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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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:
ThePontiacBandit · 10/04/2021 20:13

Another one who had a surprise back to back delivery (DD turned at the last minute, she was only 5lb 4oz so I guess she had the room to flip over?!). I had a very fast labour, to the point I said I was ready to push and the midwives laughed and said it was too early Hmm then agreed to check and realised I was fully dilated. It wasn’t the labour I was planning, I wanted active labour, took a birthing ball in and everything, but I found the contractions so painful I ended up flat on my back, the only place I could tolerate them. Ironically my birth plan stated I wanted everything but the epidural if I could avoid it (I’d read it could slow down labour, ha ha!) but I ended up giving birth on paracetamol, dihydrocodeine and a tens machine. I think I was in established labour for about 3 hours and pushed for about 20 minutes.

She is my only DC so I can’t compare but the contractions hurt like hell and I’d want the G&A if I were to do it again.

User0ne · 10/04/2021 20:14

No experience of back to back but I've no doubt it's possible if you have the right mindset for it. I've found hypnobirthing techniques really helpful.

Ds1 was unidentified breech, stopped progressing at 7cm after 24hrs labour and ended up as emcs. No pain relief other than the epidural just before the emcs.

Ds2 home water birth, 3 hours start to finish and wonderful. No pain relief.

DS3 planned home birth, wasn't descending, had to transfer in (an hour from where we live!), Then 2 more hours pushing hard and shoulder dystocia. Severe haemorrhage 5 hours later with internal and external massage required to contract my uterus. No pain relief.

DS3 is the only birth where I felt like it hurt. Crowning Ds2 didn't bother me; I didn't even notice it with DS3 as the sensations that were most uncomfortable were higher up.

I think there are 2 main aspects of medical pain relief in labour which are often overlooked
1- they interfere with your bodies production of endorphins (your own pain relief) and so reduce your "natural" ability to cope. Endorphins are also inhibited by stress and fear so feeling calm and safe means being more comfortable.
2- opiate based pain relief (in between gas & air and epidural) can have negative side effects for your baby. Both opiate pain relief and epidural CE with an increased likelihood of other interventions (forceps, cs etc).

Also there's nothing stopping you planning not to have pain relief and then changing your mind.

With all of my labours I explicitly stated that I did not want to be offered pain relief- that I would ask for it if I wanted it. I'm really glad I did with ds3 as if someone had offered me an injection to make it stop I would have said yes but that really wasn't what I wanted and I managed just fine without.

If you want to try without you should do it, you might be surprised at what you can do.

RNBrie · 10/04/2021 20:15

I've had three dc, they were all back to back and I managed with gas and air. The first two were really slow labours, the last I needed to be induced by drip and it was brutally fast and painful and I wouldn't do that again without proper pain relief.

Luckystar1 · 10/04/2021 20:19

I did with my 3rd. It was fine. The only issue I had was that my contractions remained quite fair apart and irregular, but very long, like 3-4 minutes each. Thankfully I was already in hospital as waters had broken so I was being monitored.

Husband nearly missed the birth due to speed of it all (during Covid so he couldn’t stay).

I had no indication the baby was back to back until I had a scan at the very end (I was probably about 9cms at the time!) and it showed him face up. Tbh, that set me off on a real pity party and I wish I hadn’t known as I was worried about how it would go and I’m glad I hadn’t known earlier.

OPTIMUMMY · 10/04/2021 20:20

My second was back to back and I just had gas and air. It was a shorter labour than my first but I did find it more painful and at one point felt I couldn’t cope any more (just as he turned which was painful) but was born within minutes of that. It meant a fast recovery, up and about quickly, no stitches and was home that evening :-) So for me it was worth it overall.

DelurkingAJ · 10/04/2021 20:21

DSs were both anterior but only DS1 was back to back. Only had gas and air and they didn’t spot he was back to back until I’d been pushing for over an hour. It wasn’t great and I narrowly missed a crash section (DH was traumatised) but I did have a good recovery (home within 24 hours despite episiotomy).

ChiefBabySniffer · 10/04/2021 20:22

I had one with my fourth baby. First there were mega quick natural bits with pethedbine and gas and air. All over and done within 4-5 hours each.

The last one was a a home birth, back to back and I went into Labour 6am Friday and laboured really slowly but regularly contracting until Sunday evening when I was 3cm . The midwives said it wasn't unusual for it to be slower in a back to back baby. Then later Sunday night, maybe 2-3am my waters went and then I felt her move and went from 4cm to birth within 5 hours and she was born early in the morning in my bed. All done with gas and air. Was the longest but the best of all my birth experiences.

Chamonixshoopshoop · 10/04/2021 20:22

I had a 44 hour back to back natural labour! As others have said, you don’t get any points for being a hero.
Mine ended with a GA EMCS, so it was pretty much pointless. Although I hypnobirthed through the 2 days which kept me calm, so the ‘natural’ element had its benefits.
But don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

withpeaceandlove · 10/04/2021 20:23

My second was back to back and I also had anterior placenta. In my experience it was indescribably painful, I had an epidural but it didn't work and I got through it because I had to but I'd much rather the epidural had worked as it truly was torture. Perhaps not what you want to hear and of course every birth is different. Good luckThanks

oohmyback · 10/04/2021 20:24

I did! It was too late for anything else once they finally got me in a labour room. It was rough but reasonably quick for a first baby.

