Ok ladies, back to back - any tips?

[ginaribena]

I'm 38 + 2 and been told last week baby is back-to-back (trying to decipher MW notes, looks like she has written CEPH OP). This is my 3rd and had pretty good labours before, and MW said shouldn't cause a problem that baby's back-to-back. However, I've heard otherwise from friends who've been there! Any ideas how to turn him around? He's head down, not engaged (4/5).

Scrub the kitchen floor! Seriously, spend as much time as you can on your hands and knees, and try to bounce on a birth ball whenever you are sat down eg watching tv.

Thanks rockchick will try those 2 things! Got an exercise ball somewhere upstairs, is it the same thing or do I need special birthing ball?

You might want to buy a proper birth ball - for one thing you need to make sure you have the right size, for another they have an anti-burst mechanism which most gym balls lack which means that if it does burst it'll deflate slowly rather than dropping you abruptly on your coccyx (ow). Good luck!

Mobilise as much as possible. All of my dc where back to back at this stage in pregnancy, and that's not a problem because they will turn during labour as they descend the birth canal. Two of my babies turned to a better position; one of my babies stayed OP but was born with no significant problems anyway.

my neighbour had a back to back delivery and it all went fine except baby was born with some bruises on her wee face, such a shame for baby but was only bruising that went away after a few days and it didn't seem to bother her.

Lie in the "Muslim prayer position" whenever you can - knees tucked up to your chest and head down.

All the other tips are fantastic! Unfortunately none of them worked for me but I still had dd with no pain relief and no stitches! Don't worry too much, it was a little disconcerting to see a face looking up at me as I pushed it out but otherwise fine she just had a bit of a puffy face and it took longer to get into proper labour, good luck!

well there was no budging my back to back baby, but i can honestly say he was the nicest out of all 3 of my labours!

6 hours from very first contractions to holding him in my arms.
had him at home with no pain relief and he was 9lb 5!

so there's a positive story for you to counteract the bad ones
ok, so he was a little tough to push out, but overall the labour was absolutely fine

Nothing budged my two posterior babies. DD came out face up, after a labour on my back and a LOT of pushing, ds turned after a very short, active labour. So my only advice is to have an active, upright birth. I think, as this is your third you needn't worry about a difficult labour. Even though ds was back to back, him being my second made it much quicker than my first (3.5 hours rather than 14). Interestingly, both had anterior placentas and I've been told babies like to face their placenta. But I've also been told the shape of my pelvis may encourage a back to back lie. Currently on pregnancy number 3 and this one has a posterior placenta, so it'll be interesting to see which way this one ends up being. If it's any consolation, the prospect of a normal birth has now scared the life out of me! I know I can handle a back to back labour, a 'normal' one is unknown to me!

Labour on your hands and knees, in water if possible to support your body so your weight is supported or it will be difficult to maintain that position for too long. As belgo says, baby might turn before you go into labour anyway.

My LO has just turned from being back to back... maybe he just decided he didn't like the view as much, but I'd like to take some credit for spending about 2 hours a day bent over a footstool... the birthing ball (well I just used a gym ball) was really uncomfortable because I couldn't work out where to balance it... my boobs sit nicely on my bump so there was no space for a ball..and as for scrubbing the floor!!!

I put the laptop on the floor on the otherside of the footstool and just watched telly.

katy

Ah thanks for all your tips! F-f-f-f I'm sure this labour can only be easy-peasy this time if babe stays right way around! Will endeavour to get on all 4s, which can only be comical at this stage, think my belly will probably scrape the floor!

On your hands and knees is meant to be the best way to labour for a posterior baby (dd was, and I did).

yes I 2nd, 3rd, 4th...... that motion. Hands n knees, also no more reclining sit on dining chairs facing the back of the chair, pillow for support. Always hips higher than knees. Then when you feel that baby has engaged squat a lot ATB all the best).

swimming