Back to back

[LeoniPoni]

Hi everyone.

I'm 6 days overdue with DC1 and just seen the midwife. She told me that me and the baby are 'back to back' which could be the reason why my contractions have been coming and going for the past week or so without properly kicking in.

I had a sweep (ouch btw) and have an induction booked for Wednesday.

Has anyone has an experience of birth with a baby 'back to back' with you? Not sure what to expect!

My 3rd was back to back sorry to say it was a long labour for that reason... but hopefully that was just me and you will be fine

yes, my second baby was back to back

it was actually the best of all 3 of my labours.
6 hours from first contraction to him being born.
I did push for nearly an hour and a half, but it was all ok and he came out fine, if a little crumpled on the forehead!

what helped me was staying upright, walking round a lot, I gave birth kneeling up over the sofa
listen to your body and do what you need to do, am sure all will be fine!

actuaklly lots of OP babies turn during labour so yours may well do that, but if not it's not always a problem

My ds1 was back to back.
I didn't know this until well into the labour.
My mum had told me that contractions normally start in the back and then move forward. Fine.
I started getting really bad pains in my back on the wednesday but not much else happening. By friday morning, these sharp pains across my back were coming every 6 minutes. I asked dp to stay home from work, he did not so I called my mum to come over. We sat all day waiting for something else to happen, but by 7pm I couldn't take anymore and went to the hospital.
I waited 3 hours to be seen and was finally given some pethadine (i do not recommend btw), but the mw said I wasn't in labour. They kept me in because I wasn't dealing with the pain and i was 4cm 3 hours later.

The fact that contractions were coming through my back made it very difficult to get comfortable. I couldn't really lay on my back, and leaning forward made the baby's heart rate drop.
I spent most of the time either on my side or trying to sit up straight.
7 hours later, they told me I could start pushing, but my contractions were only 20 seconds long so there wasn'tg much time to progress. 3 hours after that, I was taken to theatre and ds1 was delivered by forceps.

From speaking to others, I gather forceps are common in back to back, but that is nothin at all to worry about.
i was a bit sore for nearly 2 weeks, but was fine.

My advice would be to try to stay off of your back, maybe look into getting a birthing ball to sit on.

You will be fine though. It's not as bad as I have made it sound. It couldn't be or else I wouldn't have had another baby after that.

Goodluck

Thanks everyone! I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's not going to be too hard going like thisisyesterday!

I appreciate the details as well mumoffourgirls and silverymoon - forewarned is forarmed after all!

I've actually just had the bloody show (TMI sorry) so I'm hoping that means things are happening. How long after having it do things usually start kicking off?

I had a b to b which ended up being a ventouse extraction and lots of stitches. Looking back a C section would have been less painful.

No-one realised ds was spine to spine but I spent the latter half of my pregnancy whinging about backache.
After getting to 9cms and stopping, it all went a bit pearshaped (undetected partial placenta praevia= big bleed) and he was born by emergency cs with a whole 6 minutes for me to adjust to the idea. He was stuck face up
Hope it all goes well for you LP. Sure some of us have had better experiences and you will come back to us with a positive tale

Hi both my DS's were back to back & had no problems - they both turned on the way out & I had no stitches or tears

Both of mine were back to back. WIth my first I lay on my back and she didn't turn- came up face first. Ouch.
With the second, I stayed upright, and she turned in labour, no problem whatsoever.
So my advice is to stay active and upright. WOrth noting that my midwife said it coudl be the positioning of my pelvis that encourages my babies to be back to back, as no ammount of trying in pregnancy would shift them.

All 3 of mine were, and only the third turned during labour in time to come out, and was the only one who wan't ventouse. Also the only one I used a ball and the pool with. And by far the least painful, and quicker than the other 2.

Get a ball. Quick!

Both my babies were back to back.... I must be more comfy that way!

DD1 was awful- 27 hours. painfully slow dilation, every pain relief going, was turned with vontouse then forceps.

DD2 was completely different- 6 hours total. fully dilated in 2 hours at home, No pain relief untill a spinal for vontous help.

Recovered quickly and well with both. Doesnt necessarily mean a tough tme

I went up to the delivery suit 3 hours after I had a show and ds1 was born 10 hours after that.

Hope you're ok and things move quickly for you.