I had a tens machine but once my contractions got really strong it was horrible. I also found I couldn't stay on hands and knees which should have helped but I hated it.

bookish83 · 10/04/2021 20:24

@HumunaHey

Sorry can't requote.

It is definitely possible! Mindset and how your body responds to labour is important but also not something you can predict til the day.

I was in the water just unfortunately took too long (my labour was over 2 days) so I think I had a catalogue of things go 'wrong'
Think if it had just been back to back, but shorter labour and no drip, I would have managed. In fact, I KNOW I would have.
I won't go into the full ins and outs as its probably not helpful but my issues were the long labour and the fatigue, not the back to back. That was painful... but manageable if less time. I don't know if i really do wish i had had an epidural, or whether I just wish something had been different and changed the birthing journey as by the end it was far from what I had started

Keyperfect · 10/04/2021 20:27

It's definitely do-able I would say. I had 5 DCs all back to back, and had only gas and air with all five. I have nothing to compare it to, but it's not unbearable in my experience. Good luck, hope it all goes well whatever happens.

BlueJag · 10/04/2021 20:27

Spend time on all fours and help the baby turn. It worked for me. I have a completely natural birth without any painkillers.

Megan2018 · 10/04/2021 20:27

Yes although baby partially turned on the way out so not entirely back to back.
I wanted an epidural but didn’t get one as too quick.
It was bloody painful but at least it was only 6hrs. Would’ve been less but I resisted as wanted the epidural!

hiredandsqueak · 10/04/2021 20:29

I've had two back to back babies. With dd1 I had an epidural because she was a VBAC (ds previously had been footling breech) It was a lovely labour and birth (didn't feel a thing as epidural went in as I got onto labour ward as obstetrician was anti VBAC and insisted on epidural) and only took ten minutes to push dd out who stayed face up.
With dd2 I was induced and had previously said I wanted an epidural but midwife persuaded me to have a go and see how I got on. I had gas and air throughout and dd2 was delivered in three pushes again facing up. I wouldn't say either birth was any more painful or difficult than my son's (not the breech) who wasn't back to back.

Soubriquet · 10/04/2021 20:29

I did but only because they didn’t know he was back to back

“Oh! He’s sunny side up! No wonder you was in such pain!”

Yeah thanks.

skeggycaggy · 10/04/2021 20:30

Yes, DC3 was back to back and never turned - also had an anterior placenta actually, interesting. It was utterly painful but I had him at home as planned with gas & air. DC1 had been a long hospital labour ending in forceps, DC2 a dreamy 2.5 hr homebirth, so he was a bit of a surprise but manageable...

sanityisamyth · 10/04/2021 20:30

My DS was back to back. Labour was 80 hours but we got there in the end ...

Dartsplayer · 10/04/2021 20:31

My first twin was born back to back. I was using gas and Air and they didn't tell me until afterwards (although I had an idea as she was taking so long) as apparently I was doing so well. Twin two came out head first. It's definately doable but if you dont feel you are managing there is no shame in asking for a different pain relief

Angrymum22 · 10/04/2021 20:31

DSis had two back to back deliveries, both quite lengthy. She said if she’d had a third she would have definitely had an epidural. Her view, as a dentist, was that we wouldn’t take a tooth out without an anaesthetic so why should we put women through painful labour when anaesthetic is available ( specifically back to back labours since they are slow painful labours).

sanityisamyth · 10/04/2021 20:31

I also refused gas and air as it made by very nauseous. In the 79th hour I was given diamorphine as I was exhausted.

MyGrassIsBrowner · 10/04/2021 20:33

My first was back to back (I freaked when the MW told me as I thought I'd end up needing intervention) I was on an MLU and had a 4 hour labour and ending up having her in the birthing pool. The contractions were hellish I wont lie but I had pethidine which helped somewhat slept between contractions its certainly doable! I knew I had to get that baby out and intervention was not on my cards 😁

PomegranateQueen · 10/04/2021 20:35

My DS1 was back to back and I had the 'horror story' birth

My sister also had a back to back baby, but she had a lovely pool birth with a bit of gas and air.

Like any birth, you wont find out until the day is here. It's probably better for your second to be back to back as you have birthed before. Good luck!

mummabubs · 10/04/2021 20:38

Same as one other poster, I only had gas and air and didn't know DS was back to back until he was removed (in theatre with forceps and episiotomy as he got stuck). It was intense, I guess as he was my first I had no idea whether what to expect and I'd been quite rigid in not wanting additional pain relief so I just went with it. I'm due DC#2 in a few weeks and will be much more easy going about just asking for whatever level of pain relief I want!

sarahc336 · 10/04/2021 20:39

Dd2 was back to back and I had her with just gas and air in the pool. Probably easier as she was my second. I'd say contractions weren't any worse but felt more in my back snd more pressure in my bum sooner than when I had my first dd. X

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