LOP/left occipito-posterior- is this a problem positon in labour?

[kicsr]

My baby just won't budge from this position and I am due at any moment. My Midwife told me this can result in a painful and longer labour.

Has anyone else had experience of delivering/giving birth to a baby presented in this position that you care to share.

Kicsr
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Kicsr, have you tried crawling around on all fours and swimming, that normally helps.

Two of my friends had this. In both of their experiences it did result in longer and more painful labour but I am not a mwife and it may not be generally the case - Mears, any advice ?

Try and move the baby if you can - good luck

Okay so my skirting boards do need cleaning so getting on all fours isn't a problem, is there a position I should adopt when lying down or sleeping......?

Did you find your back and ribs really ached? I can't bend at all today.

Kicsr
xxxxx

Getting a bit frightened now

Thinking of you kicsr. Sending turning vibes

Hi kicsr,

Is this your first ??? If so it is likely that it will be longer and more painful - it is possible to go "au naturel" (no pain relief) as I did it but when I found out baby number 2 was about to be OP as well.... I did EVERYTHING to avoid it.
Here are some tips (while we wait for Mears or Leese or "resident" midwives to add to this)

• Use upright and forward leaning postures : NO scroutching (however tempting) this is because when the pelvis tilts forwards it allows more space for the head to enter the pelvic brim. This means your knees need to be LOWER than your hips.

• When sleeping you should make sure that your topleg is resting forwards so that your knee is resting on the mattress (extra cushion may ne needed between thighs). I read that in persistent OP, sleeping on the stomach is recommended with support from pillows and cushions to help make it comfortable (I did this BTW)

• Avoid sitting legs crossed

I hope this helps.... this is stressful I know ! Good luck
BTW baby CAN turn during labour from OP to OA or from OA to OP so there are no guarantees either way.

Hi

Yes this is my first baby.

I think its behaving like a typican Taurean, very stubborn!! (No offence to other Bulls meant!:-))

KICSR
xxx

Is it true that more LOP babies result in Episiotomy/ventouse/forceps?

I've had two OP labours. My first was long and the end was pretty painful, but that was more through mismanagement than anything else. It was also 27 yrs ago and protocols are different now. My last labour was also OP, with my baby constantly changing and shifting over the 9 hrs, but I managed with Tens (psychological, as two of the pads things apparently fell off part way through!) and gas & air.

Good luck!

Yes... some of it depends on you though (IMO)... if you have made your wishes very clear to the midwife she can do her best to follow them. I had a 6 hour second stage and "only" had an epsiotomy at the end.... didn't have ventouse or forceps but I was told that the mw really wanted to avoid that because she knew I wasn't keen at all to have a managed labour.

I think I just want what is best for my baby. Okay I appreciate some of these routines arent pleasent, but I'll do anything now to get this baby out safely and give it a cuddle!.

kicsr, sorry to put a dampener on things but I spent practically the last week before labour on all fours and still had a very difficult op birth which required an episiotomy, forceps and ventouse. Dd turned transverse op (which I believe is almost impossible to deliver 'naturally' - mears? leese?) just as I went into labour (they think).

The only thing I have heard that works brilliantly to 'turn' the baby is acupuncture - maybe you'd like to try this?

At least you know now in advance. I would recommend anyone with a transverse OP lie to go for a c-section, as although I finally managed it (with a Tens and gas and air) it left me pretty traumatised!

Enid,
What you have described is deep transverse arrest of the head where the baby's head is lying looking to the side usually in the second stage of labour and at a certain level of the pelvis. The baby can be rotated with forceps or delivered by C/S. It can happen with a baby that starts in the OP position which gets stuck mid turn during labour.

About 10% of OP babies do not rotate which means 90% do. Good advice given regarding position already. Labour can be slower with more backache.

Try not to worry too much because good contractions usually rotate the baby. Everyone has a different experience of labour - try not to cloud your mind with negative thoughts. Good luck.

kicsr, my DS was OP too, I didn't know this until in labour. All the midwife said was that the labour would be longer. I needed an episiotomy but no forceps or ventouse and don't know if this was anything to do with DS being OP or just that I was v tired by that time and couldn't push him out. Now 36 weeks with no two been told by the midwife today that she thinks this baby is going OP as well. I don't think there is much that can be done I have been so active this pregnancy and have done all the sleeping on your left hand side thing, slouching around on the sofa would be lovely but has not really happened this time. Don't know if I can face spending the next few weeks on all fours.

Try not to worry too much as mears says 90% of OP babies rotate in labour anyway. Thinking about you.

Mine was OP too and didn't turn in labour. However, my labour was actually remarkably quick, to the point that I was trying to give birth in the bath at the hospital because I went from 3cm dilated to 10cm within about 2-3 hours and no-one had checked me in these couple of hours!
I survived on gas and air and almost got there until my daughter got stuck and then went into distress when they rushed me for a c-section but I was told by my consultant that he only sees this about once a year.
My midwife stuck with me trying to give birth naturally until she thought I was giving birth. What I mean is, I preferred to be stood up and walking around the room and then holding onto something, still upright, when the contraction came. I am still convinced that it all went pear-shaped when she insisted that I get up on the bed to deliver, everything just seemed to stop. So, if you want to remain standing then DO go with your instincts as you can give birth squatting and I would definitely do so if I had my time again.
Am trying to say, it doesn't necessarily mean longer, don't know if more painful as not had another one to compare it to, do try and be 'active' in labour, I'm convinced this helped me.
Do let us know how you get on and very best of luck.

