back-to-back baby - worried about birth

[SoftFroggie]

For the last couple of weeks (since 37 wks) my baby has been back-to-back (latest record says ROL). I had what seemed to me to be a very long labour (>30 hrs including very frequent 'pre-labour' contractions) with my first, who was well presented. Am terrified about birth with a back-to-back baby - especially being long, erratic and back-ache (which I was SO relevied not to feel with the first), and wanting more pain releif and it all going pear-shaped.

Any reassurance would be great. My MW is very happy with everything, and we are planning a homebirth - which I am still keen for, as I don't want to spend ages labouring in hospital again.

I've got myself all worked up, and need to calm down and feel confident again!

Many thanks, SF

p.s. suggestions to encorage the blighter to turn back also welcome

Hi SF, you can try the crawling around on your hands and knees & lots of swimming & stuff. DD was back to back (no one actually considered mentioning this to me during the birth). I didn't have pain relief, the best way to conteract the pain is to get your birth partner to lean with their hands on your lower back as HARD as they can. It does help alot. Don't even consider lying down, people keep telling me to try lying on my side but it was unbearable.

Good luck, hope your baby does turn.

Hi Softfroggie

I am a birth doula, I see many labour (last one was last night!) and had a OP labour myself....
This isn't your first baby so I would say this:

1. yes do you best to get it in optinal position, including sleeping onyour left or on your tummy (some women can) and NO sitting with knees higher than pelvis!
2. if baby doesn't turn, it will probbaly do so during labour as your uterus will be having very efficient contractions (this time). OP labour are not really a problem for subsequent labours....

I know you are scared, do what you can to encourage baby to turn, if it doesn't it won't be as bad as you think as fundamentally you will have a faster and easier !

I had a back to back labour the second time around and it only lasted 3 hours. Apparently I would have had her at home/in the car had she not been back to back. It did seem more intense and perhaps a little more painful but I didn't have time for any pain relief....Am sure it will be fine at home - best of luck.

My first (and only!) labour was OP, and although it took ages (but as Pupuce says, you've done it before so your body will be better at it) I can honestly say it never became more than uncomfortable, and I had no back ache. I was TENS as soon as labour started, I didn't lie flat once (I tried and that DID hurt), leaned forward on furniture, sofa back, cushions, and walked around - and spent time in the pool. In the end, once we reached pushing stage, we had to transfer (I was at home) for ventouse after 3.5 hours of trying, and I did have pain relief at that point - but only because they wanted me to lie flat.

Kath H - sounds as if we had very similar experiences with our second kids!!

Softfroggie- My DS was OP when I had him in June (it was a VBAC) lying on my back defo made labour worse, it was alot better I found anyway, to stand and squat with ech contraction whilst DH rubbed my back. But just before delivery DS moved himself uo and into the correct position, he was delivered in 3 pushes.

Good luck honey x

Thanks for your encourangement and all your positive stories - especially good to hear from pupuce, as I know you've been involved in many labours (if DH wasn't so good last time and the MWs so not busy round here, I'd fancy a birth doula to support me, don't think there are any round here though - not last time I looked - maybe for the next one).

I'm a bit calmer now. I don't think it'll turn beforehand as I sleep on my left / front and sit upright anyway and it's not turned (though could be another 4 weeks yet). I'm slowly getting back to feeling confident that it'll be faster and easier despite positioning, but still a bit more nervous - so wanted it all to be as straightforward as possible.

Anyone else?

Message withdrawn

my ds, who is in my arms so sorry for appalling typing an lack of caps! was sipposed to be back to back. i was advised to sit with a chair round the wrong way and get down on my hands and knees! i gave birth after a 5 hr labour where i didnt have any gas and air till 10cms, over a birthing ball in only a few pushes. not sure if he ever turned though! good luck, i'm the biggest wimp going so with the right pain relief i am sure you will be fine.

I also had a long labour first time round - more than 26 hours and was a bit traumatised by it (pain became unbearable, begged for epidural and didn't get it for another 3 hours as was 8 cm but they didn't realise baby was sideways and didn't in fact arrive for another 9 hours). I was therefore, like you, pretty worried about my second labour.

In the end I went in to have waters broken and discovered then that baby was back to back, so after first time round I said I just wanted epidural at earliest time point. In fact my labour was only 3 hours 20 minutes and once it got going there was no time for epidural (contractions too close together), so did it with just TENS and then gas&air. It was pretty intense, with the contractions all in my lower back and had to kneel up against bed head, couldn't cope with being upright. The hardest thing was that my contractions were so close together (nothing to do with being back to back I don't think - probably related to having waters broken) BUT it was never unbearable and it was lovely to be so quick. He did turn round during my labour as he wasn't actually born face up.

Hope that's encouraging - it can be quick, they can turn during labour (presumably that's very likely in a second labour), and the pain was not as bad as my first labour, which wasn't back to back (and that's from someone who really just wanted an epidural, so I didn't want to cope with pain).

My first labour was OP, it was incredibly long and totally agonising and I need counselling afterwards. My 2nd labour wasn't OP, was very quick and totally manageable. Personally I if I knew my baby was OP I would deliver in hospital so that I could have acess to an epidural. Not saying that you should do this, but do talk this over with other health professionals not just the one midwife (as your just getting one perspective from her)

I see that I am the only 'negative' voice on here - I am not trying to be discouraging or unsupportive. I just don't want you to go on to have a difficult time in labour - however I do note that a couple of people on here had OP labours for their 2nd births and it really wasn't too bad. Sincerely hope the same applies to you.

Apols for the typing and mispellings (knackered tonight but insomniac too!)

Thanks for your perspective hmc; I can transfer into hospital if I want to - if it's too agonising or has gone on for long enough to want an epidural. Being in hospial won't make it quicker or less painful until / unless I have an epidural.

The 2nd birth vs the 1st birth seems to be a significant difference. Will try to find another MW brain to pick, as you suggest. My own MW is very level headed, no messing, and has assured me she'd say "bad idea, let's consider this again" if she thought that hospital would be better than home.

Thanks, SF