Back to back baby - positive birth stories?

[glitterfly]

So at 36 weeks my little girl was 2/5ths engaged and ready to go... Fast forward to now and she's now not at all engaged and is back to back. The midwife confirmed it but I can feel her little arms and legs going crazy out front. Sometimes she pushes that hard with her little foot I can see its shape!

Anyway, I've tried and tried to get her to turn but nothing is working and I'm now petrified of labour as I've heard its 10times more painful. I had an awful labour with DD1 so I was wondering does anyone have any positive back to back birth stories to put my mind at ease?

Is it even possible to go in to labour naturally with a back to back baby?

Thanks

 

[Bex84]

Both my son and daughter were back to back, with daughter I had her at 39+1 and son 39+2, they both turned once I was in labour and both were fairly quick. My daughter it was 7 1/2 hours and son 4 hr 50 minutes. My friends lo was back to back and turned in labour to so there is still a chance to turn.

 

[Eleanor ace]

Both of mine were back to back so I've nothing to compare it to, but I had very positive experiences . I was induced with my 1st but went into labour spontaneously with my 2nd. Brief birth recaps:
DS: induced via pessary at 13 days over. Went into labour at night while at hospital waiting to have the drip the next morning. Labour progressed quickly- 6cm in about 2 hours. Got onto L&D at 7cm and got gas and air. Stalled at 8cm a while and then had my waters broken which picked up the pace again. Pushed for a couple of hours which was due in part to DS's position and pushing on my back. I tore but that was because DS came out with his arm up. Labour was about 6 hours.

DD: went into labour spontaneously at 41 weeks. Labour started gently, I wasn't sure if it was the real thing for a while. It picked up significantly and I went to hospital; I was 8cm. Got in the pool which was fab for back labour and I had gas and air. Stalled at 8cm again so got out to have my waters broken. Got back in, pushed a bit later for 14 minutes and she was born. Labour was about 9 hours (with the first few hours being mild contractions).

For me having back to back babies didn't make for long labours and the pain wasn't unbearable; I definitely wanted the gas and air but I pushed DS out without anything and it was fine.

 

[Delphine11]

My second baby was back to back, and I dont think the pain of delivery was any worse than my first. I did notice backache in labour, but it was annoying more than super-painful. It meant I found it harder to sit down and get comfortable. It didn't affect the contractions, which I actually found easier to deal with than with my first baby.

I have an anterior placenta this time so I'm wondering if this baby will be back to back too. If he is, I plan to labour on my hands and knees as that encourages babies to turn (the heaviest part - their back - will slid round to be closest to the ground ie against your tummy).

I gave birth completely naturally with just gas and air. No episiotomy, no instruments - just a normal vaginal birth

 

[mayacat]

I was a jerk and my mom had me naturally back-to-back. She went into labour on her due date but it was a long one, 30 hrs or so. Epidural and episiotomy got her through it but I turned out just fine ☺.

 

[Cattia]

My DD was back to back and I had a horrible labour, so I was gutted to find out that my DS was also back to back the day before I went into labour. Howevedr the MW told me not to worry as second babies are far more liley to turn just before or during labour. Sure enough, I had a very smooth labour and delivery with him, no pain relief at all. I don't know when he turned but it must have happened at some point.

 

[mum140381]

my 5th was back to back and i hate to say it it was the most painful out of 6 labors just being honest she turned during delivery however i did it on gas and air only and it was a normal delivery 5 hours and i went on to have a 6th try not 2 worry everyone and all labors are different x

 

[Feronia]

Both of mine were OP as well and I couldn't turn them before labour (I tried spinning babies and acupuncture). However, both turned once labour started and were born anterior. Most babies do turn during labour if you stay upright and lean forward especially during contractions. Being on your back won't help much, but if you're upright my midwife said over 90% of babies do flip into an optimal position from OP during labour.

 

[glitterfly]

Wow thank you for all the replies! It's defoni made me feel better! Thank you! The pain aspect I'm not so worried about its the forecepts as I've heard that often happens with back to back babies although from reading these stories it doesn't seem so common!

Thank you for the labour tips, I'll do my best to stay off my back! Hopefully I labour a bit quicker then the 40odd hours it took with my daughter!!

Thank you again for taking the time to read and reply.

Xxx

 

[Feronia]

No problem! And for what it's worth, my labours weren't painful and I didn't experience any back labour.

 

[lucy_lu10]

Both of my previous babies were posterior so I can't compare my labours/births to anything else but they went just fine! Both were natural deliveries and my first son was 9lbs 3ozs and my second was 9lbs 8ozs! No meds, tools, episiotomies, or surgery needed. My first labour was 7.5hrs with 3hrs of pushing and my second was 3hrs with 1.5hrs of pushing. Guaranteed those pushing times would have been reduced if baby was in the face down position, but it was still very do-able. I suppose I had back labour but I found the contractions to be so intense all over that I really couldn't differentiate between back labour and any other kind.