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

Original poster

Back to back .................

20 replies

LumpyCustard69 · 06/08/2015 12:52

I'm 37+2 and due to be induced at 38+3.

For the last few weeks baby has been in a good position, but this week has turned to be back to back Sad

Does anyone have any encouraging words of wisdom about baby turning just before labour??? I'd love to hear them if so!!

Baby's head is 97th percentile, and abdomen 100 Confused so I'm a bit worried about the birth anyway, as my dd was 99th percentile and weighed 11lb. I had an episiotomy and then 3 stitches. So, now I feel like I will be less 'elastic' down there due to scar tissue from dd's birth, and I'm dreading another massive baby, along with the baby changing position Sad

Positive stories please!!!!!!

OP posts:
theendoftheendoftheend · 06/08/2015 12:55

Try to get baby to move! Sit with your pelvis tipped forward, bouncing on a gym ball etc.
If it doesn't work, take every drug/pain relief they offer Grin

Wolfiefan · 06/08/2015 12:56

My first was back to back. It just took a bit longer to push and I had more pain in my back. I was on all fours in pool and my husband poured warm water over my back. Bliss!!
In terms of the birth I think he turned when I pushed and came out the right way round IYSWIM! His head was also massive but only needed a few stitches.
DD next child. Didn't tear massively there either.

Doublebubblebubble · 06/08/2015 13:16

My dd was back to back for a while. I was encouraged to get on all fours and kind of rock from side to side and back and forth... She was engaged and her turning was agony but it happened - she turned quickly (before this she had been franks breech before turning herself the right way round -head down - legit never thought it would happen lol) and I had a 4.5 hour (39+6)labour with her - my DD was 8lb 4 but I'm currently pregnant with a ds who is looking like he will be a huge monster baby..

chandelierswinger · 06/08/2015 13:19

Google "spinning babies"! Good luck OP Smile

blowinahoolie · 06/08/2015 14:55

I had a growth scan the other day (baby turns out to be fine for dates) and by chance I thought I'd ask the sonographer if this baby is back to back....yes it is :(

I have had two back to back babies already, and I'm hoping this one turns in labour if not before. My second DC did turn in labour thankfully, but the labours are painful.

Original poster
LumpyCustard69 · 06/08/2015 18:48

I will be doing a lot of jiggling the next few days!!!!
I don't have another midwife appointment or scan before being induced, so will have no idea if it's worked or not Confused but fingers crossed!!!
Epidural here I come!!!!!

OP posts:
Runningupthathill82 · 06/08/2015 19:00

My only word of advice is, if the baby doesn't turn, don't try and be a superhero! There's no prizes for suffering a horrendously painful labour, so don't be afraid to ask for the drugs as soon as you feel you need them.
After my back to back baby last time, I'm hoping for a "normal" one this time - I'm assured it'll be a breeze in comparison! (crosses fingers)

Original poster
LumpyCustard69 · 06/08/2015 19:05

Ha!! NO chance of me trying the superhero thing! Smile First labour was bloody awful, (2 days of pessaries, internal examinations, on/off contractions mild and severe), so so glad I had an epidural. I'm such a wimp!! The pushing took an hour and fifteen minutes, episiotomy, knees behind my head, 10 staff of all descriptions in the room, shoulder dystocia and erbs palsy and scooped off to scbu for poor dd, etc etc etc! I am DEFINITELY asking for the epidural again!!!

OP posts:
blowinahoolie · 06/08/2015 22:35

After my past experiences, I will also be after an epidural..wish I'd had one the past two times, tbh. It would have saved a lot of grief.

