Engaged but back to back at 38+2

[Firsttimemummybear]

Hi all

Have just had my midwife appt and my baby is still fully back to back :( due in 12 days.

Burst out crying and now feeling very worried as she said itl be painful and long if baby doesn’t turn.

Has anyone else got this/had this and any tips?

Frightened. :(

Please try not to worry (easier said than done I know) my second labour was back to back, I would say it was slightly more intense than my labour before which wasn't back to back, however it was also a lot quicker (around 6 hours in total) I managed still on just gas and air xx

My first was back to back and came out sideways (facing towards the wall) and weighing 9lb which is large considering I'm only a small framed size 8... and hand on heart it wasn't as bad as I thought, only had gas and air whilst I was pushing and already can't wait to give birth to baby 2! Try not too worry, anything can change between now and giving birth, good luck xx

The Spinning Babies website has info on back-to-back labour.

If you have a read of that and the NCT guidance, and then see what techniques may help turn baby.

Can you also have a chat with a different midwife; they should not have made you feel frightened!

I’ve had 3 back to back labours. More painful yes but 2&3 were very short!

Try not to worry

My first was back to back. Not gonna lie the Labour was awful (at 36 weeks too) And I had a really crap time which ended in Kielland’s forceps.
2nd labour was 6 hours long, back to back and was such an easier labour so I would try not to panic if I were you.

Not a particularly helpful comment from the midwife. All labours hurt so it's relative and you don't have anything to compare to.

Between now and then google breathing exercises - breathing through a contraction makes it much more bearable. Also being in a positive frame of mind will help.

To try and turn the baby - I remember it being recommended not to slump into the sofa in the evening as that present a natural resting place for a baby to lie back to back - so instead of slumping try and lie on the left side. Get down on your hands and knees to clean is another suggested technique.

Lastly once labour hits - my contractions were all in my back (no one told me if my first was back to back) and it felt unbearable to lie down but copable to stand, lean over a bed or lie on my side.

Thanks all, you have made me feel a lot better. I have watched a few exercise videos to hopefully turn baby and will trust that it will all go smoothly! A nap and a bath works wonders.... x

I had a back to back labour with my 8th. Apart from the back pain being constantly there there was no difference to any of my other labours. Actually it was easier than my 7th

Although back to back now, they can turn last minute, so try not take some positive from that. My first was back to back and I wouldn't say was any more painful than my second (but that was an induction), so cannot really say if it would have been better. Try sitting on a birthing ball and lean forward with your bump between your legs as much as possible xxx

What a ridiculous and unhelpful comment from the midwife - try not to see her again! My first was back to back although I didn't realise until after the birth. Born at home in a pool with a bit of gas and air - from realising I was in labour to giving birth was about 7 hours. This one was back to back until a few days ago (38+4 now), I had a look at spinning babies and spent some time on my ball and sitting more upright and he's turned a bit now. Thanks to my first birth I wasn't particularly worried if he didn't but I am marginally more comfortable 😂 Don't worry, you'll be fine. Ditch the midwife though!

I had a 2 hour back to back labour. Yes it hurt but labour does! Don’t worry, baby still has time to turn x

Many turn during labour you know, try not to worry too much, but I thinkn e best way to turn them is to make the front of your uterous a better place to lay rather than the back so the more you can sit forward, be on all fours the more they're likely to put their back to your front. Avoid slouching too much as this places them on their back by your back, but then sone babies just find a positive abs just prefer it abs no matter how much we sit on a birth ball etc they just won't shift good luck xx

Mine wasn’t back to back but turned that way during labour. I got to fully dilated on gas and air in the birthing pool so the pain was manageable. I had to have forceps in the end and they couldn’t turn him so delivered him face up. It was all ok though, I didn’t feel anything thanks to the epidural and everything healed fine. He was 8lb 8oz.

Sorry your midwife has said that. Please try not to worry. Every labour is different and there are lots of options for pain relief if you are finding it too much.

Oh, and it wasn’t especially long either: waters went about 1.30pm, contractions started about 3 and by 9pm when I arrived at maternity I was already 5cm!

Mine was back to back, had no idea it was even a thing until after he was born! It was long but I managed on gas and air. Good luck.