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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Experience with Back to Back Positioned Babies...

18 replies

lilly13 · 01/04/2011 08:30

My baby was in a breech position first, then he turned and was sitting back to back, then he was in a perfect LOA position with his head engaged at 32 weeks. Just went for scan and found out he turned into a back to back position and the head is no longer engaged.... I am devastated as I was hoping for a natural / water birth...

Ladies, please share your experiences with back to back babies. Did they turn? If so, at what week? What exercises you did / didn't do (heard mixed opinions re yogic inversions)... If they didn't turn, how was your labour? Did you manage to have a drug free / forcep free delivery?

Many thanks for your responses!

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LeroyJethroGibbs · 01/04/2011 08:40

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jellyhead188 · 01/04/2011 08:52

Hi - my baby is back to back also - I asked the midwife the other day (am 36 weeks nearly) about it - she said not to worry too much as they usually turn during early labour - the fact he's not engaged is a good thing as he has time to turn round before engaging. You can still have a water birth/natural labour - it just may take a bit longer and be more painful but I've got lots of friends who had a natural labour with a back to back baby - lots of them used a birthing stool which they said was v helpful. xx

tunnocksteacake · 01/04/2011 09:28

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

aideesmum · 01/04/2011 09:47

DS1 was back to back but didn't know this until it was too late, ended up getting stuck and EMCS followed - not trying to scare you, sorry.

Want VBAC this time - Midwife has advised me to get on all fours frequently from now (am currently 36wks) as this is likely to move baby into facing the right way. So get scrubbing those floors . HTH

loonyrationalist · 01/04/2011 09:48

I had a back to back labour with DD1 - but she was not back to back on the scan I had the day previously (scan due to pre-eclampsia which further complicated her birth & possibly contributed to her position as I was being monitored so not as mobile as would be ideal) -

These things can & do change so try not to worry. How many weeks are you?

misty0 · 01/04/2011 10:00

I've had 3 back to back babies. All normal vaginal deliverys - but - i learned the hard way - STAY UP ON YOUR FEET for as long as you can, and don't lie down.

By no.3 i knew the drill and refused to lay down AT ALL even for the MW to put a moniter on my tum. She had to kneel down and put her hand up my t'shirt!

When you're legs are too tired to keep you up - get on all fours. My 3rd was born 10 mins after i did this.

Dont worry - its doable - an experienced MW will understand.

clarkland · 01/04/2011 10:12

my DD was back to back like many others didn't know until after the birth!! Waters broke about 8 hours before contractions!! Felt everything in my back and in hindsight actually spent most of my labour sitting on the loo (only place I could cope with contractions). Had a normal vaginal delivery (with an episiotomy) no forceps required!!!!!

firstpregnancy · 01/04/2011 10:14

Hi, I'm currently 34 weeks and my baby is currently back to back also. My MW says that there is plenty of time for the baby to change yet, and that it didn't mean that I couldn't have a natural birth (although I fully intend to take whatever pain relief is on offer!). She didn't seem to think that there was anything really that would work to get the baby to move, but I've been doing a little bit of research and found a potentially useful website: www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm#practical

The fact that you know about it in advance will hopefully mean that you can plan for it during labour. However, I'm afraid I am a bit of a novice, as it's my first baby, so I may be a little niaive! I'm reading a good book at the moment, which I'm hoping may help also. It is called 'Birth Skills' by Juju Sundin. I bought it in anticipation of having to be more active during labour in case baby doesn't turn (prob a good idea anyway).

buttonmoon78 · 01/04/2011 10:49

I found out my ds was back to back during labour. It was excruciating, I won't deny that but I did do it with nothing more than G&A (will never take pethidine again and though I asked for an epidural it never came!). He was born through all my own pushing - no forceps or ventouse.

I did tear as he came out with his hand up by his eyes so the little toad darling scratched me all the way down with his nails too.

I couldn't help him turn as I had very bad SPD so was not able to move during labour. If you were to labour upright or on all fours it might help your baby turn during labour.

