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Childbirth

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

My baby is back to back and I am 37 weeks preg she has been in this position forever......doesnt seem to want to budge

77 replies

mumofdjandbabies · 22/08/2008 22:50

please tell me I can still get her out normally in this position ????

I am trying what I know to get her to get into a better position but she is so far having none of it.......

maybe she wont love till labour?

any ideas?

please reassure me ...........

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
mrshippy · 04/09/2008 23:39

Yes

My friend's baby was back to back and turned during labour. The midwife apparently 'tickled' the baies head. My friend had a lovely, calm, drug free birth. Babies can move at any time.
The key to good labour is being calm and supported and staying off your back as much as possible.

My sons birth was very medical, lots of drugs interventions. I didn't want to go through that again with my daughter so I hired a doula. She was amazing and I had a fantastic birth which I strongly belive was only possible because of her.

Have you thought of hiring a doula. It's all about giving you the best chance and I feel strongly that good doula's can do that.

PuppyMonkey · 05/09/2008 08:31

I had back to back labour with DD1. It lasted two days but she came out in the normal way eventually. Lower back ache contractions - that's something I never knew existed before...

I had an epidural. They are marvellous inventions epidurals!

mumofdjandbabies · 05/09/2008 09:23

thanks guys
have hired a trainee doula shes loevly and am going to a good hospital

am 39 weeks today

so its the final countdown

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theaevie · 05/09/2008 09:54

All three of my dds were back to back. First was a 36hr labour which resulted in a c-section. Second was quicker, about 4 hrs but very painful. I opted for an epidural which prevented me from feeling anything which resulted in a forcep delivery. So, with my third I was determined to have a good birth experience. I stood, walked and hung over the back of the bed, did alot of swaying as well (really helped). The labour was a long one, about 24hrs but only got painful at the very end and thankfully I managed to avoid the epidural. I had a fantastic experience and can look back on it and smile, rather than cry about it as I did with the other two.

Keep active, keep mobile, keep off your back and trust in your body. Good luck x

Herecomesthesciencebint · 05/09/2008 15:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tamarto · 05/09/2008 15:21

My ds2 was back to back, no one told me/noticed before labour.

The only difference between labour with him and my other two was that i felt everything in my back, no idea if it was because of it though.

He was so quick that the midwife wasn't ready and he just popped out onto the bed, was a shock i'll tell you!

mrsmalumbas · 05/09/2008 18:29

Hi there - there have been some great posts here and I won't repeat what others have said, agree with onwardsandupwards - I had two OP babies, one was born stargazing also.

What helped me in both labours was lots of sacral pressure i.e having firm constant pressure applied to the sacrum i.e the lower back just above the crack of the bum! A heat pack really helped as well. I didn't have the opportunity of using a pool with my first labour but had a waterbirth with my second and it was lovely, the warm water really helped me relax and took away a lot of the back pain. I have never used a TENS nmachine myself but when I was a doula lots of my clients used them and they really seemed to help with a back labour.

There is a school of thought that OP babies tend to rotate during labour - if the mother is allowed to be mobile and use positioning etc to help the baby turn with the contractions. Epidurals etc tend to interfere with this process which might be one reason why you see so many ventouse etc needed with epidurals.

One thing to be aware of is that this process might take a long time and until the baby has turned then not much cervical dilatation will be going on - this only happens once the baby has rotated and the head is nicely applied against the cervix (all of this is less important with a second baby by the way). So it's really important to be patient and let labour take it's course especially during the early part - staying at home until you are sure that labour is really well and truly underway can really help and that's where a good doula can be really worth her salt. Resting a lot and making sure you get enough to eat and drink is also really important (another good reason to stay at home)

Anyway the important thing is that babies tend to rotate round from in a clockwise direction i.e around the mothers back not around her tummy - which is why you get such a lot of back pain as the baby's head is pushing against your sacrum. They are trying to get themselves into the LOA position which is the optimum position for birth. Physiologically it's difficult for them to rotate the other way.

