Back to back baby

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

My first baby was a back to back birth . I was 20 and had a 48hr labour . This was in the 70s and there was never any scans or even any examination during labour. I was left on my own for long periods as my husband was abroad in the army and the midwives thought I was a single mum so were very ‘off’ with me . Eventually a doctor performed a forceps delivery . I was torn very badly and need d over an hour of stitches .
it was only 15 years later when I did my nurse training I realised how bad it all was . In those days you were supposed to stay in hospital for a week after the birth but I signed myself out after 3 days. I was unable to sit on a chair to feed my baby because my stitches were so sore underneath , turns out I had bad oedema in that area, so I lay on the bed to feed and was shouted at by the nurses because you were not allowed to do that . The alternative was I stood up to feed baby but I would go dizzy and nearly passed out each time so put baby back in the crib and try again later . This happened every feed . I didn’t complain to the staff as I thought all mums had this problem and I didn’t want to cause a fuss .
on day 3 my husband flew home and came into the hospital to see me . The nasty staff then believed I was married and changed their tune to all smiles .
Too little too late .

1st back to back. Contractions on and off for six days. Pretty hideous last 12 hours including put on a drip. He turned half way down my vagina as the forceps were being threatened and then shot out a minute or so later. I had two stitches. I think due to the action of him against my cervix, I didn't dilate “properly” to 10cm and the doctors were trying to get me not to push. Not pushing is a lot harder than pushing.

Second, back to back, 24 hours of contractions but only six hours of true craziness. About 30 minutes of pushing and he came out back to back. No stitches, born in the water.

Third, back to back at the point I went in. Went in after my contractions were very regular but frankly I knew they were not hurting enough. Was about 3 cm dilated and given a sweep and she turned back the “right” way during the sweep. Born an hour later in the pool and really she fell out, there wasn’t a pushing stage.

For all of them - but particularly my first - my advice and memory is move, move, move. My first birth they were really keen to have me strapped to the bed but by moving round the room, rocking my hips, I could feel when the baby was in the right place, it made a huge difference.

first back to back had no idea until she was born, pain wasn’t horrific but did end up with ventouse and 2nd degree tear. Second again back to back and no idea, pain was horrific from the first contraction felt like someone had a grinder on my pelvis ended up with forceps and 3b tear and awful recovery. Opted for a planned c section with 3rd as it was only 11 months later and had other pregnancy complications.

Yes 4 times. 2 didn't turn.
My first was the hardest and from being fully dilated to delivery was over 2 hours.
Bless her, her face was very bruised.
The rest of my babies were water births, no intervention but the second stage with my 4 back to back babies was extremely painful and I felt almost no urge to push.

Keep upright and keep as active is the best advice I was given.

Good luck.

Good luck and let us know how things went for you x

My first was back to back, and a hormone drip (for other reasons) and it was okay. Painful, but he came out fine naturally and I had no tears. I was up and about immediately, and walking my dog the next day. Able to be out and about, coffees, lunches, went on holiday in the first couple of months.

My second was a c section and it was horrific. The recovery was so much harder, I could barely walk for three days, and it was very hard to lift the baby. It also means you’re trapped at home for a few weeks as lifting car seats or buggies is hard, the baby sling was impossible to wear, and you can’t drive for at least a month.

Id choose a back to back labour anytime over a c section

To give another side to the story, my recovery from back to back labour was horrible, took months, and my pelvic floor has never been the same again. Recovery from my two subsequent electives was a dream in comparison.

My ds was back to back, I was induced due to pre eclampsia, had the gel on the Saturday morning, had period like cramps & awful pain like someone was trying to rip out my bladder, waters broken on Sunday morning & contractions ramped up straight away 1000%, begged for an epidural & waited 5 hours for anaesthetist, I couldn't stand, lie down, the only position I was comfortable was on my knees, I taught the staff & my mum some swear words they probably hadn't heard before, they kept on ramping up the drip, Monday morning I was 4cm & by 3pm I was 8cm, when doctor came to check me at 5pm I had gone back to 6cm. Was told I needed an emcs & ds was born at 6.22pm. The midwife from theatre told me I would never have given birth to him naturally.

My dd was induced and back to back. Was born 7 hours after pessary went in and just 1.5 hours after my water broke. She was 9lb too 🥲
it wasn't easy and I did have an episiotomy but I was lucky it was straightforward otherwise 🙏

I look back and cant believe I did it really.
wishing you all the best

Yes, turned in labour sometime though and was born the 'right' way. Was my shortest and easiest labour by far and my only baby of 3 to be born without ventouse.

Yep, with my first. Only knew of it during labour. I can’t describe how excruciating it was. Had to have a spinal it was that god awful. Then forceps etc as the chin got stuck behind bone and was never coming out otherwise. Still suffer the after-effects decades later. None of my others were, and, while birth is painful it was just not the same sort of soul destroying pain where you would happily accept death as an alternative, being very honest.

Ds2 was back to back. He was more painful than the other 2. I remember using a lot of gas and air while the midwife said that "normal air is good too". Thankfully he was born in 90 minutes.

This! Both of mine were back to back and I cannot express how important it is to be able to move around when you are delivering if you feel able. The only way I got through it was being in the pool as soon as I could and keeping moving throughout. I have nothing to compare to but I would say that the more traditional tens machines felt awful to me. I honestly felt like an elephant was stood on my back for the duration.

Labour is so personal to each individual but my only advice would be to think about all your options and never never feel guilty about wanting pain relief or help. I really romanticised birth first time round and it made me so sad when I wasn’t having the traditional signs but was in so much pain my whole body was shaking. Try to walk through multiple plans so you can prepare yourself to go with how you feel on the day.

DC2 was B2B. I have precipitous labours (all 3DC born in under and hour). I only found out when I got to the hospital and was fully dilated. From first twinge to birth was 45mins.
His arm was also up by his head and the chord was wrapped around his neck.
The midwives were magnificant and saved his life that day,.we were in the hospital for less than 15 minutes before he was born.
He's now 21, six foot tall and amazing.