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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

"Back to back" baby ...

27 replies

kando · 10/05/2010 14:21

Hi, my dsis is pg with her first baby and has been told that the baby is back to back. I know this means that the baby's back is against her back, but what other implications does it have? Is there anything she can do to get the baby into the "right" position? (And what is the best/right position for baby to be in?)

She is due in 2 weeks, and I am going to be her birth partner (along with her dp). I didn't want to ask too many questions when she told me about baby being back to back as she was very distressed .

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ohmeohmy · 10/05/2010 14:28

Being in this position can make labour painful with lots backache and tend to be longer because baby can't get out quite so smoothly. Hypnosis works to spin babies,swimming, visualise the baby in the right position, lots of leaning forward, scrubbing floors, avoiding slumping in chairs, see spinningbabies.com for more ideas.

slushy06 · 10/05/2010 14:29

My first was back to back although we didn't know until he was born.

It can mean waters more likely to go first.
More likely to go overdue.
Longer labor.
Back labor and often no break in cc.
Some women also find a op baby more difficult to birth.

However not to scare you I went 10 days early my waters did break as the first sign cc started immediately. They were all back cc with no break I am afraid but I still didn't find it that bad and 30 mins pushing no tears.

I have had a normal delivery and although back to back was worse it wasn't that bad imo.

I didn't know till ds was born as I said so don't know any useful turning positions.

Hope it all works out well and baby turns first but if not then no big deal IME.

going · 10/05/2010 14:32

Mine where all back to back and tunred in labour.
I have had three babies and longest labour was 5 hours.

BessieBoots · 10/05/2010 14:34

My 1st was back to back and I'm sorry to say that it hurt 100% more than my subsequent baby...

lifeistooshort · 10/05/2010 18:34

Unfortunately my experience was like Bessie's long and very painful.

Original poster

kando · 11/05/2010 12:50

Oh dear. Fingers crossed the wee one turns before/during labour - I've been harping on about it "being fine, you'll be fine - I never had any problems, neither has anyone else in the family ..." poor love!

OP posts:

littler1 · 12/05/2010 01:42

DD was back to back 2 weeks before but turned the right way whilst i was swimming 1 wk before due date, unfortunately she turned back the wrong way again during labour. Was a long labour but i had an epidural and drank tea and joked with the midwives for the majority of it.

tell sis to try swimming,midwives also advised lying on left side in bed, sitting on birth ball to watch tele etc instead of sofa and good old fashioned cleaning on your hands and knees

littlemissm · 12/05/2010 11:16

My last daughter was back to back & head was also presenting wrong her head was tilted so was coming out part forehead /side of face rather than crown of head. Labour really bad 11 & a half hours & back ache labour had a forceps delivery in the end.This was my 6th child & by far the worst labour didnt go overdue though & was 3 weeks early & weighed 8lb 15oz

CUNextTuesday · 12/05/2010 12:16

On all fours with your forearms and chest on the floor whilst circling your pelvis, as often as you can. Not pretty, but apparently effective as it gives gravity a helping hand

e3chick · 12/05/2010 12:32

Two of mine were back to back and I had a slightly longer labour due to it (7 hours and 5 hours respectively though, so still not LONG labours). Waters went first too.

BUT. I did not have any backache due to their position, just more trouble pushing them out. I saw a statistic somewhere that 20% of women don't experience back pain, so take heart from that.

In labour try getting her to lie left lateral, or in the early stages sit on a ball and circle the pelvis.

DingALongCow · 12/05/2010 19:04

Both mine were back to back, both labours quite long (22 and 18 hours) but not very painful at all. The pushing stage was actually painfree and in the case of my second child totally amazing. Dilation was quite slow and I avoided medical intervention to speed it up by staying at home until 8cm with #1 and having a homebirth with #2. Pushing stage was recorded as 5 minutes and 3 minutes so no problems there although did get a 2nd degree tear with #1 which healed very quickly and well and was more to do with frightened and uncontrolled pushing.

I would recommend staying active and upright as much as possible, avoiding lying on her back as it got so much more painful then-I gave birth kneeling and leaning forwards. Birth balls are great for leaning over and sitting on. Pressure on the lower back helped from birth partner and #1 recommendatio n is for a TENS machine-great for long back labours.

mama2moo · 14/05/2010 22:20

My 2nd baby was back to back - Only found out when 8cm dilated!

