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Original poster

Anyone had a natural birth or just gas and air with a back to back baby?

67 replies

HumunaHey · 10/04/2021 19:20

I have an anterior placenta and it seems this will make it more likely baby could be in back to back position when I go into labour.

I really want a natural birth. I had just gas and air with my first and a birthing pool. After delivery I felt great and there didn't feel like there was a recovery as such as I honestly felt I didn't have much to recover from.

Am I being naive in thinking I could manage a back to back delivery with little support/intervention?

OP posts:
Aprilshowersandhail · 10/04/2021 19:22

I had an awful back to back labour with gas and air... Bigger shocker was I was expecting a dd and got a ds!

SandysMam · 10/04/2021 19:24

I had a terrible back to back “natural” labour with DD. It was traumatising. Don’t be a hero OP, you get no badge of honour and it doesn’t make you a better mother! Take the pain relief!

Toomuchtooyoung01 · 10/04/2021 19:25

Take the pain relief.

SandysMam · 10/04/2021 19:25

Just read it is your second, might make it easier...

niceladyatthedrs · 10/04/2021 19:29

I don't think you're being naive at all. I did, I stayed at home for the most of it (13 hours) spent pacing around/leaning on things. The last two hours were in hospital, 1 hour leant over the bed/swaying side to side. When they finally took a peek & realised I was 10cm, the last hour was spent sucking on gas & air, pushing leant over the bed. I recovered really quickly though.

ChristinaYang10 · 10/04/2021 19:33

I was a back to back baby, my mum says it was hell. She only had gas and air.

Fwiw I had an anterior placenta when I was pregnant with DD and she wasn’t back to back - I don’t actually remember the increased likelihood of her being back to back being mentioned to me, maybe I didn’t research properly.. I had a birthing pool and gas and air.

LouNatics · 10/04/2021 19:33

Yes, my second was back to back and had their hand on their head. I was glad as it slowed the labour down, which made it much easier. You can’t ever tell how it’s going to go but if you had a reasonable time with your first I think that improves your odds.

I spent the labour walking up and down stairs as it just felt like the right thing to do and gave birth stood up, I couldn’t have sat or laid down if my life depended on it. I think I’d have needed pain relief I if I’d been forced to stay still or in a room, so my advice is to move if you can.

Mind you I’m now wondering if I’d actually have been able to have pain relief and continue walking on stairs, I’m thinking maybe not!

Idontknowwhatmynameis · 10/04/2021 19:36

I did with my first. They/I didn’t know until baby came out sky facing. But it explained why it had taken days!! I just had G&A but I didn’t know any different. My next two weren’t back to back and I had pethidine on top of the G&A. So just keep an open mind and do whatever you need to do.

Whatdidyoudo99 · 10/04/2021 19:39

My second was back to back. Took a long time to push him out think about an hour and half of pushing ( he was big too)
I hated the gas and air made me feel so sick, so I just had two paracetamol.

handmademitlove · 10/04/2021 19:40

4 babies, all back to back and delivered with hand over their head... No pain relief for any of them as very quick labours. My advice is keep moving! Although I did have huge bruises where I had asked my DH to push on my back to counter the pressure from the babies - even my midwife commented :-)

WindyScales · 10/04/2021 19:43

I had a back to back labour with my second with just gas and air, and a water birth. My first was also a water birth, with pethadin and gas & air when I was in the water.

For my second Labour, it was a very long labour and very stop/start. The process when I was pushing was also quite long but thank fully she did come out naturally. If a water birth is something that’s available to you I would definitely try that, as it helped with the pain and also moving around and getting into comfortable positions was easier.

It was a long and painful labour, however I was fortunate not to tear (I did with my first and then had an infection). The recovery was amazing with my second, honestly I was up and about in no time. It really was amazing.

I guess what I’m saying is that yes a back to back labour can be horrendous but it doesn’t last forever and hopefully once the baby is born you can rest/recover and move on from it.

Good luck x

DancesWithDaffodils · 10/04/2021 19:43

DS1 was back to back. Took 2 paracetamol, but dont know how much I absorbed, as I was throwing up lots.
DS2 wasnt back to back, but he was totally drug free (paramedics turned up at the same time as baby - he was keen to get out!).

Aprilshowersandhail · 10/04/2021 19:46

Never had pain relief after dc 1.
Ime worth keep going and have a quicker recovery..

LunaHardy · 10/04/2021 19:46

I had anterior placenta with both of my DD. DD1 3 years ago was back to back, it was absolutely awful, I only had gas and air. I wouldn't do that again. DD2 was 4 weeks ago, but straightforward delivery and not back to back. I don't think anterior placenta is a guarantee that you will have back to back labour.

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 10/04/2021 19:47

DT1 was back to back. I gave birth to him unassisted and it was only days later that I realised, as when I looked back on the birth I remembered that his face was facing me (iýswim) when he came out.

It was v v fast but I also had a massive urge to keep moving esp up and down stairs.

Why don't you try it and see how you go, but then agree with yourself that if it gets too much take pain relief?