Funnily enough what helps the baby turn is not necessarily getting onto all fours (although this will help relieve the back pain) but lying on your side - first the right side, then the left. This called Rotational Positioning and it's a little bit different than the Spinning Babies approach which tends to emphasise trying to encourage babies to turn before labour. Is your doula training with Childbirth International? If so then she will know all about this technique.

It might all sound like a whole load of gobbledigook but I swear it works. Sorry if this all sounds a bit preachy but it's something I'm a bit passionate about having had two OP babies myself!

Good luck - am sure you'll be fine!

mumofdjandbabies · 05/09/2008 21:45

ooh interesting info guys

mrsmalumbas

I havent a clue how to turn this baby so what an interesting post

I got a little lost on spinningbabies tho fascinating stuff

havent discussed much with my doula she is in training tho is fab but not specialist in this area yet

can you explain more to me about the turning thing as I want to doooooooo all I can while I can ....

Did I mention this is my vba2c attempt!

I am 39 weeks today!

OP posts:
mumofdjandbabies · 05/09/2008 21:47

with ds1 I got to 9cm but was knackered and my bladder had torn (they wouldnt listen that I couldnt pee sob sob> but ds1 was op so crappy position

does this stand me in better stead that I got to 9cm....

ds2 was an elective cos I was scared stiff

OP posts:
mumofdjandbabies · 05/09/2008 21:51

CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH THIS BIT

*Anyway the important thing is that babies tend to rotate round from in a clockwise direction i.e around the mothers back not around her tummy - which is why you get such a lot of back pain as the baby's head is pushing against your sacrum. They are trying to get themselves into the LOA position which is the optimum position for birth. Physiologically it's difficult for them to rotate the other way.
RIGHT AT THE MO MY BABY IS BACK TO BACK WITH BABY ON MY LEFT HAND SIDE KICKING ON MY RIGHT HAND SIDE SO WOULD SHE NEED TO TURN TOWARDS MY BACK RIGHT ROUND MY RIGHT AND HAVE HER BACK TO MY FRONT ALMOST LIKE A 360 TURN.SORRY BEING DIM

Funnily enough what helps the baby turn is not necessarily getting onto all fours (although this will help relieve the back pain) but lying on your side - first the right side, then the left. This called Rotational Positioning and it's a little bit different than the Spinning Babies approach which tends to emphasise trying to encourage babies to turn before labour. Is your doula training with Childbirth International? If so then she will know all about this technique.
OOH I WANT TO READ ABOUT THIS TECHNIQUE CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT IT IN SIMPLE TERMS
HOW LONG DO YOU LIE FOR ON RIGHT THEN LEFT ETC AS HAVE ONLY BEEN LYING ON LEFT AS THOUGHT THIS WAS CORRECT!

It might all sound like a whole load of gobbledigook but I swear it works. Sorry if this all sounds a bit preachy but it's something I'm a bit passionate about having had two OP babies myself! NOT PREACHY FASCINATING PLEASE TELL ME MORE!!!

OP posts:
Sam100 · 05/09/2008 22:22

Don't know if anybody has recommended this but the info on Optimal Foetal Positioning is interesting and helpful see here.

I had a back to back with our first very slow labour and it was so much easier second time round having learnt about OFP in the meantime.

mumofdjandbabies · 05/09/2008 22:41

ooh ill read thanks!

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mrsmalumbas · 06/09/2008 09:40

Hi Mum of J if baby is back to back but on yoru left (LOP) then that's fine, she just needs to rotate around a bit more so she is still on your left but has her back towards the front (LOA). Chances are this will all happen during labour, so no need to worry. Kneeling etc as suggested by others will maybe help her swing around that little bit more but it's not necessary to go overboard!

It's only when babies are settled in a ROA position (i.e back towards the front, at the right) that they do the whole rotate around the back thing. This seems to happen a lot with people who lead very sedentary lives or spend a lot of time sitting down at a computer or in front of the TV. That sort of slumped posture seems to encourage OP babies.

