Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

Original poster

Back to Back at 35 weeks

16 replies

perfectmummy · 10/12/2009 16:41

Hi,

I have just had a midwife appointment and she has said my baby is back to back.

Could you pls tell me your experiences of this and ways which I can increase the chances of the baby turning prior to birth.

I am not too concerned as I have a breech baby previously and guess this is slightly better. My daughter was born at 36 weeks and I'm a little worried time maybe running out for this one to get into a better position for birth

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

DillieTantie · 10/12/2009 17:31

I have had 2 posterior labours, with my first and my sixth (and final) DCs. All those in between were normal anterior labours. There is a big difference - the posterior ones were far more painful and in each case, the baby only turned just before transition. As well as being more painful, the contractions tended to be irregular in frequency and length, even at 8cm.
I was told that my fifth was posterior, and was advised to spend some time each day on my knees with my chest on the floor, and rock my hips from side to side. Needless to say, I did this obsessively from 36 weeks onwards, partly because, having got down there, it was sooooo hard to get up again . I also worked my way through an ER box set, which was no bad thing.
By delivery, he was in a nice anterior position. Whether the hip-waggling worked, or whether it "just happened" I don't know, but had I known that DC6 was yet another posterior, I would have happily done it again.
Good luck with your labour, however the baby presents.

cornerstone75 · 10/12/2009 20:55

my DD was back to back, but didnt realise until after she was born and she came out facing up instead of down. was nice though as the first thing i saw was her face! the labour was v.long, 30 hours, but tbh as it was my first baby didnt know the difference! i did tear badly but not sure if her position was to blame - tbh i dont think it was just that, but thats another story.

i would definitely do whatever exercises you can, I dont think it's too late, but also dont worry too much, just be prepared for a possibly longer labour. Having said mine was 30 hours, the contractions built gradually and i laboured happily (if that;s the word) at home, and was 8 cm by time i got to the birth unit.

Good luck

jadey24 · 10/12/2009 22:19

There is still plenty time for baby to turn. It may not been born for a few more weeks even if first came out at 36 weeks. Be careful no to compare lol. Get on all fours and wiggle ya bum about lol thats one way of trying to get the baby to turn- it may or may not work. Lots do turn just before being born.

My lo was back to back and came out like it too. It was painful, long and the contractions were very erratic right from the start coming every 2 mins then 10 back to 2 mins then 8 mins lol & it was like that for 2 & a half days and they had to pop my waters in the end. I was slow to dilate but bubba was fine all the way through and came out naturally with just gas & air in the water which seemed to help move things along once i got in. Pushing can be longer too as baby isnt fit properly to get through birth canal ( i pushed for 3 hours ) my mw said its like putting a right shoe on a left foot- it dont fit properly but it can be done lol.
Anyway typically they can be difficult labours but for others they are no problem at all so dont worry as it might be plain sailing for you and there isnt usually any complications

DingALongCow · 11/12/2009 16:43

Both my DC were back to back. In both cases I had long latent stages, where the contractions were very dealable with, like period pains and quite irregular. If I stood up they were every two to three mins but sat down they were four to five. With DD this lasted about 20 hours and DS 18 and with DD got me to 8cm and DS 6cm. Then with DD I had five hours of 'proper pain' in my pelvis and back and she was born back to back. With DS he turned in labour and an hour after being 6cm I pushed him out. That hour was quite painful but once I started pushing all the pain went away. DS was a homebirth which I think made the difference, lots of walking, leaning forwards and supportive birth partners. I had both DCs with just TENS and G &A and pushed for 5 minutes with DD and 3 with DS so back to back can be very different for everybody.

One thing that I think lengthened my labour with DD was lying down on my back on the instigation of the midwives in the hospital. It hurt much less to be leaning over, walking around and I gave birth on my knees leaning over the back of the bed. Good luck!

OhToBeAYummyMummy · 12/12/2009 18:48

A midwife friend of mine has recommended this website www.spinningbabies.com

Hope you get the little monkey turned around

jadey24 · 12/12/2009 20:15

Thats a good website- wish i knew about that 2 years ago

slushy06 · 12/12/2009 20:26

My ds was op but we didn't know till he was born 24 hour labor constant pain but I didn't find it that much harder than dds normal 10 hour birth. Partly because when the pain is constant you get used to it where as on dd it was hard because there were such big differences constantly so I had to keep adjusting.

