Help! Baby in awkward position.

[samACon]

My midwife has just confirmed what I had suspected, which is that my baby is in the O.P position, with her back directly against mine. I've had this before with DS1 and I've been getting the same 'symptoms', bad back pain, waddling like a duck and the feeling that baby is trying to kick my ribs out from the inside!

My problem is that this led to an extended labour before and (what felt to me like) excessive monitoring. They ended up sticking a monitoring device directly onto his skull, and I nearly committed GBH on the person doing it.

I really don't want to do that again. My aim is to stay in the hospitals home-from-home unit which only monitors using sonicaid (sp?) and practises minimal intervention. If I need more monitoring again they'll move me to the normal delivery suite which I really want to avoid. I don't expect a perfect birth, but I want to be able to stay as active as possible and do it my way as far as I can.

Does anyone have any advice on moving her into a better position - I'm trying to do the 'on all fours' one but I find it quite painful. I've only got just under 4 wks until my EDD and I'm starting to worry. DS2 was induced and I had every drip and monitor under the sun, and I had to labour lying on a bed and I swore I'd never get stuck like that again, so please HELP!

I do NOT see why you couldn't have the birth you want..

1. Second time around OPs often are really not an issue as they turn into labour - your uterus is much more efficient (and labour is faster)
2. DON'T get induce................ I have said it 1 million times STAY away from the induction - this is why yhou get extra pain and extra medical intervention.
3. All fours is great but you need to also make sure you do NOT slouch in your sofa. Knees LOWER than your hips when you sit. Cars are bad - so avoid long journeys. and sleep on your left. You can also do a check on the interent under "optimal foetal positioning".

BTW - I had an OP labour (but I wasn't induce) it took 6 h 1/2 to push DS so I am very sympathetic.

Thanks,
I'm actively trying to avoid being induced, DS2 was 10 days late (DS1 was 8 but came on his own) so I've been eating raspberry leaf capsules by the handful - I checked on that thread with interest.

I'll try the sleeping and sitting thing too, can't do much about the driving as I'm the only driver (V. longstanding grumble with DH!)

10 days late is not a reason for indction.... but some women are still induced before 14 days.

I am confused.... which baby was OP ? DS1 ??? but he came on his own??? DS2 was NOT op was he ? was there any other reason then 10 days late for the induction ?

Swimming and walking upstairs sideways. Ok, sounds mad but I had an OP labour with dd1 and would have tried anything to not have another one. Its a bit late for you now but I swam all through pg with dd2 and she was in a lovely position, good luck x E

I think sitting on a dining chair backwards is good (leaning forward sightly over the back). On all fours leaning over a birth ball to take the strain worked for me. I also think that you're "meant" to sleep on your left side for some reason!

Imagine your uterus as a hammock. Slouching back means they lie comfortably back to back, if you lean forward, the comfy/natural position for the baby is to lie the other way round.

SamACon, I sympathise because I had this with my dd, and ended up with epidural and ventouse delivery. When I was expecting ds he turned into the op position and I was determined to get him to move! As Pupuce suggests I made a conscious effort to lie on my left side and tried not to slouch back on chairs or sofas. From about 35 weeks I did loads and loads of walking pushing dd in her buggy and this I think did the trick. Ds turned and in the end sped out in 45 minutes on the floor at home

SoupDragon - what a brilliant description! My midwife swore all the way through my pregnancy that my dd was in the right position, but then on my due date I got a stinking cold and spent 3 days laid up in bed and I'm sure the blighter turned round then. Because I ended up with the classic OP labour ... 48 hours of irregular contractions, failing to go anywhere, then 10 hours of full-blown contractions every 2 minutes, still failing to dilate at which point they pronounced the baby posterior presentation. Then another 10 hours on an epidural and hey presto, finally ... a baby.

I'd do anything to avoid that a second time round (not planning it just yet though!). Am making a careful note of everyone's comments here!

Sorry to be confusing!
DS1 was the OP one but I went into labour OK by myself, it just went on longer than it should have done (apparently - it was my first so I had to trust what I was being told although it was only(?!) 12 hours which I thought was pretty average for a first time labour). DS2 was induced 'cos St Thomas' don't like you to go over 14days, and 10 days over was a saturday, and they could fit me in. Now I've written that down it sounds awful, conveyor belt birth anyone?

Swimming always sounds good, but I'm ashamed to say that at the age of 32 I can't actually swim and I'm terrified of water - I can't even have really deep baths without getting nervous....

Everything will get tried as today I am feeling particulary sorry for myself - can't sit down, can't stand up. Standing behind the sofa leaning on the back is OK but a bit limiting. Entertaining DS2 (age 3) by playing PS2 with him and trying not to feel like a bad mother!!

was typing reply when pidge posted,

That was a long labour and after hearing that I definitely know that whatever they said my labour was NOT being extended by DS1s position.

The thing I'm trying to avoid is being forced to lay on my back whilst they mess about with monitors.Whilst I could move around I was fine with entanox, as soon as I'm made to keep still I started seriously wanting an epidural.Hopefully 5 years down the line they are a bit more understanding about the benefits of an active birth.

SamACon... who says you have to even sit on the bed when they monitor you ! It is a common missconception that when you see a bed in a hospital room you must lie on it!
I get my mums to sit on a birth ball for their 20 mins trace - which by the way IS NOT mandatory (the trace that is)..... though most women understand that they don't have a choice... they do.
And you do have a choice in all of your care. I HOPE that this time you won't go for an induction... there are plenty of hospitals who will let you go 40 + 21 days ! I was allowed but went into labour at 42 weeks.... If you are at all concerned you can have a scan every day from 42 weeks onwards.

And 12 hours for a 1st birth doesn't sound like a long one at all ! And actually quite quick for an OP one at that !

Don't forget that this is your baby and your body. If you are unsure yo can always ask for an alternative or what are the risks of what they are suggesting... so if they say we'd like to induce you... you can say : and what are the risks ???? to which they must reply the increased management, increased pain and baby may not like it - maybe cesarean at the end..... what is the alternative ? you wait until you go in labour spontaneoulsy, you can be monitored daily - you can be offered an induction a few days later....

I must learn to say 'no' to people in authority!

Or hire a doula to do it for you

samACon - this site might be helpful
here

Thanks, that link is very helpful. It has explained exactly why certain things are going on in my belly that I didn't realise were even connected to the OP!

Everyones advice has really made me feel a lot more positive about this birth, thanks again.