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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 baby.... Scared.

28 replies

Bex89 · 08/08/2013 13:33

Hi everyone,

I'm 38 weeks pregnant with my first baby, I went to the midwife on Tuesday and she told me that the little one is back to back, but not to worry because she may turn during labour.

After looking on the Internet there seems to be so many horror stories of 30 hour labours with forceps and emergancy c sections. I desperately wanted to get in the pool, is that possible with a b2b birth?

Also am I right in thinking that my awful back pain is due to the baby being back to back?

I was apprehensive about giving birth but excited too.... Now I'm terrified and I don't know whether ill cope. I was hoping for some advice and if anyone has had a back to back birth to share their experiences. Also if during labour they say they want to try forceps can I refuse and ask for a section as I REALLY don't want both.

Thanks girls.x

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silversmith · 08/08/2013 13:42

My boy was back to back, and I had a very straightforward labour, in a pool in a midwife led unit. Only pain relief was the water and gas & air, and I don't consider myself at all brave about pain.

The only difference it made to my labour was that my baby spent the first stage of contractions turning himself around, which meant that my contractions weren't timeable - they were coming in pairs. So, when I got to the unit, the first midwife didn't think I was as far on as I was. At shift change I got a senior midwife who examined me, filled the pool immediately and explained everything.

Honestly though - I don't think just back-to-backness affects things as much as some of the horror stories would have you believe. Or maybe I was just really lucky!

sahmbles · 08/08/2013 13:49

My ds (dc2) was the right way round at 38 weeks but by 40 weeks was back to back, and like you I was quite worried. I spend lots of time on all fours and on the gym ball, but he didn't budge.

But need not have worried, labour was quick (only 3 hours from start to finish), and didn't need pain relief. Guess he must have fairly spun round when things got going!

Beer0Clock · 08/08/2013 13:52

Just saw this. Not pregnant! but my first was born back to back, and it was no picnic obviously no birth is I guess, but at the end the mw said her delivery had been text book. At no point did I get the impression any of the staff were concerned about me or the baby. She was born 39+5.

NomDeClavier · 08/08/2013 13:56

DS was back to back - long early labour while he tried to turn and I wasn't really dilating, probably because his head was in a funny position, but once in established labour it was pretty quick and just fine. She may spin back!

As for forceps vs section I wouldn't accept high forceps so be clear why they want to use them but there is a point past which a section isn't an option short of pushing the baby back up and oiking it out which they would only do in extreme cases, but those are a different kind of forceps to the Keilands which are the cause of most horror stories.

Ablababla · 08/08/2013 14:13

I had two back to back babies (as did my mum seems to be the way we are built) you can have normal deliveries, labour may be slightly more painful an concentrated in the lower back. There is no reason you can't have normal labours. My second was fine with just gas an air and my first while I needed vontous for a different reason it wasn't that bad.

capecath · 08/08/2013 14:55

My first was back to back and turned during labour and came out kinda on his side. I did have awful back pains during labour with him. Pool was not an option with him due to premature induction with a placental abruption... Second DS was "normal" and enjoyed the pool for an hour or so, but then got a bit stuck and need episiotomy and suction cup.
Both were very very painful but the most incredible experiences ever!! :) My thought is that there is just no way to tell how it is going to go really...... Everyone seems to have such different experiences. I would tell the midwife about your forcep apprehensions beforehand, however I think you may find when you get to that stage when it may be an option you won't really care anymore, just get baby out!! I would personally trust the doctor/midwife at that stage to know what is in the baby and you best interests (I was faaaaar from able to make any clear decisions for myself that far down the line).

Romily · 08/08/2013 15:19

In my first labour my daughter was back to back and I did ask for an epidural to ease my discomfort, however I do not have the highest pain threshold anyway. I did try pushing for quite a while but ended up with a vontous delivery and an episiotomy both of which were fine and my daughter was absolutely fine.

