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Original poster

Back to Back Baby - AWFUL PAINS??? DEVASTATED!!

40 replies

AwwABaby · 20/06/2012 13:22

Hi,

I'm 36 weeks and have just been told my baby is head down but back to back this is after I went into hospital with an awful pain that I've had a while now but has got worse.

PAIN - The pain is at the front just slightly off the middle to the left and is very tender and very painful - They think it's muscular. Anyone had this??

BACK TO BACK - I have had a complicated p/g all the way through I am under consultant care with two different doc's so to be told this as well was awful. I have read that back to back is more painful and longer in labour is this true??

Anyone have not so horrific back to back labour stories - Looking for reassurance??

Also I cannot have an epidural or pethadine or diomorphine due to my Chronic ITP, so please don't recommend this.

Any not too bad news would be lovely to hear right now as I am devastated.

OP posts:
msbuggywinkle · 20/06/2012 13:32

Well firstly, there is every chance that you can turn the baby around www.spinningbabies.com has the best advice on that.

Secondly, my back to back baby was the least painful of my three labours. She wasn't as easy to push out as number three, but that is also to do with everything being more stretchy 3rd time around. All of my labours have been without pain relief so it is a direct comparison.

DD2 was born in four hours, I used the pool for most of that but did want to get out to push. Squatting is good, but try lots of different positions, one of them will click as feeling good/helpful.

For now though, focus ontrying to get baby to turn!

BatCave · 20/06/2012 14:00

Don't panic! My back to back baby was born in 11 hours with entenox and a little diamorphine at the end (which didn't kick in in time really). Granted my pregnancy was otherwise uncomplicated but I actually really enjoyed my birth experience Grin

nextphase · 20/06/2012 14:07

Well, back to back first baby, 2.5 hrs active leabour, no pain killers (and no gas and air). OK, so he had a ventouse to get him out, but that was 'casue the cord was round his neck, and nothing to do with his position. Everything else was uncomplicated tho.

Spinning babies is good, and some turn on the way out.

DS2 was 2.5 hrs total labour tho, so I obviously get them out quick!

TCOB · 20/06/2012 14:12

Two back-to-backs - one tough (but first baby so could have been for a host of reasons - very big, poor management, pethidine etc) BUT DD born at home after 5 hours of labour. No-one even picked up that she was back-to-back until she came out looking at her dad and the midwife! YOU CAN DO IT. Don't panic - just stay in the bath as long as you can...!

TCOB · 20/06/2012 14:13

Forgot to say DD was gas and air only. Heavenly. The best pain relief of the lot.

BettyandDon · 20/06/2012 14:16

It is a different type of pain IME. It is back pain as opposed to abdominal cramps. I would make sure you birth partner is good at giving hard back massage and ask about favourable positions. I believe there is a chance still for baby to turn around either before or during birth so ask about this too.

Cheekychops84 · 20/06/2012 14:17

I have a sharp pain on my right side especially when I walk it's quite low down and takes my breath away sometimes I'm wondering if mine may be back to back aswell it's like a really bad stitch. Is that what you are feeling ?

YoulllaughAboutItOneDay · 20/06/2012 14:21

Don't panic. It may well move. Also, b2b births aren't necessarily harder.

My first was definitely back to back. The labour was dire (keep reading, it gets better!). But I think the reason was mostly that the midwives were disinterested and felt that they could 'always give an epidural'. They basically didn't give a toss and thought I was making a fuss about being in a lot of pain in early labour. Drip, epidural, forceps...

My second was almost certainly b2b too (not officially diagnosed) and I used spinning babies positioning and vocalising in labour at home. Would have had gas and air too but for various reasons it wasn't there. I'm not going to mess with you, it was pretty intense and did it hurt a lot at some points. But you know what, I could do it, my body could do it and it was amazing. I would say that the total pain was less than the drugged up birth - epidural might sound nice on paper, but for me it was horrid. Things like not being able to shift position to take pressure off my back because of the numbness. If I could have my time again, this is how I would have done my first labour.

