Back to back...

[BexGershon]

Hello all,

I am currently 39+2, baby is on the right, back to back and apparently on the big aide. I just wondered first of all, can the baby still get engaged from this position and if the only problem with this position is that it's most painful for me?
My midwife seems very concerned and says I will need to go on high risk floor once at hospital but I had so much information to take in I forgot to ask what the risks are!? (I know I sound stupid but it was just one thing after another). Thanks for anyone that can help.

Both mine were back to back. I was never classed high risk because of it though. He wasn't a large baby though.

With my first, the pain was only in my back and although my waters broke after a few days of irregular contractions, I wasn't progressing so I ended up with an epidural and syntocin. I think that taking a long time to progress is more common with back to back babies.

With my second though, I had regular contractions right away and he was born after four pushes with no pain relief other than TENS. So back to back doesnt necessarily mean slow and painful.

Birthing ball and a partner willing to rub your back is invaluable!

I didn't know my DD was back to back til after I had her. The pains were all in my back, so at first I didn't realise it was signs of labour starting. It took quite a long time of pushing to get her out. Every time I stopped, she'd go back in lol. I also had vontouse and forceps - neither worked. Finally gave birth with a tear. Is there any way of turning baby? I've heard you can try if they're breach, but don't know if back to back.

Both my DS were back to back (little monkeys!) With ds1 it was no problem as such, just a longer than average labour. With ds2 the problem was more his predicted size than being back to back. They wanted to monitor me constantly and was at risk of shoulder dystocia. That didn't happen but DS was getting distressed with contractions so I was glad of the extra monitoring. Both labours were painful and I had a 'mobile' epidural with each which i found great, as I was still quite active, just not in pain.
Good luck!

Both mine were back to back and although my labours were a bit longer than they would have been otherwise (and a bit more painful, from what I understand) both were born in the MLU without intervention.

DD was back to back. All my labour pains were in my hips and very painful. Labour progressed very quickly but I felt the need to start pushing at 6cms and couldn't stop, so had an epidural. Mine was a walking one, too, and although the epidural slowed everything down, in the end she came super quickly and because the epidural was so light, I was able to be on my knees for the birth.

Even if you're on continuous monitoring, talk each step through with your midwife - I was surprised at how active I could be even with the drugs and the monitor. Good luck!

Thank you all, this is very helpful.
I wonder if it's because I have a big baby and it's why I'm high risk!?
If its back to back is the baby always on the right or is this a separate thing?

Even though it's back to back, the baby can still get engaged, is that right?
Am I more likely to go over my due date than be on time or early?

Yes there is still time for baby to change position. My second back to back baby was moving in labour, but stayed b2b.

First b2b was 36 hours in hospital, emergency ventouse. Pain just as my first labour that wasn't b2b.

Second b2b was 9 hours in hospital with the worst agony in the world. Much more painful than previous labour. But managed on gas and air, tens and diamorphine. Though, I have to say, I was still shouting out in pain with the diamorphine.

Good luck with your labour. Don't worry too much about the horror stories, because it doesn't mean you'll have a difficult labour.

Be prepared and go with the flow. Take care

My DD was engaged and also born on her due date

My DD was back to back & born naturally on her due date. For me it just meant a v painful labour in my back (never felt a contraction in my tummy) & ended up with 3 hrs of pushing followed by emergency venteuse but wasn't counted as high risk at all.
Also, due to incompetence in the hospital I did the whole thing with no pain relief at all aside from the venteuse for which someone magically found the gas & air. Really painful on your back. I've since been told by midwife (am pregnant again) that in back to back labour the thing to do us to get someone to rub a tennis ball hard across your back during contractions or push wooden spoons into your sacrum to try counteract the pain.

Good luck!

Bex I'm 39 + 1 with a big back to back baby too! 97% percentile.

MW has said there is still time for him to move and I'm still considered low risk. So not sure what else it was about your positioning or your checks that made you high risk?

I am bit bloody worried though even though it's DC3 and my last labour was quick and just G&A.

Oh and both children were late. First was +12 and second was plus 8.

Have a look at the 'spinning babies' website.. It has tips for turning a back to back baby.

Mine didn't turn but I only started trying to turn her at 37 weeks and she was born at 38.

Dd was in same position as yours - had a 2 day latent phase which was not really painful, didn't actually realise I was in labour till my waters broke.

Had a long pushing stage -2 hours - and dd came out face up. I had a Waterbirth and gas and air. Also tens is good for back labour, used it till I went to hospital.

Btw the significance of the baby being on the right side is that he/she may rotate to the left side during labour making it longer.

I had 3 back to back DCs. DC1 was 38 weeks and born in 1hr 51mins as an unplanned unattended homebirth, ambulance arrived after he was out. DC2 was 40 weeks and born in her sack after 57 minutes she was a planned homebirth but born before arrival. DC3 was 38+1 and born after 40 minutes and only 4 contractions (I was continually monitored but only 1 midwife happened to be in the room at the time) For my last birth I was high risk for other reasons hence the continuous monitoring and I had been an inpatient from 7 months.

I do wonder if they were the right way around if they would have been quicker :)

So it doesn't necessarily mean a long and difficult labour perhaps I just have a bucket fanjo?

Thank you for all that -DC3 = bucket fanjo now too Sneaky!

DH and I are off to do the inversion from the Spinning baby website...

fingers crossed.