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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 advice

14 replies

ButterflyBun · 22/12/2018 17:35

I'm 39 weeks pregnant now and baby still back to back so not sure it's shifting any time soon.
I've worked and been active all way through pregnancy only finished work this week so not sure it's due to sitting in wrong position as some suggest.
Midwife doesn't seem to think it's an issue and said babies can be born naturally this way but I'm very nervous now. I've heard so many horror stories.
Has anyone had a back to back baby naturally. Any advice?
Thanks

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meganmc0301 · 22/12/2018 17:41

I had to be induced but my baby was back to back throughout pregnancy apparently and the whole way through labour she never turned.. apparently back to back labours are more painful- my labour was very painful but managed just on gas and air and a shot of pethidine and no tearing after. All my contractions were in my back I never felt a thing in my stomach!! I'm currently pregnant with baby number 2 and I'm really hoping that it's not a back to back labour again.

However if your labour goes the same way just remember you can do it and it's so worth every ounce of pain. Good luck x

Original poster

ButterflyBun · 22/12/2018 18:22

Thank you for that, it's much appreciated.
My first baby was the right way and labour was normal with gas and air. I did need stitches after though.
You did amazingly well to have so little pain relief and no tearing either. Was it a long labour?

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Namechanger55555 · 22/12/2018 18:26

Mine was back to back and never turned. Even in labour he never turned.

I was left to labour and push on my back. Which is the worst position possible. You need to try and labour on your knees and tipping forward like on a birthing ball.
Google Spinning babies. They have some good positioning tips on there.
Good luck x

Meganc559 · 22/12/2018 20:01

Mine went back to back a few days before I went into labour, it was really sore, I think I would have handles the pain a lot better if he was the right way round. I was 10cm and I had to hold of pushing for 2 hours and had to lie on my side,just to try and turn him. He didn't and needed an episiotomy :( I would say lie onyour side as much as your can xx

BlueMoon33 · 22/12/2018 20:12

My baby turned back to back when I went in labour, although I didn’t know this until a midwife told me right before he was born and it would have been helpful to know. My contractions were really close together and my baby came out fast, I laboured pain relief free until gas and air for the last 40minutes. It was intense but doable, don’t fear it too much, your baby may turn (mine turned just as he was coming out) and even if they don’t many babies are born this way and you CAN do it!

I needed to be on all fours, squatting, and a firm massage in the lower back.

I recommend hiring a tens machine as they are great for back pain and practice with it and get it on in the early stages of labour, otherwise it won’t work (I tried halfway through, couldn’t work the machine and suddenly it was on full power!)

needanappp · 22/12/2018 21:26

Honestly my DS was back to back and it was so painful, I'm currently 34 weeks with DD and praying she isn't!

All contractions were felt in my back and they were really intense all the way through, there weren't many stages to the pain, they just got longer! I did manage on gas and air but that wasn't my choice I wanted other pain relief but was too far gone. My advice is to be open to the possibility of an epidural even if you didn't plan on having one.

As a PP has said, laying on your back is the worst way to labour because baby is in an awkward position and you need gravity as much as possible. However I had to labour on my back because my contractions were so painful that I physically couldn't hold myself up in any other way. I expect with some more pain relief this would have been much more manageable.

I should add I had no waters for any of my contractions so that could have added to the intensity of my pain. All in all, DS was more than worth every second I'll admit it took a while to feel that way

Good luck!

Azra12 · 22/12/2018 21:39

I had my DS just four weeks ago and he was back to back, I laboured on my back which is the worst possible position to be in (but my midwife didn’t say anything)
I had a very painful labour in comparison to the other 3!!!!
I’m still getting a lot of lower back pain which I’ve never experienced before and I had horrendous piles for the first ten days after childbirth due to the baby being back to back
The best advice I can give is try to stay upright or as a PP said on your knees or tipping forward.
All the best and hope you have a better labour than I did

Duvetdweller · 22/12/2018 21:44

Both of mine were back to back - the first went on forever but wth a ventouse got there eventually and the second was really straightforward. I do think you tend to go from not being dilated to full very quickly when it eventually happens. Couldn’t tell you if it’s more painful than a normal labour because I’ve not experienced it but my second was about 6 hours and just gas and air - it was fine.

MrsBartlettforthewin · 22/12/2018 21:45

All three of mine were back to back and had three natural births with first lasting 5 and a half hours and last only 1 hour 15. Wasn't an issue at all.

user1499122304 · 22/12/2018 22:59

My baby was back to back, never turned in labour either. I was induced and my labour lasted 90 minutes from the first contraction to birth, I was pushing for more than half the time though and they said it's because he wouldn't turn so it was taking longer but I only had gas and air and it was fine, not too painful. I did have a small tear which needed stitches but it healed well. I'm pregnant with my second and hoping my labour will be as nice as the first but not sure I'll be so lucky again!

meganmc0301 · 24/12/2018 17:48

@ButterflyBun only replying now sorry! They gave me my first pessary on the Saturday around 3pm and then the second around 10pm, they didn't work so I had my waters broke around 11am on the Sunday and put on the drip then. She was born at 21.19 on the Sunday :)

Dreaming23 · 24/12/2018 17:55

My baby was back to back had a long labour (14hours) but when she did turn it was two hours and she was out! Pushed for half hour and didn’t tear.
For the first 12 hours I had no pain relief not even gas and air and I didn’t think it was that bad tbh so don’t worry. Also you’ve got time babies can turn right up until and in labour so don’t panic

voxnihili · 24/12/2018 19:00

My DD was born back to back in the summer. I had a long labour (36 hours) and it was incredibly painful. The first epidural failed but the second worked and I couldn't feel any pain after that (shame it was 30 hours into the labour!). I had an episiotomy to help get her out in the end but that was mainly due to a medical condition that meant that the final stage of my labour was heavily controlled and they needed to get her out quickly.

If the baby doesn't turn - discourage your partner from looking as baby appears. DP is still scarred from seeing her appear face up 😂.

MammaSchwifty · 25/12/2018 22:21

I had a back to back labour, but she did turn during labour. I had to hold off pushing for quite a while to allow her to turn.

It was painful once the waters went, but I managed on just gas and air throughout. I did find the pool really helpful to maintain an all-fours position.

Look at spinning babies and see if there's anything you can do to help baby turn before the birth, but if it doesn't don't worry, could happen during.

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