37 weeks - my baby is in posterior, would appreciate your stories to help me know how to cope, v worried

[mum2bagain]

I went to see my GP this morning as I've suspected by baby is not in the correct position for some time, even tho the midwife has never ever mentioned it, I have 3 other children btw so I know from last time things aren't right. She agreed with me that the baby is posterior. She gave me some exercises to do to try and get him to turn, and I'm wondering if I should be happy with that or whether she should have done something more. Please help, very worried and not slept for a few nights.

Crawl around on your hands and knees as much as possible - scrub the floor and then scrub it again! Don't sit on the sofa, but lean over or sit on a birth ball, or sit backwards straddling a dining room chair with a cushion on the back. Get a wedge cushion or something similar for the car to raise your hips higher than your knees. lie on your left hand side in bed. And do all that when you're in labour too! Posterior babies do come out - it's just a bit harder work and you might notice more pain in your back when you're in labour. Is that what you're so worried about?

I'm mainly worried that if he's not in the correct position and gets stuck, then I might end up having a c/s, which I really want to avoid. I think if it was my 1st baby, I'd be none the wiser, but with my others, I felt kicks in my ribs at the top etc. with this one, never in my ribs, always at the right about half way down, tbh, I can't figure out where he is, so I just have to trust the midwife when she says head down.

you still have time though, maybe it will turn itself? according to midwife, my ds was in correct position until I went into labour when he turned to posterior (I had no idea!). Was painful in my back and I had an epidural but didn't have to have a c/s. no problem with him getting stuck, in fact, when I got the ok to push, he was out so fast the midwives were all running around because they weren't ready!! it sounds a bit like you're worried about the baby being breech? if that's the case they will probably do more about it, depends on the hospital policy I think whether you have to have a c/s. good luck, sure it will work out fine!

don't worry about it! I'm pregnant with my third and they've all been posterior.

By all means try the exercises, but I did everything 'right' and my babies didn't turn.

DD1 turned in labour and was born smoothly.
DD2 didn't turn during the labour but it was still a completely natural birth and she was born fine, even though the birth was harder.

I'm now 35 weeks pregnant and this baby is also clearly posterior. I'm not that concerned, but I will spend the labour on my hands and knees.

This baby is also kicking in a similar place to yours, all at the front.

Thanks belgo. It's good to hear other peoples experience having not had a posterior baby before. So i'm presuming that if I spend time getting the weight of the baby off my back during labour, i.e. on all fours, it will make it easier? Sounds good to me. I've got a tens machine which I didn't use last time, which I'm thinking will be good for the extra back pain. I think as long as I'm prepared, all with go smoothly.

mum2bagain - all three of mine have been OP - kicking in exactly the same place you describe they were all head down but even with DC3 I was unsure that was the case as the kicks were in such strange places.

I didn't do anything differently to prepare for the labour - by the time I had DC3 I had given up with all that getting on all fours ever evening malarky). I think it is good that you know yours is OP though and I'm sure that will help you prepare mentally for the birth as well as help the MW get you in he best position for the birth.

I'm a total wimp but the labours were fine. I had epidurals with each one so I was on my side most for of the labour and all worked out well. Def keep your TENS machine to hand so you have the option if you want it.

Good luck

If it helps you, my first baby was posterior and got stuck during labour and I had to have a forceps delivery - all quite unpleasant and upsetting at the time.

My fourth baby was also posterior and weighed within half an ounce of my first baby so essentially the same size. He didn't come out with the first push and I had to shift positions a few times to push him out, and when he came the MWs all said "ah that is why he took so long coming [all of about 20 minutes] because he was posterior". They were expecting him to come with the first push as they could tell I was labouring well. Despite coming out back to front, I did not need any pain relief (and I am a wuss with pain) and I did not need stitches.

It was explained to me afterwards that the more times you labour the more efficient your body is at it. As this is also your fourth baby, hopefully you will not find it as hard as you are expecting. Good luck.

Later babies can turn much easier than first ones, so you've already got an advantage. And keeping the weight off your back is more about the fact that baby's back is the heaviest part of him so if he's 'hanging' he's more likely to swing round so his back's by your tummy, rather than your back.

Good luck :-)

My 1st was back to back and while the labour was quite long (28 hours) I had a lovely 2nd stage (40 mins) and all perfectly natural. Main thing I can suggest is Hands and Knees. or kneeling leaning over something- chair, back of bed, whatever.
Hope you have a short and sweet labour

It's also comfortable to be on your hands and knees in a birthing pool, that helps support your weight. And my dh massaged my back, which really helped.

It's funny though that posterior babies kickin odd places - I was worried that the baby was breech because I feel kicking so far down, and there's a foot stuck against my hip! Now the baby's bigger I can identify the bottom at the top, but still all kicking is at the front, occasionally in my ribs.

Also I read on mumsnet that the baby could be posterior if you have an anterior placenta - my placenta is definitely anterior this time, and I'm fairly sure it was in my other pregnancies as well.

DS1was spine to spine too right up til he popped his head out! It was a long labour but it was also my first, but other than that, fine, no stitches either!

You'll be fine, try not to worry