Bustherb · 07/08/2015 02:57

I've just had my first baby and he turned from being in a great position to back to back in labour Confused it was very very painful. I was unlucky in that my epidural slipped out and I have no pain relief until they took me to theatre after a 24 hour labour and 45 mins of pushing. I then got the spinal block which was amazing.x

allgoodthings84 · 07/08/2015 09:54

Definitely try and get it to move if possible or take any pain relief you can. Mine was back to back and I was only allowed gas and air (complicated labour) and I was begging for an epidural. At my last appointment baby wasn't back to back so didn't know to try and turn her. They can turn at any point though so don't panic and you will be offered pain relief

allgoodthings84 · 07/08/2015 09:56

By it I meant baby, I never know what to say as some don't like the term 'baby' either

lunalovegood84 · 07/08/2015 21:27

I thought a bit about posting as I don't want to worry you, but I was in a similar situation and this is the advice I wish I had known beforehand. I had a large (11 lbs 9oz, head over 99th centile), induced, back-to-back baby and I ended up delivering by emcs. The cs was absolutely fine BTW, recovery was a doddle.

Firstly, in my experience, when you are on the induction "train" they do not take into account that your baby is back-to-back. I had no idea that DS was, and i dont know when they found out, but it was only mentioned when I had been at 10cm for several hours and he had not descended. It is normal for babies to turn in labour aided by the cushioning of the waters, but my waters were broken as standard in an induction. My theory is that this made him stuck in his back-to-back position. I very much got the impression that once you are on the induction pathway they are following a flowchart of next steps and timings; I wish I had known to ask them to check his position before consenting to breaking the waters.

Secondly, being back-to-back means the presenting part of the head trying to pass through the pelvis is larger. Some women push back-to-back babies out no problem, but back-to-back and very large is a troublesome combination. Poor DS just could not descend, and I am a large framed person. This can lead to intervention. I declined rotational forceps in favour of a cs but it was all very dramatic and stressful. I would decide in advance which you are more comfortable with, on the off chance this is necessary, and make sure staff are aware of this from the beginning.

Anyway, you are much more likely to have your baby turn before or during labour, but i thought I'd contribute just in case you find yourself in this "worst case" scenario like I did (and it was really fine in the end; a cs can be a positive outcome).

Original poster
LumpyCustard69 · 09/08/2015 12:00

Thank you Luna

I have no birth partner, and am worried that they may not listen to me during labour Sad I'm trying to make sure I write everything down clearly before I go in, so it's good to consider all possibilities, good and bad, and make sure I include them. So your post is in fact super helpful!!
I have gd, so am worried about foods that I will be able to eat while I'm stuck in hospital.
I only have 3 days childcare for my dd when I go in for induction. So panicked about possibility of emcs (don't worry, I was already panicked before your post lol).
I think I'm going to have to have a good chat when I arrive there Friday, and make sure all my notes are clear!!!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
LumpyCustard69 · 09/08/2015 20:27

Can I ask for the faster acting pessary, and then straight to the hormone drip if it doesn't work?

OP posts:
lunalovegood84 · 09/08/2015 21:26

If it helps, the thought of an episiotomy terrifies me, but I'd quite happily have another cs!

I believe you cannot have the drip with intact waters. I'd definitely discuss with a HCP to come up with a plan. In my case, my labour was progressing well on the pessary, I'd gone from 2 to 9cm overnight, but the registrar who examined me in the morning assured me that once you start down the medical route it's best to keep going that way and I should have my waters broken regardless. Bad advice!

Mirabal · 09/08/2015 21:57

have you got a gym ball to roll about on to try to move baby? roll over it on all fours and this is supposed to work for lots/some women (ok I don't know how many women but I was assured it could work). It didn't work for me and I ended up with epidural (heaven) and episiotomy but it was absolutely fine and healed well.

MissTwister · 09/08/2015 22:01

I had an induction after my waters broke and then found out baby was back to back. I'm not sure why my experience differed to others but I went through labour with gas and air and TENS and it was fine I thought. Obviously it hurts a bit(!) but was not horrendous. I did push for quite a while so not sure if that was due to B2B but again it was manageable.

MissTwister · 09/08/2015 22:02

Oh I did need an episiotomy - although not ideal, again not that bad!

lunalovegood84 · 09/08/2015 22:18

Yes I actually found labour pre-drip a lot easier than expected despite back-to-back, got to 10cm quite easily. (Post drip i really should have had an epidural, i actually regret that big time.) It's just that sub-optimal position + very large baby + artificial contractions via drip is a combination of less than ideal factors rather than just dealing with one of them.

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