Back labour

I had my first 2 months ago and I am still kinda traumatised by how painful it was! I was induced (balloon, no drugs) and the normal contractions I had were definitely painful, in the same area as period pains and I had to breathe through them and they would wake me up, but once I was transferred to the labour ward and my real contractions started, they were so intense and focused on my lower back (nothing around my uterus), I was desperate for an epidural. I even had morphine whilst waiting for the anesthetist. The pain was so sharp and intense I was nearly sick and it felt like someone had a knife in my back. The midwife said it was due to the baby's position but didn't really explain much. In the end I had an emergency c section as the surgeon said my baby couldn't tuck her chin in. I've since read that 'sunny side up' babies have an issue with tucking their chin in and it can cause back labour. Has anyone else experienced this? The contractions even hurt my hip on quite a high dose of epidural and he had to up the dose. I suppose im just hoping that there was an explanation and it might not happen if I ever have another!

Show your support

I had the same with my first. She was 'star gazing' as the surgeon said. Her chin wasn't tucked in and she was back to back. The pain was so bad that I was pretty much unconscious with it. It ended in an emergency section. I refused to go through this again, so my second (and now third) baby was born by planned section.

@Jo sorry you had this too, I wish the midwife had checked and explained why it was so excruciating as I was made to feel like I just copped out with the epidural but I honestly couldn't have coped. I nearly had a panic attack when they said the anaesthetist was delayed and the first time it didnt work, he came back and tweaked it a few hours layer! 😬 the frustrating part is that I actually wanted an elective section originally as didnt want medicated induction because she was small and the midwives recommended it, but the consultants kept pushing me towards natural!

@Claire Was she your first? I was in a couple of weeks before with her being an unstable lie. They eventually gave us the ok for a natural birth, but I wish they'd just done the section they threatened to do. The pain was like nothing I'd ever known, so I completely understand what you went through. Second time round and I felt ready to fight my corner! Thankfully, the consultant didn't need any convincing.

@Jo sounds v stressful! I was booked to be induced at 40 weeks as im 40 and her growth had slowed, went in for a scan at 38 weeks and they said the placenta was definitely failing, so they brought the induction forward to that week. Tried a stretch and sweep but had a lit of bleeding so they kept me in and then induced me with a balloon 24h later on the tuesday and I had her on the Friday. Had to make a decision after a long labour whether to have forceps or c section. I was saying c section and surgeon was still trying to push me towards forceps! I said I'd rather die than her risk having a damaged skull. Super stressful for the last 6 hours of the birth once the pain was under control. Got to 8cm but her heart wasn't doing well poor little babe

My first LB was back to back. I found the contractions so painful that at one point, I vomited so hard I burst the blood vessels in my face and eyes. I made it to 9cm on gas and air when I had to have an emergency c section due to foetal distress. It was put in my notes that the surgeon performing my c section said my son had actually turned by the time they got to him and was face down so he’d have been born the proper way if I’d continued to labour naturally.

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