As capecath said you just need to trust the doctors and midwives to help you through.

namechangeforthispost864269 · 08/08/2013 15:22

my baby was back to back last time. the midwife told me a good way to avoid baby being back to back this time or to turn a back to back baby was lots of time on a birthing ball and all fours i thought this was just for breach babies myself but she insisted it worked for back to back babies too.....don't know if it's true or not though. tbh

eccentrica · 08/08/2013 15:24

my daughter was back to back and I had a water birth with a bit of gas and air. labour 5 hours beginning to end. lost waters at the very start so it was 'dry' too. yes it was painful but not a horror story at all, I wAs. on cloud nine afterwards :-)

don't panic!

bigkidsdidit · 08/08/2013 15:26

Six weeks ago I had a back to back 9lb 10 baby, it was fine! In fact almost enjoyable. Much easier than my previous 8lber who was the right way round.

It was different in that all my contractions were in my pelvis and back, not bump, and I had to push on my back as all fours wasn't getting him out. But e came out naturally with no pain relief till gas and air for the last pushes.

Afterwards I did feel odd, getting on and off the bed was hard for a few days and whenever I did a wee it felt like my bum was going to fall out! But it was all fine within a week.

Good luck with it.

muppetthecow · 08/08/2013 15:36

DS was back to back, and whilst my labour was incredibly long (61 hours), aside from very slow progression it wasn't problematic at all. Most of the pain was concentrated in my lower back, but I tend to get period pains there anyway so it could just be that I'm built that way. I was told I could still use the pool with him being b2b (though I didn't in the end as there wasn't one free when I got admitted).

A few of my friends also had back to back babies and none of them needed forceps/ventouse. None of theirs were particularly long either not that I'm jealous . I think it's the usual case of the horror stories being the only ones that make it as far as the internet! Don't panic

Gruntfuttocks · 08/08/2013 15:46

Damn, wrote a response and then somehow deleted it, grr!

My 2nd was BtB - I didn't realise it at the time, and the labour was a bit longer than my first but didn't feel very different. It kept stoping and starting, I guess due to baby's head not being quite so closely applied to the cervix. I was 6 cm when I suddenly felt the baby swivel round and she was born in the next 2 contractions! A bit of a shock at the sudden ending, but it was fine otherwise.
My 3rd was BtB and I opted for an epidural as I had to be induced. This may have been a factor in him staying BtB throughout and being born face to pubes with an arm stuck out Superman style! My bladder was a bt wonky for a week afterwards but otherwise it was fine. No stitches or anything else with either of them.

Don't listen to the horror stories - they are so unhelpful! Stay positive and confident in your body's ability to do it's job.

MsFiremanSam · 08/08/2013 15:50

My first was back to back and I suffered horrendous back pain from 20 weeks right to the end. I had a 6 hour labour, no complications. Try not to worry too much, and ignore the horror stories!

LaRosaBella · 08/08/2013 15:51

My DD was back to back. I had a home water birth and my labour was 6 hours long from start to finish and yes the pain was in my back not so much the front but it for me was as bad as really bad period pains. I actually really enjoyed the experience.

I was also back to back and my little brother and my mum had very straight forward births as well.

Mythreeknights · 08/08/2013 15:58

I would also say don't panic, but I did have one of those horror stories with ds 1 who turned to back to back at 38+6 and I went into labour that evening. I had spent the interim time on the ball, on all fours, doing anything I could to turn him, but he was staying put. Unfortunately he was one of the small percentage of babies who don't turn back to the normal positions and I ended up with every intervention under the sun, finally episiotomy, manual rotation, forceps rotation, forceps delivery. It was incredibly scary but I wish I had just trusted the doctors to start with. Instead I believed I could deliver naturally and fought against every intervention until it was critical that I received it. Had I just gone with they flow, I think the whole process would have been a lot quicker and less stressful. (30 hours). So, believe in yourself and your body, but frankly if the doctor is advising intervention, go with that. They have seen it beforehand they know what's coming.

bec0901 · 08/08/2013 18:28

Many/most will manage to turn at the start of labour before you go to hospital, so prepare for a more painful time at home at the start. I was on all fours in the bath with just a paracetamol to help the pain!

