Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

What were your first signs of back to back labour?

72 replies

anony1111 · 17/02/2024 22:38

What were your first signs of back to back labour starting?
I already know baby is back to back and he hasn't moved round yet despite me trying my best. I was just wondering what were your first signs things were starting?
Been having some pains today but not sure if it's anything or just because of this stupid relentless cough I have 😤

Thank you 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
anony1111 · 19/02/2024 19:21

@TheShellBeach thank you, your the positivity I need. It seems like he has turned at my app today. I'm guessing there is a big chance of him still going back again?

OP posts:
TheShellBeach · 19/02/2024 20:32

anony1111 · 19/02/2024 19:21

@TheShellBeach thank you, your the positivity I need. It seems like he has turned at my app today. I'm guessing there is a big chance of him still going back again?

A small chance.
Keep positive!

Original poster
anony1111 · 19/02/2024 20:36

@TheShellBeach thank you!

OP posts:
VivienneDelacroix · 19/02/2024 20:45

2 out of 3 of mine were back-to-back. Horrible pain of baby's spine pressing on mine for number 1. Felt like my spine was trying to break out of my skin. He was ventouse delivery.

Number 3 also back-to-back and I knew she was because it felt so different to number 2, but very similar to number 1, though less intense. She was supposed to be a homebirth like DS2 but I could feel she was back-to-back and didn't want to blue-lighted if she got stuck like DS1, so I went in. Car journey in (as with DS1) was pretty horrendous, as sitting was excruciating- I'd been standing or kneeling up until we got in the car But she was born 10 minutes after we arrived, just had enough time for midwife to confirm she was back-to-back and then she was born.

Scrabblingaround · 19/02/2024 21:34

My second was back to back all the way out and 10lb3oz. It was no picnic, they did the mcroberts manoeuvre, but I didn't need pain relief and we were both fine, about 12hr labour.

Dyra · 19/02/2024 23:03

Finger crossed he stays there!

I suspect my first was back to back, but turned during labour. My second was confirmed back to back (and stayed there!) before labour began. The only reason I suspect my first was because with both I felt all the contractions in my lower back.

twotoddlersandanewborn · 20/02/2024 20:35

Just delivered my 3rd boy back to back two weeks ago (I went into labour knowing this) and had pain in my back and intense contractions. I stayed on the ball the whole time as standing was awful! The TENS machine was my best friend towards the end and I delivered him 4 hours after contractions begun - THANK GOODNESS. I would highly recommend the TENS to anyone going through a back to back labour.

He came out crying before his body had even been delivered and wide eyed at the midwives!

gawditswindy · 23/02/2024 20:57

twotoddlersandanewborn · 20/02/2024 20:35

Just delivered my 3rd boy back to back two weeks ago (I went into labour knowing this) and had pain in my back and intense contractions. I stayed on the ball the whole time as standing was awful! The TENS machine was my best friend towards the end and I delivered him 4 hours after contractions begun - THANK GOODNESS. I would highly recommend the TENS to anyone going through a back to back labour.

He came out crying before his body had even been delivered and wide eyed at the midwives!

That's interesting as I had a tens with my back to back baby and just found it a minor irritation.
And I couldn't even look at the birthing ball - just had to stay upright, pacing for hours. Just goes to show that there's no 'standard' experience. Smile

MargaretOliphant · 23/02/2024 21:09

36 hours in labour. Ended up pushing so hard that ds shot out, leaving me with a fourth degree tear. I was in consultancy-led unit because of first born (placenta praevia and cs), but still no one noticed that ds was back to back until he came out looking at the ceiling. I kept telling midwife that the pain seemed to be in the wrong place (in lower back). She kept insisting that I just needed the toilet. It was pretty negligent, really, but all fine in the end (including the tear). Good luck, op.

twotoddlersandanewborn · 23/02/2024 21:14

@gawditswindy Oh wow, that is so interesting! I hope you didn't have to wait long to meet your baby 🥰

JinglePringle · 23/02/2024 22:17

I had the tens on constantly with my first (straightforward birth). Second (back to back) I tried to put the tens on after an hour or so and it was unbearable, all the pain was in my back and the tens seemed to intensify it.

Newmumma23 · 23/02/2024 22:25

I remember being in so much pain that it felt like someone was jumping up and down on my back while I had contractions. I went in to the midwife until once and was told I was only 2cm, was scanned then just to check my baby wasn’t breach as she was at 32 weeks but they never picked up her being back to back! Later on that day after another sweep I was in so much pain that I had to curl up on one side to cope. The shaking was so bad I just couldn’t handle it so went back and was told I was 4cm. I didn’t get a hard belly when I had contractions so thought I’d be sent home again!

My labour wasnt particularly long (admitted at midnight and was 4cm, daughter born at 9.30am) so think it will depend really. As this is your second hopefully it won’t be too bad? And I’ve heard they can move to the last minute so keep on the ball. Good luck and hope all goes well!

Sierra259 · 23/02/2024 22:33

I didn't know DC1 was back to back until after they were born. My labour was generally straightforward and progressed well but like other posters I just had this awful pain in my back/coccyx constantly, even between contractions. I just couldn't find a comfortable position in sitting/lying or even standing and had to call an ambulance to take me to hospital as I physically couldn't sit down in the car. I midwife who assessed me when I arrived was so dismissive of the pain I was in as I was "only" 4cm dilated. My labour wasn't overly long thankfully though I did need a venteuse delivery in the end. Labour with DC2 was totally different pain-wise.

aSpanielintheworks · 23/02/2024 22:43

My third lay back to back from very early on, I was very aware of how she was lying, she didn't really ever move from 20 weeks onwards. My labour was triple the time of the previous (18 hours) as I progressed very slowly, and all in my back. But literally just before the pushing stage, my waters broke and I had a series of short, intense contractions and THE most weird feeling as my body turned her and she was born in the normal position.
Nature sometimes is just awesome.

TheShellBeach · 26/03/2024 10:53

Have you had your baby yet, OP?

Original poster
anony1111 · 26/03/2024 14:14

I had my baby boy 28th Feb, I had a really positive labour that went super quick! He wasn't back to back after all my worrying! Thank you for asking x

OP posts:
Dyra · 26/03/2024 14:49

Wonderful news! Congratulations!

TheShellBeach · 26/03/2024 15:42

Lovely news! Well done, OP.

Lovewine1975 · 26/03/2024 15:49

My DD is 12 now she was back to back, only gone though labour once so nothing to compare it to but from what I do remember the contractions weren't that bad or in my back, I was just on gas & air the whole time, did a lot of pushing nothing happened then had a emergency C section as they had discovered she was back to back. Hope everything goes well for you

Original poster
anony1111 · 26/03/2024 17:07

@TheShellBeach @Dyra thank you!

@Lovewine1975 thank you, I had my baby boy 28th Feb he wasn't back to back fortunately and had a positive labour 😊

OP posts:
Lovewine1975 · 26/03/2024 17:13

@anony1111 I'm so sorry I missed your last post, congratulations that's lovely news!!

Original poster
anony1111 · 26/03/2024 21:05

@Lovewine1975 thank you 😊

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page