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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

OP deliveries - always long and painful???

40 replies

verycherry · 29/12/2009 21:51

Am 38+3 and mylittle buggerbaby has just turned back to back. I have had 3 previous very quick and easy deliveries, 90 mins, 55 mins and 45 mins.

Can not believe this baby has gone op, the midwives have said he could easily turn again, probably in labour, but of course he may well not.

Has anyone had a quick labour/delivery with an OP baby?

OP posts:

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doesntplaywellwithothers · 29/12/2009 21:59

Sorry, verycherry...I had two OP deliveries...both long (dc1 14 hours, but had an epidural, dc2 was 6 hours, only gas and air and I was at home). My biggest problem was postioning...I just couldn't get comfortable. Also, the epidural made things worse for me, which is why I didn't want one the second time around.
I am sure that there are people who will have experienced faster OP deliveries! I think there are exercises you can do to make the little one turn, but can't for the life of me remember what they are!!

Sorry to be a downer...good luck, and congratulations on the new baby!

thisisyesterday · 29/12/2009 22:04

i had a 6 hour labour with ds2.
it was actually my nicest labour out of the 3 of them! honestly!
he was OP for the duration, didn't turn at all.

pushing stage was long, 1hr 20. took a LOT of effort, but I did it (with no pain relief! and he was 9lb1, and his head was 38cm!!!)
lol, i was very proud of myself

but no, it was fine. i suspect if yours stays op you may have a longer pushing stage, but it'll be fiiiiine

i had everything going with ds1, so i am certainly not one of these 2 paracetamol and out it comes people lol

actually, what helped me most i think was stayin upright, i had him leaning over the sofa which was the only position i felt even fvaguely comfortable in

Original poster

verycherry · 29/12/2009 22:10

Thanks doesnt, am encouraged to hear your second was at home with just G&A, am all booked for home due to previous speedy deliveries, was hoping this one would just pop out.....

MW said get down on hands and knees to attempt to turn him, which I have been been doing today to no avail so far.

Should not have had smug this-is-my-4th-I-am-a-pro-easybirthing thoughts should I??!

OP posts:

weegiemum · 29/12/2009 22:12

My OP delivery was long and painful - but it was my first (twas 37 hours with ventouse)

At the time the midwife said even another OP would not be so hard as everything was looser. So hopefully your 4th will be easier than that!

All the best!

yomellamoHelly · 29/12/2009 22:16

Ds2 was op. Labour was 3 hours from beginning to end. Would have been quicker but mw insisted I get on a bed so she could examine me and I couldn't get off (too much pain / too big ......) and everything stalled (had a 50-60 minute sleep instead!). Would definitely insist you stay on your feet if you're able.
Good luck!

Original poster

verycherry · 29/12/2009 22:17

Thats fab to hear thisisyesterday, I am wondering now if ds1 was OP he took 1hr 10 mins to push out whilst squatting - could'nt feel my legs by the end of it!

I was too shocked to ask much about that labour but the next 2 were much easier ds2 was out in 10 mins and ds3 in 2 pushes.

That was a big head to deliver, v well done to you! and no pain relief eeekk!

OP posts:

Original poster

verycherry · 29/12/2009 22:21

Thanks weegie, midwife said today baby prob gone OP as uterus bit baggy with it being my 4th!!! Am hoping said bagginess will hasten delivery!

Yo - 3 hours is sounding good to me, how the bloody hell did you manage to sleep mid labour???

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 29/12/2009 22:22

mine was at home too. and i think the relaxed atmosphere and everything helped with the pain a LOT.
i was much better prepared than with my first

GracieGirl · 29/12/2009 22:34

My pregnancy buddy had her baby yesterday morning (at 39wks +4), he turned OP about a week before delivery. We were in Asda 8 hours before the birth as we were both in need of a walk and didn't want to slip on the ice (I'm 35 weeks), she thought she was getting a lot of braxton hicks but it didn't stop her meandering the aisles of ASDA. She passed a small clot at 11pm after we'd got back so she rang midwifery triage and they advised her to go in for a check even though she wasn't in pain. She was 5 cm dilated. Baby delivered at 5am with only Gas and air.
Good luck!

Original poster

verycherry · 29/12/2009 22:46

Thanks everyone, am feeling much calmer about it all now - had read the forceps/ventouse thread where nearly everyone who had needed intervention had an OP baby........

Am getting tons of BH tonight but have been since xmas day so not holding out too much hope, GracieGirl thanks for the v positive story!

OP posts:

figrollinthehay · 29/12/2009 22:53

My first was OP and established labour was only 4 hrs 40 mins. DC2 wasn't, but DC3 was OP and managed to turn in the early stages (even then it was quick - turned away from hospital for not being in labour and he was out one and three quarter hours later). Don't worry ...

