back-to-back / oblique position - making me terrified about labour

[katster37]

Hi,

I am 34+2 with DC1. Had MW appointment yesterday and apparently baby is slightly oblique, to the right hand side and back to back. So in quite a strange position. He has started to engage, but at a v odd angle. I have googled (silly me) and everything seems to suggest I will have a blo*dy awful labour, definitely need an epidural (which I reeeeally wanted to avoid - was hoping for waterbirth/gas and air) and prob end up with ventouse/forceps and a massive episiotomy. I am now v anxious, even more than before. I know there is time for him to move, and I have been on the birthing ball / on all fours etc but just wondering if anyone has any other advice, or birth stories when their baby was in a similar position? Please help! Thank you.

Obviously I meant even if the baby doesn't turn.

This baby was face down at last doc's appt, but seems to be mostly on the right side now - am sat on birth ball as I write

Wow - thanks so much for all the advice. And for sharing your birth stories. I think it helps to be realistic too - if OP labours are generally longer, I would rather know this in advance and then if it's short, it's a bonus! Am about to listen to my hypnobirthing CD as I too am vaguely neurotic and think one of the important things for me (if not everyone), is finding ways to relax as well.
I am so so scared though! Seeing MW next week at 36 weeks so will see if he has turned by then. Thanks again.

See if your local library has 'New Active Birth' by Janet Balaskas.
There are pics in there with ideas of how to use pillows to remain upright/forward leaning and rest/snooze at the same time.
Hopefully your baby will turn in labour anyway.

Good Luck

Very interesting thread. I too had back to back labour, very long, very painful. They made me lie down on my back as baby had to be monitored (which I think was unnecessary), and it made the pain so much worse. While I was still upright I was doing ok with gas & air. Ended up screaming for epidural. Baby finally came out with episiotomy and ventouse. I'm determined to have a more natural labour this time and hopefully not OP! Thanks everyone!

I've had two B2B labours now....with the first one I was desperate to be a "hero" and do it the right way with no pain intervention.....avoided a c-section, but still needed epidural after 2 days in labour, not to mention horrific ventouse/episiotomy - spent the next 6 weeks sitting on a rubber ring with a baby that looked like an alien, and screamed all the time because he had a headache from the ventouse...2nd time round, decided I was going to have all the help I needed...had mobile epidural before I felt any real pain, wandered around a lot, bounced on birth ball, watched "deal or no deal" on tv, had a sandwich and then when the time came got up on all fours and he slid out .......no tearing, no ventouse, no pain.....so, I guess the point I'm making is don't try to be too virtuous about the whole thing, and just do whatever it takes to make the experience pleasant for yourself......hours and hours of back to back labour with no pain relief will leave you exhausted and less able to "do the right thing" (i.e. get in the right position) when the important pushing bit comes. I am certain I ended up with a ventous first time round because I was on my back, too exhausted to take control....good luck! You will be fine - and it's all worth it in the end!!

My second birth was back-to-back- noone told me at the time, it was only afterwards when I questioned the midwife that I found out. I was told to lie on my back and had loads of monitoring leads everywhere so couldn't move. by the end legs in stirrups too so was like pushing uphill and in the wrong gear!! So all in all not a great experience and yes, it was painful. But I do think the pain was exacerbated by being treated like a piece of meat and the general lack of any civility or empathy from the sole midwife assigned to me (begrudgingly, they were short-staffed and she was meant to have finished hours ago or so she kept saying...). I had a strong urge to move around but she wouldn't let me; lying down definitely made things worse and I guess slower too. So make sure you DEMAND to be mobile and the pressure on your spine will be a lot less intense. Good luck!

First keep positive about the fact that the baby might still turn and do all you can to help that (Spinning Babies web site has some stuff I think). Second if the baby is still back to back when you go into labour keep as upright and active as possible and the baby will then have every chance to turn.

I have had DD1 baby back to back, epidural at 4cm, lost all mobility, attempted ventouse and finally c-section. Not the best.

DD2 was also back to back so I was terrified and expecting the worst. I had a long, though not troubling, prelabour on the final day of which which she turned and then came out 4 hours later at home with no pain relief at all.

Two totally different experiences from basically the same startpoint.

Do not despair or panic - the position now doesn't actually mean much so no point scaring yourself needlessly. Plus you will cope with whatever happens on the day and you will have a lovely baby out of it.

Good luck!

Babies move - my second was breach until the last moment. Hospital were trying to get me to have a C section.

My mum bizarrely was adamant that the baby would move, because her second (my sister) was breach and she moved at the last minute. I took her advice, refused the C section and at the last moment - she moved and a normal delivery ensued.

My third baby was 'back to back' - but I had her at home and so moved around loads, which really helped. It was still very painful, and had I been in hospital I would have asked for an epidural. (I did not have an epidural for my first two deliveries.)

As I was at home, I managed with pethidine, gas and air and my DH pressing a hot water bottle against my spine, which helped a lot.

My sister's first baby was 'back to back' and she is still in love with the doctor who gave her an epidural!

Good luck.

My dd was back to back and the back pain was extreme. Had an epidural and was perfect as could feel the pressure of the contractions but no pain. Gave birth in an upright sitting position with no other interventions - everything was fine. Good luck.

How are you now katster, are you feeling any better about things?