Posterior babies?

[yellow]

Went for my 36 weeks antenatal check last week and was told for the first time that my dd is in the posterior position which could cause me problems in labour. The midwife told me that it can make labour slower and that my contractions are likely to be in my back and normally women feel fine in beteween contractions but with posterior positioned babies the back pain will continue in between contractions and will feel, and I quote "like a chainsaw cutting in to my back". She also said it was likely the they would use froceps if DD got stuck and I should try to not have an epidural as I need to ideally be in the all fours position, as it will be easier to give birth. I felt quite calm before I was told this and now feel completely freaked out. She has given me some exercises to do which I have been doing to try and move DD but I wondered if anyone had any expereince of giving birth to posterior babies who could give me some advice?!

dd was posterior it turned out and I can confirm that my labour was very much in my back but definitely not "chainsaw". I did find that someone ANYONE rubbing my back vigorously during a contraction helped enormously esp if I was sat leaning over the back of a chair IYKWIM. Also quite warm water being poured directly onto my back was also v soothing. Labour was long too and I cant tell you what it was like to actually give birth as I had an em c/s.

my dd was posterior and ds (but he was planned section, so different)

i was told they usually turn just before or during labour, so try not to worry too much!

Also dont remember pain in between contractions either but do remember contractions pain starting by my tummy button and then working their way round until my whole middle area was v tight and aching. Then the pain just ebbed away. Is this your first Yellow?

My dd (second child) was posterior. I think that the labour was more intense that my labour with ds but it was also very quick - 3 hours in total. She didn't turn during labour but I delivered her normally without any tearing or complications. In fact, was ready to go home 20 mins after having her so please don't worry!!! I didn't know she was posterior till she crowned and I am glad I didn't as otherwise I would have been worrying like you. It will be fine. I had no pain relief because it all happened so fast and managed to get through it without any problems. A positive mental attitude is really important!!! Good luck!
Oh and I am still reading your post - I felt ok between contractions and didn't get the extreme backache you mention. Just remember it being painful - but labour is always painful.....Sounds like your m/w is freaking you out unnecessarily.

yellow - my dd was posterior, although I didn't know this until 2 1/2 days into the labour!! I had the classic posterior labour - long, lots of pain in my lower back, failure to dilate. But don't panic - first of all there is still time for you baby to turn - I recommend doing the optimal foetal positioning which may help. Also I did not get pain between contractions - only during. I did end up with an epidural - because even after my 2 days of pre-labour and 10 hours of full on contractions every 1-2 minutes, I wasn't dilating, and the epidural was magic, I felt no pain from then on, dd turned of her own accord, and she was delivered with no further intervention.

Also I know quite a few people who had posterior babies where the baby turned much earlier in labour, resulting a shorter experience!

Really recommend your partner getting some practise doing lower back massage - I found that very helpful during the labour.

Good luck - one thing about labour is that it's never predictable.

Hi Yellow
I started a thread about this on the 'childbirth' area, titled "back-to-back baby - worried about labour". There are some encoraging stories there (sorry, not even going to try to do a link).

Worth doing all the "foetal positioning" you can - crawling on hands and knees, not sitting with your feet up etc.

Definitiely worth putting discoraging and unhelpful comments from your midwife from your mind - everyone's experience of labour is different.

My god your MW said many unsusbsantiated things.
I am a birth doula and have seen my share of posterior babies (had one myself too)... this is a load of crap! Never heard chainsaw to describe it either!!!!
Yes it can make it longer but not always... forceps ???? not necessarily either..... I have never seen a forceps birth in 25 births and quite a few were posterior.
Go for the exercise but you baby may well turn in labour too!
I did a birth a week ago, baby was posterior and made a HUGE turn in labour.... we could all see it actually.
Her labour was 5 hours from start to finish!

My firstborn was posterior and i delivered fine!.I must say that from 6 cms the pain was none stop but i had an epidural!.
Epidural=sanity!