Horton · 29/12/2009 23:10

Am quite shocked at people thinking 14 hours is a long time for a first baby! That sounds very manageable and fairly quick for a first-timer to me!!

Anyway, I came to say that DD was OP until the day before labour at least and turned herself at some point and came out the right way round without me even realising that she had (took 17 hours from first twinge to actual baby and was not excessively painful).

gaelicsheep · 29/12/2009 23:19

20 hour labour with 3 1/2 hour pushing stage. Delivered naturally in the end though with just an episiotomy to help him out.

gaelicsheep · 29/12/2009 23:23

Oh, and painful? - hell yes. More painful than normal? - I couldn't really say as it was my first, but I hope so as I'm now pg again. I did "manage" (if that's what you'd call it) with gas & air though. I'd be surprised if you had huge problems with your previous easy deliveries. Best of luck!

DingDongBinaryOnHigh · 29/12/2009 23:27

My first was hellish and usual presentation, my second was OP and over and done with three hours after the first twinge.

The midwife told me that it makes little difference unless it's your first. Good luck!

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 29/12/2009 23:31

verycherry - I laboured my 1st as an op right to the last few pushes. The pain was beyond all description. Thank the lord for the epidural that saved my sanity. It was 18 hours-ish so not too bad really considering t'was my first and she was op. Needed loads of syntocinon to shift her though, she was mighty stuck.

2nd was op till labour and probably did about 4 full 360's in the couple of hours of proper-active-labour-not-pissing-about labour I had with her. I reckon the real progressive labour was about 1.5 hrs, although there was 5 hours or so of contractions leading p to that.

What a difference to dd1!! Just entonox and a whole load of clary sage. It shows how having birthed before chnages everything so so so much, and should encourage you not to be too frightened by the hard stories first timers have. You are so unlikely to experience the long flogging becuase you have birthed before.

Your midwife is spot on, bubba is very likely to turn in labour. Possibly in second stage. You might find your labour is really stop-start on-off then whoosh, once the position is right.
Or you may deliver in the op position. You obviously have a lovely gynacoid pelvis that wil cope with the larger dimensions just fine.

It's all good. Here's to a fab birthing for you. So exciting, I'd do it all again tomorrow.

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 29/12/2009 23:35

Apologies for typos and for making first timers sound like they only have hard stories. That's not what I meant, only that it is so much more likely to be longer and harder first time. Iyswim

DavidTennantAteMyHeart · 29/12/2009 23:37

My DS1 was OP all the way through labour. It wasn't hideously long as I had a ventouse after about 12-14 hours. 38 cm head here too. Not good for a first time! And not helped by constant monitoring and not being allowed to stand up.

gaelicsheep · 29/12/2009 23:39

One other thing as well, which you probably don't need telling as you've been there before. FGS listen to your body and adopt the position it's telling you to during the first stage. As treedelivery said can happen, DS during the second stage which is why it was so damned long. I remain convinced that if I'd ignored the midwives telling me to go for the most painful and embarrassing walk of my life, and instead stayed on the bed on all fours propped up by the pillows, my DS would have turned a whole lot sooner.

But perhaps that's wishful thinking...

gaelicsheep · 29/12/2009 23:41

Ahem - DS turned during the second stage, is what I meant.

hobbgoblin · 29/12/2009 23:41

my 4th was OP and the longest most dreadful labour of the lot. Was a planned home birth after 2 DS born at home in delightful fashion but ended up in hospital.

sorry to disappoint but gee it was a shit experience for me compared to others.

Original poster

verycherry · 29/12/2009 23:49

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and all your best wishes, am feeling sooo much better about it now. Had managed to freak myself out about it earlier so am v grateful to you all.

In bed now mn-ing from my iPhone really really should be trying to sleep instead!!! Am feeling as if something may be happening though, having proper twinges and feeling odd maybe it ll be stop start then whoosh like you say tacky?

Will let you know when it does happen, am quite excited now!

OP posts:

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 29/12/2009 23:55

How exciting. Little nap, labour starts, baby out, back in bed for a nice early breakfast around 6am. Sounds like a plan.

Purplebuns · 30/12/2009 00:06

My labour with dd, (my first) active stage lasted only 2 and half hours.. She was OP, I had G&A only, was pushing for quite awhile, but was fine. Good luck to you

TINKERBELLE33 · 30/12/2009 00:24

My DS was back to back at 37 wks - midwife told me to lean forwards whenever poss eg over birthing ball when watching TV, and not to sit slouched as baby's back naturally sits against lowest part of your abdomen. I didn't listen as I find slouching more comfy! Labour was def more painful than DD but only lasted 91/2 hrs from first twinge (19 with DD)though he was doing superman impression so delivered a head and a hand. Coped Ok with pain, just focussed on breathing through it.

Good Luck X

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