She turned on her way out and it was fine. No more pain. I did have back ache in late pg though. My labour was 1hr 50 minutes and I only had gas and air.

beccas · 18/05/2010 15:25

Love back to back stories, mine was horrific!
I had pain in my bum hole, I sobbed non stop for 12 hours and not one midwife offered any advice.
However, there is lots they can do so first thing first, make sure you ask midwife to play active role and advise.

there is lots to google on the subject, look on homebirth.org.uk website for details on optimum fetal positioning.
As her birth partner, get her on all fours hips higher than head. Massage her back - probably continually.
And if nothing happening after several hours, get an epidural!

Good luck

Original poster

kando · 20/05/2010 21:24

Small update - baby has turned and no longer back to back. Sis is smiling big time. Now all we've got to do is "persuade" him/her to come out!!! Due date is today, so fingers crossed he/she doesn't keep us hanging around too long!

OP posts:

sillysow · 25/05/2010 11:33

Hi Kando, any news?

Bubbles1066 · 25/05/2010 16:01

Hey, my baby turned back to back during labour! The midwife and I could see him turning! So cue a 36 hour labour and eventual ventouse as he got stuck. I only had gas and air though and it wasn't that bad

pigleychez · 25/05/2010 16:21

Both my babys have been back to back.

First birth- 2 weeks late, induced. Waters broke first, failure to progress meant hormone drip,epidural,ended in vontouse to turn her then forceps delivery, shoulder dystosia, 3rd degree tear. 27 hours in total.

Second birth- 4 days early, Waters broke first, fully dilated in 2 hours, no pain relief, Vontouse delivery, second degree tear. 6 hours total!

Back to back doesnt necessarily mean a long labour.

ilovesushi · 30/05/2010 07:32

My first was back to back and I did everything to shift him; swimming, yoga, hanging over my birth ball for hours, scrubing floors, acupuncture but he stayed put.

I hoped he would rotate in labour but my midwife forgot he was OP and my labour was managed quite badly and as a result he got stuck and I had an emergency caesarean.

My biggest tip is keep moving in labour. Do whatever feels right to you at the time; bouncing on a birthing ball, resting in all fours, standing up doing the hoola. All good for getting little one into a good position. I wasn't able to any of this and it may have made a difference.

Even more important is to make sure your birth partner understands the HUGE importance of getting baby to turn so they can fight your corner in case anyone tries to get you lying on your back in labour. Get them to get regular updates from midwife on baby's position.

Go with your gut instinct. I pushed for over two hours knowing he was not going anywhere. I really should have bailed early and saved myself the weakened pelvic floor.

Good luck to your friend!

xxx

Jesse1978 · 26/02/2015 21:45

I was 9 days overdue with my 2nd baby. MW, consultant and hospital all missed my baby was back to back even though I had classic back pains throughout my pregnancy. 30 hours labour, only 4cm dilated had a very stressful emergency section even though I kept upright on bouncy ball for majority of that labour

husbanddoestheironing · 26/02/2015 21:52

Strongly suggest making sure the mat unit can offer epidurals just in case it does go on much longer, (mine didn't with 1st who was back to back and I wished it could, it was long long long) and then hope it's not needed and the baby turns

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 26/02/2015 21:55

ZOMBIE THREAD

This baby is now nearly 5!

blowinahoolie · 27/02/2015 14:21

Do women not have back to back births any more??

Sleepingbunnies · 27/02/2015 14:23

My experience of a back to back birth was horrendous. Also left me with a catheter 10 weeks post partum :(

blowinahoolie · 27/02/2015 14:25

My first was back to back and it was terrible - left with 3rd degree tear afterwards. the memories....

Second was back to back but turned due to my positioning during the labour thanks to the midwife looking after me and all was well - still got a 2nd degree tear though!

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 27/02/2015 14:26

Of course they do Blowin, but what's the point resurrecting a very old thread asking advice for a specific woman when there are literally dozens and dozens of more recent threads, or more general threads, on the same topic. That's all.

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