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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

question re back to back labour and birthing balls

17 replies

lennon80 · 21/10/2010 17:05

Hi my baby is currently engaged 1/5 and is back to back. I am 35 weeks. Is back to back labour really awful and did any one else have a back to back which turned around?

Would a birth ball be helpful? Are they worth buying at this stage? I also suffer from SPD so would it help with that?

Thanks Ladies.

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Expecting06112010 · 21/10/2010 17:29

Hi, im not currently in this situation myself but it came up in my antenatal class, The midwife said that ladies whose babies are back to back should go on all fours and move their hips from side to side, she said more often than not they do turn around and dont worry about it at this stage (the lady whose baby was back to back was 36 weeks) she said if the baby was born that way the labour would be more exhausting for mother!
not to sure if this helps!

MummyB2010 · 21/10/2010 17:34

I've got one and love it.

My baby was back to back but has now (40+1) turned to a better position. Can't say if it was the birthing ball on its own, but I also find it so much more comfortable sitting on it instead of sitting leaning slightly back on the sofa (which btw is the worst position to sit in according to my mw)

Mine wasn't too expensive & came with a book of post birth exercises so i think it will have some use after as well.

hazchem · 21/10/2010 17:37

I was just reading up on this today!
I think that you cna try and move it about a bit by some particlar exersize all fours as Expecting says. Have a look at the NCT site www.nct.org.uk/info-centre/information/view-98 for some really good info on it.

I just have an anti burst fitness ball (the will cope with up to 300kilos) which i'm using every day or two. helps ease my back pain and it's sort of fun.

BarrelOfMonkeys · 21/10/2010 17:59

Spinning Babies website has some tips on exercises to get baby to turn, including some using birth balls.

Original poster

lennon80 · 21/10/2010 18:14

Thanks for the help and advice. Re the birthing ball does it support your back though if you sit on it?

OP posts:

saucetastic · 21/10/2010 21:31

My physio for spd suggested sitting on a birthing ball whilst gently shifting weight from one foot to the other. It makes you activate your 'core' muscles. So it won't hurt you to use it and may strengthen.

Original poster

lennon80 · 21/10/2010 21:33

thanks saucetastic. I have ordered one off ebay so will give that a go. Anything to ease the SPD pain and to move this baby back into position as where he is now is causing me too much backache and worsening my pelvic pain.

OP posts:

GingerCursedEeeee · 21/10/2010 21:35

I had a back to back labour and got to 10cm with only a tens machine - so actually for me it wasn't that bad - I have nothing to compare it to as twas my first DC, but it was bearable. I do remember having a back ache at some point but it wasn't acute by any means.

Good luck!

Original poster

lennon80 · 21/10/2010 21:43

Oh Gingercursedeee that has cheered me up! You are a trooper! They say back to back is much worse so if you have another one that isnt you will sail it!

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harecare · 21/10/2010 21:44

I had exactly the same with spd too. Do what you can to alter position, but when it comes to it it's not so bad in the end. Both my labours were back to back and about 24 knackering hours - a lot of the contractions were to move the baby to the right position. I worked really hard to be upright/on all 4s and active during the labours. Oddly with DD2 things started to move best when I gave up being active (ambulance was called so planned home birth not on and told I'd need intervention as so knackered - I literally gave up!) and just lied on the couch on left side. Went from 5cm to 8cm in 30 mins after 5 hours of being at 5cm and she was born at home, hooray!
My Mum had 9 labours, all back to back and said lying on her left side was what she did too.

Original poster

lennon80 · 21/10/2010 22:17

Yes Harecare, the midwife mentioned something about a lot of the labour being to move the baby but then I thought if he is fully engaged it would be too late? So did yours come out 'sunny side up' or did they turn during labour?

OP posts:

Casmama · 21/10/2010 22:27

I had a very similar experience to Ginger - got to fully dilated with just a tens machine despite ds being back to back. I didn't find it unbearable but did feel all the contractions in my back - not really the front at all. I don't know about the rest of labour as unfortunately when they monitored ds heart rate it was dipping after contractions so they had to get him out with forceps.
Good luck and I hope you have a nice easy birth.

scarysnufflebeast · 21/10/2010 22:34

I spent a lot of time on a birthing ball and almost all my labour on all fours but DS still came out back to back.
Nothing to compare it to yet (DC2 due in Jan) but I didn't think it was that awful either. Only had tens (which drove me insane really quickly) and gas and air (great stuff!).

YummyMummy1208 · 22/10/2010 08:58

Hi Im due on Monday and at my last appointment i was 38 weeks, 3/5ths engaged and baby was lying back to back, mid wife said there was plenty of time to turn baby around and that i should spend lots of time either on all fours, leaning over birthing ball or basically making sure my belly is facing more towards the floor than my back.

so at 35 weeks id say you have a very good chance of turning baby around if i did at 38 weeks, havent really been doing as much as i should which i may regret in labour but im sure baby will adopt whichever position she likes for labour and what i do isnt going to change it so il let her get on with it i think! :)

GingerCursedEeeee · 22/10/2010 16:46

Casamama I had forceps in the end too! We were at home for 45hrs of labour, then had meconium in the waters, went into hosp for monitoring, and DD never actually descended - heart rate increased etc etc so they ended up recommending going into theatre. At that point i was quite relieved it was going to be over!

Original poster

lennon80 · 22/10/2010 17:38

YummyMummy let me know how you get on, if she does turn before your Labour. I wish you the best of luck!

OP posts:

harecare · 23/10/2010 20:01

Hi, I think they both turned during the labour - not sure as obviously I couldn't see! First baby came out quick once head out - like a pack of sausages. 2nd baby had head out, but still pushing going on which had me really panicked. I think I was worried that the rest of her would just stay there and we'd only get a head!
Obviously all was fine on both occasions and 2nd was at home. I just wish I'd spent less time being active and more time resting/trying to get sleep in the early stages.
My advice to myself for a 3rd pregnancy would be to do lots of floor scrubbing, all 4s etc during the pregnancy, but to get more sleep in the final weeks and definitely more rest when contractions begin. Don't start sweeping floors on hands and knees and cleaning while having early contractions in the hope that it'll keep you active and upright as well as impressing the midwives with house sparkliness. Assume the baby won't come for another 24 hours so rest while lying on left side for as long as possible.
I don't know if the same advice would apply to you, but use it if you think it'll help.

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