39 weeks and baby is back to back. Any tips to move her?

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I'm 39+1 and had a doctors appointment today for my 38wk checkup. She felt the baby head down but back to back.

This has really worried me. I've heard horror stories about the pain of giving birth to a back to back baby.

I've already used exercises on a website someone recommended here when baby was breech but I can't remember it. Is there anything I can do to turn her around?

3 of my 5 DC were back to back. I didn't find their births any more painful than my 2 who weren't.
I can't help with any suggestions of how to turn her. Sorry!

Thanks Audi, I just keep reading everywhere how back to back babies find it difficult to come down the birth canal and cause intense back pain during labour. It's good to hear you didn't feel more pain with them.

Mine ds was back to back.

I actually found the pain of it during pregnancy worse than birth plain. But then epidurals are wondrous things.

My dd turned to this position at the eleventh hour. Ironically I was doing all the doggy exercises to get her over from the right to left (supposed to be better) and she only managed to shuffle half way across. I didn't have any of the horrendous back pain and got to 9.5cm before needing gas and air.

Spinning babies website is the place to look.... Get doing your inversions! Make sure you sit upright/leaning forward as much as you can and spend some time on all fours leaning over birth ball.

Even if babies start f back to back they can turn right way round during labour.... And sadly some also do the opposite!

I just had a back to back labour with 5 week old DS and it wasn't too bad, I managed on paracetamol until the very end (was having CFM so unable to move around so blame that for wanting an epidural!) My labour was also fast- 3.5 hrs stage 1 and 1.5 stage 2. Just so you know it's not always the painful/ slow experience you tend to hear about.

Many babies turn during labour, as babies rotate as they descend. Have a read of this blog post for an intresting perspective.

Had a back to back labour with dd, it was terrified but really wasn't as bad as anticipated.. Just long! But she was my first.

Had water birth and lots of G&A. She was born face up..honestly it was ok. Tens machine was good for back pain in early stages..

LadyMedea, thanks, that's the website I couldn't remember the name of!

It's good to see many of you didn't feel any more pain than usual. Hopefully she'll turn at the last moment. I spoke to my dsis last night and her dd turned around towards the end so I guess this could happen too.

Another reassurance - I had DC2 on Friday and was horrified when I got to hospital and they told me they thought she was back to back as I'd had a very bad experience with a back to back DC1. However, it turned out I was already 9.5cm dilated and DD ended up arriving about 30 mins after my first examination. It was very intense and she did take longer to come out than the midwives had expected (they thought it would be as little as one push whereas I was pushing in the pool for a good half hour) but the whole thing was pretty amazing with hindsight - I went into a sort of "zone" where all I could focus on was the feeling of her coming out. I won't mention the current state of my fanjo!

Best of luck!

My dd was back to back, I did ask the midwives if I could do anything to turn her and they said I could try all the suggested techniques but it was unlikely they'd work.
Like you I was terrified.
I can't deny it bloody hurt like nothing else and was very long (30 hours) BUT you do get through it and it hasn't put me off having another.
I had an epidural after 26 hours and I'd recommend it, the pain didn't go completely but the contractions went from toe curling to manageable plus I didn't feel the crowning.

There is a website that is called something like spinningbabies.com

and perhaps find a good reflexologist? Worked for me with a breach baby...

Try a birthing ball and not slouching on the sofa as much as possible.

I was told my baby was back to back at 36 weeks, I got on the ball etc and when I had another appt at 37 weeks the midwife said baby had turned, not fully but better than before.

Not sure if it was anything to do with the ball but I'm going to keep going (can still feel a knobbly knee poking out though so it cant have worked fully!)

My friend's first was back to back, she didnt know til baby came out but she said although it was a little harder in hindsight compared to her next 2 normal births but not horrendous.

midwife thinking is another really informative website that describes back to back as a variation of the norm and not necessarily something to be feared or 'put right' and is generally a very informative, good website about all aspects of pregnancy and Labour.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've been reading the spinning babies site and it has some good tips. Also, it mentioned something like if you feel the fingers poking type wiggly feeling near your pubic bone then the baby is most definitely back to back. I've been getting these type of feelings nearer the back towards my cervix so I'm wondering if baby really is back to back or keeps moving?

Also according to the site second time mothers who have pushed a baby out with no problems before and mothers who have smaller babies are likely to have an easier time giving birth. Seeing as its my third, it's the first time I'm thankful I feel like a bucket down there!

Hopefully it'll be fine.

I'm sure it will. Good luck and let us know! xx