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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

back to back labour and birth

18 replies

BringOnTheMincePies · 29/12/2011 18:55

Everyone has told me how awful it is....
Anyone who has had both a back to back labour and a normal one, could you please tell me how they differ and which was worse and why.
I had such a horrible time with my DD, so bloody painful that i can't imagine anything being any worse, however DS is lying back to back and refuses to move so am now shitting myself, please help.
TIA xxx

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showtunesgirl · 29/12/2011 18:58

My DD is now 5 weeks and she was back to back and I was induced. The induction might have had something to do with the intensity of the pain with mine though.

For me, I couldn't feel any contractions across the front of my tummy, it was all very much concentrated in the back. It felt like extreme period pains is the only way I can describe it.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the easiest of labours so after I had back to back labour pains for about 8 hours after induction, I had an epidural and then after 22 hours in total, I had to have an emergency c-section. :(

scentednappyhag · 29/12/2011 19:01

I've only had the one, and that was back to back- I just couldn't leave you worrying it hurt, very much, but I did it without pain relief and lived everyone's experience will be different, but don't get yourself in a state, it'll be over before you know it anyway. Get on the birthing ball and try and shift DC that way! Good luck

MynameisnotEarl · 29/12/2011 19:05

I was told my third baby was back to back when I was in labour (4cm when first examined in hospital).

Tbh, it didn't feel any more painful than the other two, the only sign I had was that alternate contractions were weaker for some reason. She turned later on and was born normally.

I managed with G&A - wasn't the least painful of the three but thankfully short.

liveinazoo · 29/12/2011 19:14

my 2nd (of 4) was back to back.pain is centred on the back.i sat on a birth ball and rocked gently side to side whilst dp rubbed base spine firmly.managed 12 hr labour with no pain relief though the air was very blue and i had a sore throat!try not to panic i advance,of all my births believe it or not,it was my best experience as managed the pain better be in my back than round the front and moving was more beneficial even though it took longer.good luck!

bamboobutton · 29/12/2011 19:18

i had a back to back labour with ds and i had injured my back the week before making my whole back go into spasm i managed on G&A.

ended up with emcs though as ds was stuck tight.

Crosshair · 29/12/2011 19:18

I have no idea, but find going on all fours and rolling my hips helps with back pain.

thisisyesterday · 29/12/2011 19:23

my second baby was back to back,

he didn't turn in labour so came out a bit squished, and I had quite a long pushing stage.
but it was the nicest of all 3 of my labours

he was also 9lb 5 and had a giant head.
I gave birth at home, with no pain relief at all.

so honestly, while it can be more difficult to get them out, it really doesn't mean a harder or more painful labour.
I had a lot of back ache which wasn't nice, but it wasn't any worse than the "normal" contractions I had with the other 2.
I kept really active, and gave birth kneeling up and leaning forwards which I think helped.

good luck with it :)

AnnieLobeseder · 29/12/2011 19:23

DD2 was back to back, which we didn't know until she popped out the wrong way up and confused the midwife. And the entire birth was WAY easier than with DD1, which was 27 hours of torment ending up with me flat on my back being threatened with intervention.

DD2 was a home water birth, 6 hours from waters breaking to birth, the back-to-back thing was a minor hiccup in an otherwise easy peasy birth. I'd take DD2's back-to-back over DD1's 'normal' birth and day!

The point of my rambling....? Probably just that there are many factors which make a birth difficult or easy, from length of labour to your midwife team to your location to your position. The position of the baby itself is just another detail. If you get the other details optimised, baby's position won't stop you from having a relatively easy, low-pain birth.

SootySweepandSue · 29/12/2011 19:25

My DD was back to back. I was induced due to high BP at 40 +10. I initially had a lot of back pain. MW said I was coping well with contractions these were not painful in relation to back pain which was constant (I think baby pushing spine out). Yes it was bad but that's why I had an epidural. Praise the lord for those as once I had that I just relaxed with the occasional top up if I felt back ache (a bit like when you are sat in the same chair at the theatre). I managed to push DD out without any support, so no additional intervention needed. I did a ton of yoga when preggers but I think she moved B2B when I got a bit lazy, sorry bored, waiting for her to pop 10 days late.