If this is not your first baby it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of difference, the whole rotation thing matters a lot less than a first baby. I suppose the pelvis is all a bit looser second time around!

timewaster · 06/09/2008 21:48

I know I am being irrational to be offended but after the hell I went through in labour with my op baby, I find it a bit insulting to read that this position is more common ...."with people who lead very sedentary lives or spend a lot of time sitting down at a computer or in front of the TV. That sort of slumped posture seems to encourage OP babies. "
I was as active as a huge 42 weeks pregnant woman could be and followed all the advice given. My baby just didn't turn.

mumofdjandbabies · 06/09/2008 21:53

If it helps I am sedentary
only kidding! I bloomin wish!
my two keep me on my feet far too much lol

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mrsmalumbas · 06/09/2008 22:45

Sorry, not saying it never happens when you lead an active life, just that it seems to be more common with women who don't - that's anecdotal not evidence based! For what it's worth I was doing yoga on my due date and was also very active but had an OP baby. Could be due to many factors. If your baby didn't turn in labour perhaps there was some issue with the position of the head, that can make a difference too and it's not easy to diagnose this until there is a problem. I think back to back presentation is just a variation on normal, just one of those things. That's why I don't hold with too much prancing about on birth balls and whatnot to try and turn the baby before labour - may be at best unecessary and at worst counterproductive. Best just to relax and work with the labour that you get. mumofdjanndbabies this is your third baby so do not stress - as my gorgeous kiwi doula said to me "you'd get a bloody train through that pelvis". !

timewaster · 06/09/2008 23:21

Don't worry mrsm, I was being a bit oversensitive. just brings it all back. must stop reading these threads!

mumofdjandbabies · 06/09/2008 23:22

ha ha

yes but I have had two previous sections this is a supported vba2c
xxxxxxxxxxxx

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frazzledbutcalm · 07/09/2008 13:08

i was induced with dc3 (as i have been with all dc!). She turned back to back as midwife broke my waters to start me off. My labour was only 1hr 40 mins but it was the most excruitiating pain i've ever had! I thought i was really going to die. This may sound dramatic but it was extremely awful. I only felt relief once her head was out. My other 3 labours, babies have been lying the 'normal' way and all labours were wonderful!
Some have back to back with little pain, others huge pain. I think it's not only position that makes a difference, but also what labour would have been like anyway tbh.
You will certainly be able to deliver normally though.
good luck

Herecomesthesciencebint · 07/09/2008 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mumofdjandbabies · 07/09/2008 21:49

5 and 10k runs

goodness go girl !!

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cyberseraphim · 08/09/2008 13:31

I went swimming three times a week and was very active otherwise too but baby was back to back - and very small but did not turn during labour. I do think that if the labour contractions didn't 'turn' the baby then it's not likely that any pre birth attempts would have done much either.

Lotster · 09/09/2008 12:52

I spent the last four weeks on all fours! Did all the hip gyrating,bought a Balans rocker chair to keep knees lower than hips etc... He stayed firmly put in a diagonal OP. Made me wish I'd spent less time stressing about it all.

Doctor turned him by hand then he was born by forceps. Must say I think his massive head was a more of a factor in needing those.

Don't stress too much as baby does what baby wants in the end. Plus my friend's baby turned in labour having been facing the right way all along previously. you just don't know, and it's not your fault for what you do and don't do IMO.

One tip though - my reflexologist and acupuncturist at the time said burning chinese moxa sticks can encourage them to turn (this is often used to turn breech babies too).

Good luck!

rubles · 09/09/2008 14:36

I found this very detailed page last night when I was looking into this subject for my own purposes. Take a look at the bit on 'chunging' - you might want to have your body covered up for it if you are not 100% toned!

www.gentlebirth.org/archives/position.html#Chunging

mumofdjandbabies · 11/09/2008 12:52

ooh right will have a look thanks!

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