SmednotaSmoo · 10/04/2021 19:47

First: back to back, on a drip, gas and air, baby turned at the last push (most of the way down the vagina).

Second: back to back, had gas and air and in a pool, baby born back to back.

Third, baby back to back when I turned up at the birthing unit. Given a sweep as I was only 3 cm despite v regular contractions; baby moved during the sweep, and was born an hour (!) later in the pool. There was gas and air but I didn’t really use it.

So, yes. For me the feeling of control was more important than the pain.

Screwcorona · 10/04/2021 19:48

Mine was back to back and I didnt find labour unmanageable. He ended up stuck anyway so can't comment on pushing as emcs.

SIL both babies back to back and born naturally with no pain relief. She said they were easy

Mummyof2Terrors · 10/04/2021 19:48

Back to back with just gas and air because they didn't offer me anything else. First baby so nothing to compare to but I managed. Had forceps delivery though.

bookish83 · 10/04/2021 19:51

I thought I would manage on gas and air. I did for a while but labour was long, painful, and the back to back was awful. Eventually (after a drip) baby got stuck and instrumental was needed. I refused an epidural and kinda wish I had accepted it. I was more scared of an epidural than I should have been, and honestly think I would have had a successful 'natural' birth with it, than what I ended up with.

I know someone else who did a back to back with just gas but a lot shorter labour.

I also had an anterior placenta. I didn't know there was a link! My baby turned at 40 weeks.

Sorry, just want to be realistic with my post.

Original poster
HumunaHey · 10/04/2021 19:53

Thanks for the replies. Lots of positive experiences which is reassuring to hear.

It's not that I want to be a hero as someone mentioned, it's more that I want to replicate my first birth as much as it's feasibly and sensibly possible. For me, my my first birth was a very positive one and I just felt perfectly fine afterwards. I had a very long labour though but, in the long run, I think that (along with my birthing position and the pool) helped as I had no tears so no stinging wee or painful poos after as others experienced. So maybe a back to back, if that happens, would be a small blessing in that sense.

I think I'm a little more (just a little) anxious this time round. Last time I was blissfully ignorant about all the things that can divert things from being a straightforward and trauma free experience. This time, I might have gone a bit OTT with looking into things!

OP posts:
Original poster
HumunaHey · 10/04/2021 19:58

@bookish83

I thought I would manage on gas and air. I did for a while but labour was long, painful, and the back to back was awful. Eventually (after a drip) baby got stuck and instrumental was needed. I refused an epidural and kinda wish I had accepted it. I was more scared of an epidural than I should have been, and honestly think I would have had a successful 'natural' birth with it, than what I ended up with.

I know someone else who did a back to back with just gas but a lot shorter labour.

I also had an anterior placenta. I didn't know there was a link! My baby turned at 40 weeks.

Sorry, just want to be realistic with my post.

I'm grateful for honest experiences so thank you.

I want to weigh up my options as I want a birthing pool but you can't have that with an epidural so it's something I have to decide a little in advance.

Like others have said, my placenta position is no guarantee baby will be back to back. I'll get a better indication closer to the time. But it's good to know possible outcomes and options now.

OP posts:
TrainspottingWelsh · 10/04/2021 20:07

I did, I haven't got a comparison, but from discussing birth experiences it wasn't that bad.
Apparently it is more painful, but I suppose that depends on what you're comparing it to, and your pain threshold. (Natural pain threshold rather than your ability to grin and bear it)
With hindsight, I'd still take my pain relief free back to back birth and feeling fine afterwards over being out of it afterwards.

TheCraicDealer · 10/04/2021 20:08

DD was back to back, and added to that I was on the aul hormone drip due to meconium in the waters. It was so bad I vomited with the pain (still feel sorry for the midwife caught in the splash-zone), ended in emcs anyway as she was stuck.

Both DTwin's babies were B2B (maybe our build makes us more inclined to have sunny side up babies!) and she delivered naturally with remifentanil as pain relief which she raves about.

Just keep an open mind and don't try to replicate your first labour- that's a response borne from anxiety, and whilst it's understandable it's more likely to set you up for feeling like a "failure" if you deviate from what happened last time. Honestly every labour is different and you're very much just playing the cards you're dealt on the day.

Peachylovesherpoochy · 10/04/2021 20:10

I had 2 DDs in back to back labour - first DD was delivered on gas and air, it wasn’t exactly the most fun I’ve ever had but it was fine and doable. I was in about all day at home just sort of noodling around and waiting it out, eventually I arrived at the hospital about 5cm dilated about 7pm and she was born at 2.15am. 2nd DD was back to back too and was going with gas and air again but then had a placental abruption so had a crash c-section instead.

Aprilshowersandhail · 10/04/2021 20:12

I would say don't be afraid to speak up (as anyone in labour should) . Mw was saying ds was distressed with his positioning. Csection was mentioned - I was on a monitor lying on the side I never slept on. I asked could I switch sides and ds's heart returned to normal!! Difference between vaginal birth and emcs!! Make a birth plan but be open minded to suggestions!
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