Don't panic - it will probably all be fine. FWIW, I think dd2 was also back to back, but she was also born with no intervention. There is no reason at all why you wouldn't be able to go for a water birth if your baby is back to back but be prepared for it to make very little difference at all to the pain.

And do everything you can now to help him re-engage. Get yourself on your birthing ball to open your pelvis to encourage him to drop into place!

buttonmoon78 · 01/04/2011 12:28

I forgot to say that it's quite normal to want to push way too early if your baby is back to back. I was trying to push, so they did a check (hadn't until then as 3rd time mum so they thought I would know what I was doing ). They checked and found I was only 3cms. That 3-10 cms was the longest 4 hrs of my life!

So, in essence, if you go into labour at home and feel like you need to push quite soon demand an exam. At best you could knacker yourself for the real pushing later. At worst, you could bruise your cervix and end up with a section because you might not dilate enough due to the bruising.

jeee · 01/04/2011 12:33

I had two back-to-backs, and two normal. Both the back-to-backs were easy deliveries. This despite the fact that I lay down, and didn't move about at all (my choice - all I wanted to do was take great drags of G & A).

Back-to-back can sometimes be a problem - but it certainly doesn't mean you will have a difficult delivery.

Debs75 · 01/04/2011 12:39

DC4 was back to back and an easy delivery. Getting there was long as I was induced due to her not growing but the actual labour, once it started was quick and pushing was about 3 pushes. She was only 6lb so that might have been a factor

thumbwitch · 01/04/2011 12:39

I have also been told that spending time on all 4s, and even doing a lovely move called "the happy cat" can help move a back-to-back baby round.

Reflexology may or may not help - I had one client who had a breech-presenting baby, she came for her last reflexology before the birth (at 36w) and the baby turned straight after the session but that could of course have been sheer luck. (I do mean straight after, she told me she could feel it moving round as she was leaving and her scan the next day showed that the baby was then head down)

Actual experience of back-to-back birth, I don't have, sorry.

Debs75 · 01/04/2011 12:42

Misty0 I wish I had known to stay off my back, I was laid down for 24 hours as was on the drip and within 8 hours on an epidural. I was contracting, due to the drip but nothing was happening until about 3 hours before she was finally born. I was numb and bored as I had no way of telling how I was doing as no pain and I kept falling asleep.
The big shocker is my consultant was happy to keep me like that for 2 more days unless baby got distressed as I had delivered 3 previously

misty0 · 01/04/2011 16:31

Debs that sounds awful. I spent 3 days in labour with my first. Didn't understand what 'back to back' realy meant back then to be honest. (Baby is now 18 yrs old)

I was quite young and I spent much of those 3 days sitting or laying at home and in hospital - no one advised me any different. I was in sheer agony in my back (obviously) and so tired from fruitless labouring on my back that in the end ventous was needed. Baby was distressed and i tore inside and out and bled and bled. And cried and cried.

BUT - this could all have been avoided with a different aproach to labour for a back to back. As i said b4, my next 2 births - while no 'walk in the park' were no worse than an average labour. You just HAVE to let gravity do it's work. ie - stay vertical, or on all 4's!

It's what i'll advise all 3 of my daughters - and what i'll be doing myself again in 6 months time ...

Original poster

lilly13 · 01/04/2011 16:42

Ladies, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me. I will follow all your good advice and try to stay optimistic! Wishing you all good pregnancies.

OP posts:

bumble34 · 01/04/2011 21:05

i had a back to back with dc2 long slow labour but natural delivery no problems on gas & air Worst bit was when they asked me to recline on the bed so they could monitor me Wish i'd stayed upright and moving as far more painful when on the bed.

Got spd this time and have read that a misaligned pelvis is more likely to lead to a back to back baby so doing lots of yoga Spend most evenings on my ball or on all fours to encourage better positioning. Check out www.spinningbabies.com lots of advice on how to encourage little one into a good position and the exercises have really help my spd as well

StickThemWithThePointyEnd · 01/04/2011 21:14

In celebration of the OP baby

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