By the time the hospital are willing to take you there's a good chance things will proceed normally. I went in the birthing pool.

But be warned. B2b means painful start so no napping in the early part of labour before things get serious! Good luck and take the epidural if you can't hack the pain. Everyone's different...

posybunchof · 08/08/2013 18:37

Mine was not back to back until I was in labour when it changed position. I didn't really notice, was just told afterwards that she had come out face up - but I did (already) have an epidural going by then.

I wouldn't stress as it may well move by the time you give birth and certainly doesn't mean c-section or anything.

pebblepots · 08/08/2013 18:44

Hey, don't be scared. My dd was b2b and turned during labour. Yes, it did mean a longish labour but I still had her at home in a pool, so definately do-able :)

Trust your body knows what it's doing.

If you have a sore back I do suggest you get to a chiropractor who works with pregnant women. You may need your back straightening out. This will also optimize the room available for the baby to turn.

AnotherStitchInTime · 08/08/2013 18:52

Have a look at the spinning babies website for some ideas to encourage your baby to re-position.

Things you can do at home as well:

Sweeping the floor on hands and knees
Sit on a birth ball (make sure your knees are lower than your hips)

Do not sit back in chairs and sofas, if you want to relax lie on your left hand side instead resting against the arm.

Lean forward over birth ball to let your belly hang whilst kneeling to give baby more room to turn.

AmandaCooper · 08/08/2013 20:08

My experience was almost exactly the same as Silversmith's. DS was back to back. I had gas and air and delivered in the pool in a midwife led unit. Very straightforward and calm; ten hours from waters breaking to baby.

LoganMummy · 08/08/2013 20:14

DD was back to back (unknown to me) but was very straightforward - gas & air, 12 hour labour and not much different pain wise to other 'normal' labour.

You'll be fine - pain relief is there if you need it.

KateCroydon · 08/08/2013 20:22

Back to back baby, first pregnancy, four hour labour of which two were ar home and 30 mins in the hospital corridor trying to get someone to examine me. Didn't get any painkillers because there wasn't time.

vj32 · 08/08/2013 20:23

I had an emergency section with b2b baby after long labour. But that was because he was big - 9lb 11oz and b2b but a bit twisted. Awkward basically!!

It wasn't a nice experience, but it certainly wasn't horrifying. You have to trust the medical staff who are with you - I had a fab midwife, my DH was brilliant and in the end you get a baby and a whole load of really strong drugs to take your mind off things!

sleepcrisis · 08/08/2013 20:33

DS was b2b (first baby) and we had an easy homebirth with hypnotherapy and g&a.

No one told me he was back to back until I was actually in labour. Early labour was long but not particuarly agonising. 36 hrs from first contraction to birth, but established labour was 12 hours. Was only examined once at 5 cm and at that point she told me he had turned half way. That was at 3pm and he was born at 9pm.

Actually I wish she had never told me he was b2b. It caused a bit of stress during labour that I could have done without, and I would never have known otherwise as he did turn and all was good.

MW gave me some tips to help him turn during labour, who knows if they helped. They were to rock on all fours and walk up and down the stairs. I spent a lot of time rocking on all fours half way up the stairs!

WrongendoftheSTIX · 08/08/2013 21:12

My baby was back to back (was very fed up after months of sitting on birthing ball not the sofa but any hoo!) She is my first so labour was long. I ended up with EMCS but this was due to her being caught up in her cord not her being back to back.

As an aside, I never got any cramps/contractions in the front. All of my labour pain was in my lower back. Up until EMCS I managed with gas and air and the birthing pool.
Baby may turn yet, try not to worry

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