the baby in2 the back to back position instead try to sit up straight or even better sit on birthing ball, i know that hard at end of day when yr back killing u. for further advice 4 getting the baby to turn try the national childbirth trust. hope all goes well

All of mine have been back to back and although it is more painful I have managed to have all mine without any forceps/ventouse etc.
Last labour was 4 weeks ago and although i was gutted when I realised baby was back to back AGAIN it was a really easy birth and no stitches. However the midwife brought me a rocking chair to try to ease the pain in my back.. DONT try it. I got a whopping contraction while I was in it and I had to get the midwife and my mam to yank me out of it because it was unbearably painful. Try to stand up and walk around and when you have a contraction bend over the bed and get BP to rub your back. I stayed upright right until his head popped out (a little unexpected when my waters broke) but I crawled onto the bed and clung onto the back of the bed to push him out, there was no way I could lie down. Probably will be more comfortable if you are at home anyway. Good Luck xx

L

Go on spinning babies website and follow all the tips to get it to turn
My first was b2b and ended in emc. Midwife also said it's the most painful position baby can be in for contractions ) sorry ) so try get him/ her moved

The baby in question will be 16 by now, so it's a little late...