Back to back labours - are they realy awful??

[DrSkidaddle]

Am 39+5 - saw MW today and she told me - for the 1st time- that my baby is back to back. This is my 3rd baby and my other two were anterior. I had been hoping for a labour like my last one which was straightforward, pretty quick and with no pain relief. Am now panicking that this will be impossible if my baby is back to back.

Can anyone give me any positive experiences of a back to back labour (and any negative ones - might as well be prepared...)

Thanks

DD was back to back, and it was painful but seeing as she was my first I don't know if it was any worse than an anterior birth.

Apart from the car journey to the hospital and lying down for my internal exams, I stood or was on all fours for most of the labour, hoping that she'd swing round.

I got by with a TENS machine, G&A and then used the birthing pool. I think she finally swung just before she eventually came out.

Good luck!

Dc1 was anterior, dc2 was posterior. I don't think the pain was worse, just different. Dc2's delivery was much quicker and needed no intervention, unlike ds1.
All the best

DS1 and 2 were inductions, DS3 was b2b and an induction, his was my best labour by far, I felt so in control, I was moving around and kneeling up over the head of the bed come pushing (couldn't have led down even if my life depended on it) had DH rubbing the small of my back with each contraction, and actually the only place that hurt after he was born was my back where DH had been rubbing!

I have a feeling DS1 was b2b but that was a whole different experience.

Would do DS3's labour any day of the week, it was wonderful.

My dd2 was b2b and i did find it a lot more painful to be honest,but dd1 was 22hrs with an epidural and dd2 was 6hrs with only gas and air so may be that had something to do with,also they didn't realise until her head was coming out! Also she was bigger than dd1[8lb 2] and I'm only little
Definitely think it will help that it's your 3rd,just think positively as it's definitely possible,good luck

Birthing ball, birthing ball, birthing ball!

Start now! You can buy one fairly cheap at a sports store and there are instructions on the spinning babies website for things to do.

thanks all - think my hindwaters have gone so labour might be sooner than I anticipated (due tomorrow). Off to the MLU to get checked but will bear all your excellent advice in mind. I can't imagine 30 mins of Corrie on all fours did the trick last night but you never know!

Thanks again

My ds was back to back, and although I'd been in slow labour with him for best part of a week, and the contractions refused to get any closer than 10 minutes apart for best part of 24 hours, I refused syntocinon to 'speed things up' and things eventually got going despite negative sounding mw's informing me that the head was 'high' and not making good contact with cervix etc. Delivered 9lb 13oz ds with just gas and air. The contractions were difficult to manage in the last 4 hours because they sort of 'lingered' and ran into each other, but the TENS machine was a Godsend. I'd already turned the thing off after traipsing around the hospital with it for two days, but the mw urged me to try again, and it did help me deal with the intense back pain. Also, I was standing, leaning over the bed and dh had to put really hard pressure down onto my lower back which helped. Got into the bath for five minutes which also helped to relax me, but had to get out quick-sharp when they said I was fully dilated and because of other risks couldn't deliver in water. Its not impossible to do - but you do need to keep moving around and experimenting with different ideas to help with the pain. I sat on bloody birthing ball from 20 weeks in the hope to avoid b2b, but it didn't work, (plus antenatal yoga etc). Good luck though - not too late to turn yet!

DD2 was brow presentation (forehead first, back to back too) all the way out due to her very very short cord that wouldn't let her move into a better position...

4 hour long labour with 1 hour of that pushing (was harder work than my first, but still fine), the pressure in my back was ok as long as I had someone ramming all their weight into my tailbone! Really, it was great.

Only have one DS, so I don't know how the pain compares, but I'd say the pain was definitely in my back. I ended up with an emergency C-section too, and I think the position of DS was a contributory factor. I pushed for 3 hours and he was very low in my pelvis, but just got too stuck in the end.

my dd2 was back to back and a vbac and was fine a bit of gas and air and forceps but ok, far better than a ec section

My first was back to back & the contractions were really awful in my back. With an epidural it was fine. Gave birth no tears, no problem.

Last yr my dd was also back to back & I was worried about this. The birth was very fast, no need or time for pain relief. I gave birth standing up leaning on the bed with my arms iyswim. No tears & everything fine.
Best wishes.

Both dd and ds were back to back. Induced for both as overdue, dd took 3 days, forceps 9lb 6 and ds 8lb 13. Very quick for ds from 4cm it took an hour and 44 mins. No pain relief (despite me begging for something!!) and it was all in my back. Very very ouch for both but at least for ds it was quick and I never have to think about doing it ever again!!!

Good luck!!!