Believe in your body. And get 'inverting' (see Spinning Babies!).

anklebitersmum · 20/06/2012 14:28

Go for the pool birth it's fantastic as regards not straining your back and FAR more comfortable than 'bed' birth. Wish I had done it with numbers 1-4, not just #4!
DS2 was back to back and I did him with just gas and air..do-able, although I'm not going to lie to you giving birth stings a bit :o

McPhee · 20/06/2012 14:33

My baby is back to back, and I'm due for an induction this friday.

I'll let you know Confused

Jambonfrites · 20/06/2012 15:18

I've had 2 back to back labours (and nothing to compare these with so far! I may be be able to report back in a few hours / days...) One with no pain relief at all and one with gas & air and pethidine. They weren't a walk in the park, but both manageable just about.

I think the main difference from normal births was that the pushing stage took longer and was harder work - about 2 hours each time? That's what the midwives seemed to suggest anyway. But as others have said, your baby may yet turn, fingers crossed for you.

BelinaTheChicken · 20/06/2012 15:30

DS2 was back to back, and I had a fairly short labour (active for 7 hrs), and managed on just gas and air from about halfway through, then nothing for the last hour, and for pushing (started tasting like wet dog, really gross1). Pain was intense but manageable. Pushing was definitely harder, but did less damaged than DS1, so not all bad.

Whatever happens, your body can cope, good luck!

mrswee · 20/06/2012 16:14

My friend was having her first baby as a home birth. She had a sore tummy and back for about 12 hours a few days before her due date. She thought it was indigestion or constipation or possibly pre labour pains. When it got as far as the 12 hours she called the midwife thinking it was strange it wasn't going away.
The midwife arrived and said she was fully dilated and no time to set things up or do the birth pool so had to go to hospital..
It turned out her baby was back to back so she hadn't had space between contractions so hadn't known she was actually in labour!! He was born after an hour in hospital!

monkeypuzzeltree · 20/06/2012 17:40

Dd was b2b until about half hour before born, up until then labour was 4 hours. This DS was also b2b and now 39 weeks and it half turned earlier in the week - some vigorous ball bouncing seems to have helped. I sympathise though, the back ache us hell, hot water bottle helped.

Original poster
AwwABaby · 21/06/2012 08:28

Cheekychops - no not like a stitch its like a severe bruise but inside its very tender to touh but i also get a sharp stab of pain through the day. If I lie down & rest it goes away.

OP posts:
Original poster
AwwABaby · 21/06/2012 08:31

McPhee - Yes please let me know. Good luck to you. Not long now until you av your precious baby. Friday for me is last day of work with an afternoon bbq to say goodbye :-)

OP posts:
whippetwoman · 21/06/2012 10:34

My baby is also back to back. I am 39+5 and time is running out to turn him. I am very miserable and upset about it as I also have developed a horrible UTI which is really painful and I am now on antibiotics for it. This means it makes getting on all fours or sitting and bouncing on the ball very uncomfortable so it's going to be a big struggle to get him to move. I also have raging thrush but have been told not to take the pessary until I finish the antibiotics in case they bring it back.

I had a horrible labour with my first but a brilliant one with my second, which wiped out the memories of the first. Until I discovered this one was back to back, got the UTI and the thrush I was feeling happy and relaxed. Now I feel utterly miserable and am sitting at home feeling tearful all day instead of enjoying the last few days of rest and relaxation. Good to hear positive stories from those above though so perhaps it will be ok. Sorry to moan, it's just that I know how you feel when you say you are devestated.

anklebitersmum · 21/06/2012 16:28

What I failed to mention is that my little horror span back to back when I was 4mins apart. Had had a scan that morning-all the right way round and then at 4mins that same evening it was all change.
So if he can change his mind at that point there's still hope for movement on yours ladies.

