Back to back baby

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Has anyone given birth vaginally with a back to back baby and had a smooth labour?

No it wasn't smooth (sorry). If my next baby had also been back to back I would have asked for a C-section.

Agree with @MountainBiker . BUT there are exercises you can do to try to get them to turn round. With second baby I spent a lot of time in implausible positions with knees on sofa and face on floor etc and she ended up the right way round. Google the positions and try?

I had two back to back - the first went on for hours and ended up with a ventouse, the second was a walk in the park

This was also my experience.

i had one awful labour, baby partly turned, got stuck on my pelvis and ended up with forceps.

I was determined not to have a repeat with second baby, they spotted he was back to back on a scan before I was induced. I spent the next day and early labour doing exercises to turn him. Not sure if it helped but he did turn and labour was fine, natural delivery.

Do ask about exercises, there seemed to be much better awareness of this by the time I had my second baby than when I had my first (7 years ago).

Mine was a 24 hour back to back labour which was excruciating. An epidural did little to help. Two hours of pushing, an episiotomy and a second degree tear.
Second was not back to back, quick and easy.

Sorry, no. My first DC was back to back, we didn’t know, midwife didn’t tell me even during labour. I pushed for two hours, in indescribable pain (epidural made no difference) and then needed forceps, almost went to emergency c section. It was horrific.

Nope. Ended in c section. Which was fine.

My DS was back to back. Labour was 80 hours of contractions.

My DS was back to back. Labour was 80 hours of contractions.

DD was back to back and excruciating from basically the first contraction. I threw up at home, in the car, in the flower bed outside the hospital, immediately after they gave me painkillers as tablets… I was surprised they don’t check for it earlier on in labour since it seems to make such a difference to outcomes. Like a PP I ended up with forceps in surgery prepped for a c-section after labouring for ages.

Having said all that though it wasn’t overall a negative experience, everyone we interacted with was excellent, and my recovery was fine. I have friends who had on paper much simpler labours and births but found them much more traumatic and didn’t recover as well so you never really know what you’re going to get

I gave birth vaginally but it was horrendous, sorry.

My first labour with back to back DD was 36 hours, was prepped for theatre and had forceps. Later found out she had shoulder dystocia, so very glad I didn't go for the home birth they'd suggested I was an ideal candidate for (was 26 and had no issues in pregnancy).

I had 2
both homebirths
my second and fifth babies - both dds.
The first one turned just before I started pushing but my dd2 (number 5) was born face up.
I had awful back pain with both and with dd2 felt the contractions in my legs - it felt like someone was wringing my thighs out like a cloth!
I delivered her myself in the bath while dh was unlocking the door to let the midwife in!

My first was a normal delivery, second back-to back. Labour took a long time to get going, kept stopping and starting. She turned during labour and delivered a few minutes later, so although it was a bit protracted, very straightforward. Third was also back to back and I had an epiudural, so it was fine.

My third was back to back. Didn't know until in labour, was very painful even with an epidural and just under 24 hours of contractions but she was born fine no forceps or section or anything like that, i was fine too no tears or stitches.
However what was weird and has never happened in my other two labours was that i had an out of body experience. While i was waiting for epidural i was in so much pain and i could see myself sat on the bed leaned over like i was watching myself from the ceiling if that makes sense. Could see oh and midwives etc too and literally said to myself girl this is not good you're going to have to pull this together now. And then felt like i went back into my body.
So so weird and normally i don't believe things like that but think it was the sheer pain i was in

Dreadfully painful both of mine were back to back l felt like both my legs were being cut off at the groin tbh .

Yes both kids. Didn't know they were back to back. 1st resulted in EMCS. 2nd forceps. Almost threw up from the pain. Epidural worked but pushing stage was very long and needed forceps as baby was a bit stuck.

My third baby was back to back and I had the hormonal drip on top 😂 Birthed vaginally drug free… it was sore but manageable!

Just to put a different spin on it, my 2nd was undiagnosed back to back. I gave birth 20 minutes after my first contraction with no pain relief. It was painful, but over and done with very quickly. Luckily I was in hospital about to be induced otherwise it would’ve been an un planned home birth!

I did and I didn't find it that bad, I only have 1 child though so hard to know how it compares. I started having contractions at 5am, went to hospital about 1pm, it was painful but definitely bearable. I felt scared about how painful it might become so 2as keen to get to hospital. If anything I found it exhausting and wish I had tried to eat or drink a bit more to give me more energy. I had a lucozade sport, it was the only thing I'd eaten all day and it made me feel so much better. I had gas and air but didn't feel like it made a difference. I wasn't having contractions frequently enough and although I was 10cm dilated I had to have a hormone drip which I think it used for inductions to speed the contractions up. I thought that would make it more painful but there was no change. They then decided I would need an emergency c section but changed their minds and my DD was born vaginally, she came on the 2nd push at 8.18pm. That bit wasn't painful as I had an episiotomy so they had just numbed the area.

I had a very painful labour. Got to 9cm but felt like I was dying. Baby was distressed, heart rate dropped. Had a crash section under general anaesthetic. Later found out baby was back to back which is why I found labour so hard

My first was back to back, delivered at home with no pain relief (not on purpose, I was just saving it for if it got too bad as knew my at home options were limited!), it was fine. She turned at the very last moment just before pushing so I had the full labour (which was long, 2 days of latent although active was only about 8 hours so not bad) back to back. I had nothing to compare it to but honestly it was manageable. Obviously depends a lot on your pain threshold and probably the baby’s exact position and stuff but it doesn’t always mean it’s a complete nightmare! I didn’t have any tears or anything either.

My experience exactly!

No way!

it’s so nice to hear I’m not the only one. A GA section is so rare. And I felt like (for a long time) that I caused it. But with time I’ve come to see it’s just one of those things.

was your baby okay - did they go to NICU?

First was back to back and it was hard. I followed this sort of thing for second child and had a quick and easy planned home birth. https://nhsforthvalley.com/health-services/az-of-services/maternity/maternity-leaflets/advice-for-optimal-fetal-positioning/