Back to back baby

[Shannonlou]

Hiya!
I’m 37+4 and my baby is back to back...
I’m trying everything to get her to turn and she’s always been in the anterior position but then spun round.
I’ve head this type of labour/delivery is worse and harder.
Thus us my first child so I’m pretty scared now, which I haven’t been my whole pregnancy. Do you think she has time to turn herself?

All 3 of my babies have been back to back. My first was hard simply because noone knew she was, and rather than trying to stay active I had a long, induced labour where I was pretty much confined to the bed. She came out without turning and with a lot of effort. My next 2, I was better informed. I stayed active and upright and both of them turned in labour. One was delivered sitting on a birth ball and my last was a lovely water birth. I understand your anxiety, but the best advice I can give is to stay as active as you can for as long as you can. I needed no pain relief for the last two, and I had the full works for my first, I couldn’t have coped without an epidural. Laying in bed was the worst possible thing I could have done.

Mine was back to back all the way through pregnancy too and like you I was apprehensive because of this. I second the advice to keep active both in the lead up and during labour, I was frantically bouncing on a gym ball to try and get him to turn for weeks before I gave birth! Baby turned himself late in labour, I delivered standing up leaning over the bed with g&a, it was an amazing experience..... Good luck x

My 2nd was back to back and biggest out the 3. I found 2nd to be quickest and easiest labour for me.

Good luck op

My first was back to back and stubbornly refused to turn. I also had a long induced labour with epidural (which I totally recommend). It wasn't great but I got my baby at the end of it and avoided forceps and c-section. No one can say how it will go for you, I've read stories where people managed fine on gas and air. There's always a chance she will turn and I was told they often turn in labour, it just didn't happen for me.

DD was back to back (1st child). Didn’t realise until pushing in labour! I actually had a pretty quick labour (4 hours from 3 to 10cm). I was active and upright the whole time. Once the midwife realised she was back to back she had me pushing in loads of different positions. DD eventually turned while I was pushing while squatting. Ended up giving birth on all fours with one small 1st degree tear.
Afterwards I remember thinking it wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected, especially as she was back to back. I only used G&A in transition.
I second the advice of keeping moving. The most painful contractions were the ones I had around 3cm when they had me hooked up for monitoring and I had to lie down.

Have you tried the spinning babies website?
My first was back to back and ended up in an emergency c section. My second tried her luck as well lol but she must have turned ok in the end because she was born the right way.

DS1 was back to back but i didn't know as he was facing me hip up until an hour before my contractions began (I went to be checked as waters had broken).

Everyone's experience will be different but I'll be honest and say that personally I found the pain extremely difficult to cope with, I was in agony from start to finish. I have heard others say that this back to back labour was just intense all the way through rather than building. Then again I had no waters so that could have contributed to my pain.

Keep trying to turn baby but if you can't don't panic. You could find the pain isn't as bad as you expect. I can only speak for my experience. Just be prepared to ask for pain relief and push for it. I must say though, I wanted a water birth (couldn't have one as waters broke a while before active labour) but went in the bath after and it did wonders for the pain so that could be worth exploring.

Good luck!

My baby was back to back. I was induced at 41 weeks and 3 days. The whole labour was just over 3 hours, with only 20 minutes of pushing. My contractions felt quite strong and VERY close to together, felt like I had one after the other with no break in between, but I think that contributed towards me having a fast labour. All in all not a bad birth at all. I have no pain threshold whatsoever but as I was progressing so quickly I felt I could do it with just the gas, if it had went on for much longer I'd have definitely have had an epidural. I'm honestly the biggest baby ever when it comes to pain so if I can do it, anyone can! I just kept in mind if it got too much and I couldn't cope I could always have an epidural. Plus there's still plenty of time for your baby to turn, try not to worry! Easier said than done I know.