Matronalia · 29/12/2011 19:37

Both of mine were back to back, both needed limited pain relief and the second was a homebirth.

I found a TENs helped immensely. Also not lying on my back helped too, I delivered my first on my hands and knees.

Generally they followed the same pattern, waters breaking with slight pop and trickle, no gush of waters, irregular contractions, irregular dilation (with my second it took 17 hours to get to 6cm and one hour to deliver after that, with my first I don't know as I was 8cm on entering hospital, five hours from that to delivery). Labour both times was long (22 hours and 19 hours) but contractions were manageable with the first and painless pressure with the second. I was told that had I been in hospital I would have been offered more intervention due to the way I was dilating, but I read this and M Odent's Birth Reborn.

Being frightened is really counter-productive and can disrupt the flow of birth hormones, so try to relax and take it as it comes.

Original poster

BringOnTheMincePies · 29/12/2011 19:47

Thank you guys, I'll relax a little now.
would love to just get an epidural as soon as i go into labour, but unfortunately not an option, unless i travel an extra 30 miles to hospital, as my local midwife led unit don't offer them. :(
i guess i just have to get on with it whatever happens, last time i wasn't allowed to get up as DD needed to be monitored constantly and they were trying to take blood from her head, so maybe if i can actually move around this time it will be easier or at least quicker.
Thanks again for all your replies, so glad you're all so positive! xx

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michglas · 29/12/2011 19:50

DD2 was back to back and was a lot more painful than with DD1. Part of that reason was that they kept trying to get me to turn on my side with DD2 because her heartbeat wasn't picking back up. As the pain was more focused in my back, it really hurt to move onto my side.

ahhhhhpushit · 29/12/2011 19:57

DS was back to back and 9lb. Excrutiating but I did it all on gas and air. Long pushing stage though as he was turning on the way out. He also had his head tilted back slightly which made things a bit harder.

The contractions were on top of each other so as soon as one finishing another one started (common with b2b i'm told?!). That was really horrible. But as I said i did it on g & a only so couldnt have been that bad!!

liveinazoo · 29/12/2011 20:19

i as monitered during my back to back labour whilst sitting on a birth ball

Dalrymps · 29/12/2011 20:36

My first labour was back 2 back. I found being on all fours and having my dh constantly rubbing the bottom of my back helped me cope. It was intense but I managed with gas and air. Having said that my labour was short (about 5 hours) and if it had of gone on longer I might have opted for pethedine or an epidural. You don't get any prizes for being brave!

My second dc was in the back 2 back position in the weeks leading up to his birth but I managed to turn him by using the 'optimal foetal positioning' tips. I basically sat forward all the time and kept my knees lower than my hips. Also spent some of each evening sat on my birthing ball and kneeling on all fours whilst leaning against my birthing ball. 2nd labour was still quite intense as I was induced with the drip bit I felt a bit more in control and had less back pain.

How long till your due date?

michglas · 29/12/2011 20:39

Dalry, I was 17 hours back to back and got stuck at 7 cms for over 4 hours, so evantually had an epidural. I was so grateful as I hadn't been able to move for most of the labour due to the heart monitoring.

Wolfiefan · 29/12/2011 20:41

First labour B2B. Very much agree that pain was in my back. Water birth and found DH pouring water on my back helped. yelled at him when he tried to stop I couldn't get on with gas and air so no other pain relief. It took me quite a while to get him out but he was quite big and my first.
Second labour not B2B but v short and intense.
Hope all goes well and no monitoring needed this time.

Dalrymps · 29/12/2011 20:56

Michglas- I don't blame you, bet the relief was amazing

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