Good luck all regardless :)

Maiziemonkey · 21/06/2012 20:38

Is water birth an option for you?

R2PeePoo · 21/06/2012 20:47

I did have a long back to back labour with both of my two, but the contractions were mild and easily managed. My first I was 8cm when I entered the hospital (and they kept me in the waiting room for 40 minutes because they thought I was not as far on) and she took 3 minutes to be born once I started pushing. No interventions, just a small tear (due to midwives not believing she was coming). My second was a homebirth and was awesome, really really brilliant birth. Hardly any unmanageable pain throughout, none at the end at all, didn't even get the ring of fire and he was 9lb 6 oz. Again 5 minutes of pushing.

This is a really good article on how a back to back birth may be different from a 'normal' delivery, but how it doesn't have to be worse.

A Tens machine helped a lot, so did hypnobirthing techniques. Don't lie on your back if you can help it, it makes it harder for baby to turn and much much more painful (in my experience anyway). I delivered kneeling on the bed, holding onto the back with my first. With my second I had a cervical lip and found it only eased by lying on my back right at the end, but he was nearly there anyway.

Good luck, sure you'll be fine.

cinderellabelle · 21/06/2012 20:49

I had a back to back baby and like you couldn't have an epidural due to my back problems was also told i couldn't have a c-section as it could put me in danger so there was only one way out!!!! It was my first baby and the way i looked at it was yes they say it was more painful but i had nothing to compare it to and it really wasn't that bad (don't get me wrong it hurt but i really had no choice in the matter). Don't let m/w or drs scare you.

As for the epidural i didn't even think about it i knew it wasn't an option as it could harm me or my baby so i stuck to gas and air.

Enjoy the last few weeks of being pregnant and soon you precious baby will be here. Good luck

misslinnet · 21/06/2012 20:51

DS was back to back.

The pain from the contractions was all in my back until I was almost fully dilated - took me the best part of a day to accept that I was having contractions rather than intermittant bouts of really bad backache because I thought that I would feel pain and tightening round the bump with contractions Blush

But once I got into hospital and was told I was 2cm dilated, it only took about 4 hours after that for DS to be born. Which surprised the midwives, as they told me when I was admitted that they weren't expecting anything to happen for a good 12 hours (with DS being the first time I've had a baby).

The pain was manageable with paracetemol & codeine and a bit of gas & air and keeping as active as possible. May have been a different story if labour had taken longer though.

I've no other labours to compare it to, so can't say if back to back really is worse or not.

yellowbottle · 21/06/2012 20:55

My DD was back to back. I know exactly the pain that you are talking about. 18 months later, if I press the spot, I can still feel it. Despite much much googling, I have no idea what it might be.
I ended up with a section, so my hours and hours of worry and googling were for nothing.

stmoritzsmells · 21/06/2012 21:07

Hi op

I've had two kids, one suspected b2b and the other was was b2b more or less as determined in my last midwives appointment before I had her. 1st labour was awful because I freaked out, didn't relax during contractions, and had a horrible uncaring midwife who did horrendous examinations. 2nd labour...what a difference. I had no pain relief whatsoever, relaxed and took on the contractions, which were extremely intense and all around my back and lower abdomen. I was absolutely fine, talking and smiling between contractions, having a convo with my midwife about us both being muslim lol. Brilliant labour, no pain relief needed, dd came out in 5 minutes after about 20 mins of transition and her birth was straightforward as straightforward could be.

Felt amazing afterwards and cleaned the house, had shower, did self tan and nails!
Don't let anybody freak you out, you will deal with it when it comes and you will be fine inshaallah (God willing), it's more intense around the lower back area but as long as you chill as much as possible, have hot compresses and someone to rub it, you will cope fine, I promise.
Much love and best wishes

stmoritzsmells · 21/06/2012 21:08

forgot to say op, my two labours were around 23 hours both times, but bearable and this is typically a b2b scenario, it can take longer sometimes. x