Back to Back baby..experiences of others?

[lennon80]

Hi ladies (I have asked a similar question regarding how to turn the baby) but I want to know if I cant...how bad is back to back Labour for your first baby? How much longer might I be in Labour? I am 35 weeks now and he just wont turn back around (have tried all the bum in the air on all fours stuff).

I could do with turning him as its also making my SPD so much worse. Feeling rather panic stricken now at the prospect of a back to back birth.

Please be honest..I want to prepare myself (eg get the epidural if its clearly going to be much worse than normal labour).

Thanks.

Hi there, my firsy baby was back to back but this wasn't picked up until I was admitted at 5cm. They talked to me about higher risk for intervention, epidural etc...and I kept saying to the midwife that she was coming out my bum (because that's what it felt like!) pain was very, very intense from early on and my understanding from midwives was that it was more painful from an early stage of labour. I had an overwhelming urge not to sit or lie down and I walked/rocked the whole time even though the midwives were begging me to lie on bed. I had diamorphine and in the end she turned and came out very quickly,in two pushes, I was given no direction to push, I just all of a sudden screamed that I had to push. It was probaly too quick in the end though because unfortunatley I ended up with a third degree tear, however the midwives said that me being mobile probaly helped turn her.Labour from losing mucus plug to holding her was about 25 hours.

Your baby can still turn in labour - my second did and she flew out in 2 pushes

DS, my first, didn't turn, and my latent stage of labour was looooong but active part was 10 hours

I had just gas and air with DD and the same with DS but also a shot of pethidine

I would recommend staying mobile during labour and try a water birth ... I am convinced this made my second delivery so much easier

My baby didn't turn and I ended up with an epidural but only because I stopped progressing at 7cm due to his position and had to be induced. Before this I laboured for 16 hours, with just gas and air after the first twelve hours, and didn't find it that bad at all, but I did do the natal hypnotherapy CD and think that really helped, and I couldn't sit down or lie down either, I just paced for the whole time. It's more tiring than painful because it takes much longer as a labour.

My 4th dc was back to back,it did take longer to get to 5cm than it had with my previous dc.

And sorry to say for me was alot more painfull,so caved and G&A.

also would reccomend staying active.
I gave birth to dd standing on the bed with my leg over dh shoulder .

heres hoping baby turns x

My DD was back to back, and I had to be induced due to unidentified bleeding - the prostin gel was enough to get labour going - that was applied at 10pm, and baby arrived at noon next day. I did it with just gas and air, although did beg for epidural at one point to be told it was too late, but I gather that's quite common at transition stage regardless of back to back or not. Keeping active definitely helped.

Thanks everyone...I just hope he turns. The midwife has lead me to believe that if he doesnt turn before he gets further into the pelvis then the likelihood is that he wont and the first few hours of contractions will be spent turning him and will be painful. I have heard that back to back is much more painful..god as if its not bad enough...yup heres hoping he turns.

DS was back to back but didn't know until afterwards although had horrendous backache through most of pg.

Laboured for hours with g&a then epidural, stayed at 9cm for ages so given drugs to speed things up. Made previously minor bleed major, plus heart rate dropped to 40bpm so emergency cs. DS had been stuck face upwards, had slightly bruised forehead.

Someone will be along with a more positive story soon

I hope your LO turns soon.

PFB was back to back, it was OK. Labour was short, a midwife didn't examine me until I was ready to push and I got gas & air at that point, three and a half pushes it was done. I tore fairly badly and the stitching hurt more than giving birth.

Being upright, pacing and holding onto a sink worked for me. Had a huge desire to give birth on all fours and I did, don't know if that was anything to do with PFB being back to back or if I was just getting in touch with my inner wolf

I've only had the one so can't compare it to anything else but it really was OK and I hope to do it again, maybe not the tearing.

Good luck.

Get all drugs possible

Both mine were back to back and didn't turn, despite all the usual exercises. No turning in labour either.

First was a long, slow labour, not helped by hospital insisting on continuous monitoring because of size (he was over 9lbs and they were threatening me with a c-section), but because of the position, the monitor lost the heartbeat every time I sat or stood up, so I was flat on my back the whole time, very uncomfortable, and dilated unevenly. But I ended up getting through with no pain relief and no intervention apart from episiotomy and a brief attempt with the ventouse (they gave up after a couple of tries as they couldn't get it to stick).

Second one, also back to back, was much much easier and faster - probably the second-baby effect, but also this time I insisted on being upright and mobile (only occasional monitoring). No pain relief, episiotomy again, no ventouse or anything, and another baby over 9lbs.

Thanks Ladies .. some good advice and also good to hear for some it wasnt too bad. I am terrified because as if normal labour isnt bad enough without it being worse back to back. I just hope he turns soon.