My DS1 was back to back - labour pretty quick (3 hrs) but I had to push for an hour. Gave birth standing up as my back felt like it would break lying down - I recommend being upright! All in all it was a positive experience and I only needed gas and air, so don;t despari too much. DS 2 was also back to back but managed to turn in the last week -I spent a lot of time on hands and knees and bouncing on a ball. Good luck

My DC2 was back to back and though I had a qick labour but pushing her out was ghastly. I could feel myself tearing as I pushed. Sorry. Had 3rd degree tear and went straight up to theatre to be stitched up with a spinal block in.
The midwife helped when I was pushing by pouring cool water on my bits.

Things might have been better if I'd pushed her out while squatting as I believe that can open things up better. May not help the perunium though?

All well healed and well forgotten now though. Have a great delivery.

I had a back to back with dd2 and it was just 5 hours of labour - as I had just got a bit of back ache and went to bed - only to wake up three minute contractions and when I got to hosptial i was 6 cm dilated - so don't worry

Yes, do get a ball quick. Also, check out this website even quicker!

My first was back to back- no-one realised until I'd been in labour for a long time . It's great that your midwife has noticed because there are lots of things you can do to help them turn, too many to list here so I will refer you to the expert: spinning babies.

Might be because I'm a bit dim but I found the website really difficult to navigate at first. I've spent lots of time on there recently as am pg with DS2 and wish I'd known about this website last time! Anyway, for your convenience, the page on posterior babies is here and what to do about it whilst you're pregnant and during labour

There's a ton of information so it can be a bit overwhelming but it's very useful stuff. She does make the point that a posterior baby doesn't necessarily mean a hard labour but I'd say it's well worth investing a bit of time in getting your baby into an optimal position.

Best of luck

Just saw your post about having a show- skip straight to the things to do during labour page!

Would just add that being on all fours/ leaning over your ball is great if you do have a back labour, it helps take the pressure off. Tens, heat packs and firm back massage also v good.

And keep us posted please

Thanks everyone for the info about your experiences!

hairymelons thanks so much for the advice and links! I'm having a good read now.

Had a night full of cramps in my tummy and back and irregular contractions so hopefully things are moving along!

Ooh, exciting! Will await the birth announcement...unless you want to do a live birth thread, that is

I had back labour with dc1 leoni. No one told me about getting on all fours to ease back pain so i didn't try it, it's supposed to be OK with SPD but you shouldn't crawl so you need DP to help in case you get stuck. I can't see you being able to do many other positons with spd, so get a gym ball quick. Like silverymoon i had pethidine and it didn't help much. I think if i had bad back labour again (like not being able to lie down to rest between contractions) I'd give it 12 hours and then demand an epidural, i sat it out for far too long and didn't gain anything.

yes I've had a back to back, a stargazer!
Harder work than normal labour for me, more pain and more intense labour.

Good luck!

DD was op to start with, only managed to turn as far as ot. Was a 28hr labour (upright throughout except for examinations) with 6hrs of pushing, eventual ventouse and manual rotation attempt and an em cs. But and it's a big but she was in a very difficult position (ear first and transverse) which were the key problems. The op bit just meant the first stage was longer and more painful. Lots of people have straightforward op deliveries and many op babies turn in labour.

Hmmmmph! The contractions have disappeared although I am still crampy in my back and tummy. It's constant though, not coming and going. I was sure things were happening.

LooL00 Good to have someone with experience who has SPD as well! I'll remember to try on all fours.

ShowOfHands Scary story! I feel for you that it was such a long ordeal. I'm hoping for a labour much, much more straightforward!

Thanks for the good lucks as well everyone. I'll defo keep you updated.

I promise you that dd was a malpresentation and it wasn't the op position that caused what happened. There is no reason to believe that you won't have a normal, straightforward, vaginal delivery.

Just concentrate on doing things you want to do for now. Paracetamol and a bath might help. And if you have a shower stand in it with the flow directed at your lower back. It can really help. I found it a real godsend when in the early stages with an op baby.

My baby was back to back, and although I had a very long labour, I managed 50 hours and got to 10cm with only a tens machine. So although I am sure you don't fancy the sound of labouring for so long (and you probably won't have to!), what I am trying to say is that the unbelievable pain people warn you of with a back to back baby was in fact reasonably bearable for me.

Getting into the bath REALLY helped with the pain, I can't recommend water enough!

Best of luck and wishing you a safe birth.

I hope that didn't sound showy offy, I didn;t mean it to be. In hindsight I wonder if i was a bit daft!