I also had a very quick labour (until dd got stuck!) and kept very active throughout. I had a ball and an old fashioned birthing stool so I could sit in a squatting position. I really gave it my all! So kicsr, keep active I'm sure it will help!

I went through this and I hope this isn't going to scare you - I dont mean it to! At least this is your first so you dont have anything to compare it to.
My dd was LOA going into labour and started to turn as the contractions started - so by the time I was ready to push she was ROP!!
The thing that helped me in labout was leaning over one of the big labour balls (as long as noone touched me!!) and having dh persuade them to let me have the gas and air while I was on it (they werent keen in case I passed out)
DONT lie down. It is something they made me do for an internal and I never got up again. I found that, after the ball, the most comfortable position was lying on my left side with right leg raised (thankyou, dh, thankyou!!), and in the end they could not get me to move and the obstetrician did a ventouse delivery in this position. She was born face up (face to pubes, they so delicately call it) and dh said it was so sweet seeing her little face there while the rest was still inside (UUURGH I think, but I diin't have to see it).
It was a 37 hour labour. It was hell. They had to rupture my membranes, give me syntocin and I had little urge to push as her head wasn't making proper contact with my cervix. She weighed 9lb12oz! But I did it without an epidural and I think that is the only reason I didn't end up with a cs. And although it was terrible, it was worth EVERY SECOND of the pain and struggle.
And if it is any consolation my son (2nd baby) was anterior, and I had a totally natural birth. The thing I was told was most important was to not let your knees get higher than your pelvis - dont slouch on the sofa, put a pillow under your bum in the car. I did all this second time round and whether that was the reason I don't know but hw was LOA all the way.

Message withdrawn

Kicsr, you poor thing, I hope this thread hasn't sent you into panic mode! There is every chance your bub will change position before or during labour. Even if not, you will be given the best care to help you. Have you attended ante-natal classes yet? Or done a birth plan? Let the hospital staff (assuming you are going to give birth at a hospital!) know what your preferences are, and ask what options of pain relief etc they have available and what you are allowed to bring. An oil burner is wonderful (make sure it's electric or they won't let you use it - naked flame + gas and all that) with lavender oil. If they have a CD player (most do) take your favourite music with you (start listening to it now, I swear my dd recognised The Phantom of the Opera the first time she heard it! ). The tennis ball in the small of your back is a godsend, both before and during labour. A hot water bottle or other heatpack is excellent too. A bean bag or exercise ball allows you to get into a forward-slouch position, which is much more preferable than lying down. Like susanmt, once I was on my back on the bed, that was where I stayed (unfortunately - I'm sure it slowed things down!)

Yes my dd was OP too. The back pain is what seemed to dominate things, I don't even recall feeling the abdominal contractions! (It was quite a new experience when I went into labour with ds!) Started out in a (very) hot shower, then walked around for a while, before going to the beanbag. I didn't like the gas personally, didn't seem to help much. I had been so sure I didn't want pethidine, swore black and blue I wouldn't use it, but when the doctor asked if I would like some I couldn't say yes fast enough! Made me very woozy, I guess it took the edge off. Dd was born after an episiotomy and ventouse - labour was about 5 hours from when they broke my waters.

I guess my advice would be: stay positive, stay focussed, practice your breathing (it does help so take it seriously), learn relaxation techniques and stay flexible. By this I mean don't set your heart on how your labour will go or be too rigid about what you definitely will/won't have (eg pethidine, epidural), or you will feel let down if things change. Remember, your labour will be unlike anyone else's, just as your baby is unique and special. And the most important thing to keep in mind is that at the end of it all, you finally get to meet your baby! All the best, keep us posted.

kicrs,
At work last night I was talking to a colleague who has just returned from the Royal College of Midwives' annual conference. She had been talking to a midwife who recommends climbing up and down stairs SIDEWAYS to encourage OP babies to rotate. By that I mean standing having your back against the wall and climbing the stairs then coming down the same way. She swears by it. It's worth a go - just make sure you don't fall!

Thought baby might arrive last night, all the symtoms but s/he was only teasing.

Thanks to all of you for your threads of experience.....

Baby is still LOP, overdue and stubborn!

Let you know how labour goes, if it ever happens.....!!!!!

KICSR
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Good luck kicsr - very funny mental images of a heavily pregnant woman doing crab impressions up and down the stairs.....

Looking forward to hearing your news.xx

Yes SnikSnak, that IS me walking up the stairs like a crab, eating curry and pineapples and drinking raseberry tea trying to induce over due baby out all at the same time!!!

Thanks for your kind words :-)

Kicsr
xxx

With my OP baby it was the sex that got things going (if you can face it!!!)

Kicsr, just wondered how you were today? Still walking up and down the stairs like a crab? Or in the hospital pushing that baby out? Hope it's the latter!