Maybe I am weird though . Hope the baby turns for you there is still lots of time also I didn't tear on ds or dd it did not make much difference to pushing stage dd was obviously a lot easier but I think that was because she was a second baby rather than because she was facing the right way. Hopefully your baby will turn though.

lovechoc · 12/12/2009 20:47

I would also add, as I've noticed no one else has said this, but don't lie on your back too often because this won't help the baby turn. I lay down ALOT near the end (exhausted) and I don't think this helped my situation when DS was back to back (was told at 36 weeks). I was a bit annoyed no midwife hadn't said this to me a bit sooner, to spend more time on my front or side, rather than back. Fingers crossed baby turns for you. DS turned as he was delivered so it's definately not too late!

jadey24 · 13/12/2009 12:38

lovechoc it was the same for me. At one point i had lay down for 5 hours and in that time i had only dilated another 2cms. No mw told me to get moving etc.

AlmostMumof3 · 13/12/2009 20:37

Hi
Just wanted to say I've had 2 homebirths with back to back babies and was absolutely fine with no pain relief. I am normally a total wimp!
x

kimlouiseb · 13/12/2009 20:53

Both my DS were back-to-back, so quite interested in this thread. Do you think some women have a predisposition for it - shape of womb etc. Just seemed a coincidence.

Had very long painful labour with DS1 as he didn't turn and came out (ventouse)facing up. I was quite annoyed as my midwife told me he was back-to-back but didn't mention any methods/exercises for turning him - would have done them every possible minute if I'd known. I was restricted to lying on bed too which didn't help.

I was induced with DS2. Labour was quicker and I am convinced it was because I was able to walk around and he turned just before he was born. My waters had to be broken with both as well - did anyone else find this with their back-to-back babies?

jujubean · 13/12/2009 21:34

I had a sweep 4 hours before DD2 was born and she was back to back during sweep. Labour kicked off 2 hours later and was v. quick intense contractions so assume she moved around. She came out facing right instead of left (which is meant to be better). Much easier labour than DD1 who was in the "perfect" position. Had spent latter half of preg with DD2 fretting about position and spending ages in uncomfortable positions to try and get her to move around, wish I'd saved myself the bother now.

twinklegreen · 14/12/2009 07:20

My ds was back to back (and slightly oblique) on the way out. He turned about 3 pushes before he was born, it felt very strange, I said to midwife in horror 'please don't tell me he's gone back up!!!' she said 'no he's just turning' soooo relieved.

My dd2 was back to back at my 40wk midwife appointment, i already suspected she was I had been bouncing on a birthing ball/on all fours/sitting backwards on chair/accupuncture for weeks trying to turn her. The midwife said to me that there had just been a new study done, which had concluded that there's not point trying to turn them as they just go back anyway, so not to waste my time. She also said that 80% of back to back babies turn during labour anyway... Well dd2 was born that evening and she had turned during labour, although I didn't feel it this time like I did with ds.

Good luck

twinklegreen · 14/12/2009 07:22

ooooh should also add that both these labours were 4 hrs start to finish, so pretty quick.

Original poster

perfectmummy · 14/12/2009 13:11

thank you all so much for the info. I feel a lot more confident and have just had a scan this morning to confirm the baby is not breech again like DD. Head down so at least I can be thankful of that.
I'll keep you all posted. Have been thinking about starting a thread when I go into labour to try to help me prior to going to the hosp. so you might hear from me again soon x

OP posts:

threeplusone · 14/12/2009 13:57

Both my VBACS were back to back.. the first turned just before delivery.. the second was born back to back he turned as I went into labour!! Both times the delivery was very quick.. esp the second 3cms to delivery was 20mins.. The forst was 3 pushes and the second was 2 pushes.
I am hoping this baby will be in the correct position.. tnen again I do wonder how fast it will be if he is!!
Good luck hun x

Flip