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!

ShowOfHands I am much comforted, thank you I am living in the bath! Helps with the spd too!

gingerkirsty Not show offy at all. Good to hear that the pain was manageable!

Not show offy at all. Reassuring I think? I got to 10cms in the pool, no pain relief. In fact I pushed for 6 hours with no pain relief. I only had pain relief for the em cs and I figured at that point it was necessary!

So it is manageable.

Good, that was my intention. Wonder how the OP is doing....

Get on all fours now and rock. made my little one turn as i dilated.... (pillow under the knees or you get carpet marks)
it'll be great. think positive and be strong

Hi,

hope this thread isn't scaring you, completely agree with Nuttyone get on all fours and rock, if you have a birth ball drape yourself across it and rock.

I had back to back with my 1st, it was very long and drawn out, so brace yourself, an earlier post said her turned in the end, she was lucky, didn't happen for me.

Be wary of epidural for this position because it will dull contractions but not the pain in your sacrum. Can you lie down at all? usually with back to back it's extremely painful to lie down, that's why for me the epidural was so hard.

It's a tough, intense position which makes labour stop and start but you'll get there in the end.

Best of luck

Also, at home I stayed in the bath most of the time, it was the only thing which eased the pain, in fact I was doing really well at home, it was at hospital things went pearshaped.

Stay active and calm, breathing really works, you are lucky that you know the babies position now, I had no idea at the time but I knew something was slowing things down.

Whatever happens, every birth is different, my 2nd one was really fast, (within the hr from waters breaking) and actually an enjoyable experience. But I feel I broke the ground with my tough back to back birth.

Bet you'll be lucky and yours will turn!

Good luck

I got workman's knee pads for floorer's from a hardware store, and stayed on them cleaning floor for long as I could, as last baby was wrong way round as well as back to back.
Stayed upright as much as possible during full on labour and managed to give birth with just gas and air, resulting in a wee bit of tearing.
I do remember during labour thinking how wonderful it would be to have some kind of thing to dangle from, attached to ceiling,supported under the arms.
Ended up being DH and pooed down his leg.
Once they turn, there out in a shot.
The baby that is..

Hope you are ok, OP. My first was B2B and I had similar crampy days up until labour started. Very classic. I also had one normal and one weak contraction each time which again is classic and made it easier to cope with! I had no back pain really, but I had a TENS from the start which I think took that away. I can't recommend them enough if you're not going to waterbirth.

Definately your position is really important during labour so do look at the sites you've been pointed at.

On a much more positive note though, my labour was 12 hours, perfectly manageable, no pain relief other than TENS (not even gas and air) and only the tiniest internal nick which was because his hand was by his face, not because of the B2B. So it's not always really difficult.

I was induced as DS was 12 days overdue, went well until I felt I needed to push (which is apparently common with back to abck labour), midwife examined me and said I was fully dilated and to push. Change of midwife 1 1/2 hrs later examined me to find I was only 5cm dilated and told to stop pushing. Had been as mobile as possible up until then, although being induced I was monitored a lot which made it hard.

Contractions slowed down and I had syntocinon drip and epidural, DS was born face up but without assistance and a small labial tear. Epidural worked fine though, didn't feel a thing - which made it hard to push as had to be told when I was having a contraction.

I had a birthing ball and spent a lot of time while pregnant laying over it and sitting backwards on a dining chair but he was a stubborn little thing! Second recommendation for TENS, hope all goes well.

Thanks for all the advice ladies! DS1 did indeed turn during the labour! So I was lucky and it wasn't much of an issue. He's a very healthy little boy born on the fourth of July - 2 weeks and 2 days overdue!

Thanks again for all the advice and support! You made my feel prepared but stopped me freaking out. xxx

Great news Leoni! And congratulations on your baby boy.