Bad back labor, baby NOT posterior

[Mrs.Oz]

With DS I had excruciating back labor due to his posterior position. This time around, my back pain was just as bad, if not worse. Whether I stayed upright, walked (actually walking made the back pain even worse), leaned forward, the pain was there and unbearable. I was absolutely convinced DD was posterior but she wasn't....Anyone have any ideas why I would have the same back labor? Each time a ctx started it would hit hard and fast, right in the back, then in the lower abdomen. I never felt pain in the upper abdomen area, if that means anything. I was anticipating a much easier birth this time around and it was almost worse, pain-wise. If that's just how my births are, I don't know that I can do it again

Oops...Didn't see that there is a very similar thread already going...

[MoonStarFalling]

I curious about it as well. At the end of dd's labor I developed back labor but she was not posterior. My only thought was that the joints in my pelvis weren't moving like they should.

[txgal]

I had terrible back labor with DD, she was not posterior but presented with both fists up by her cheeks. In my doula experience back labor can be caused by any abnormal presentation; nuchal hand, posterior baby, head tilted slightly. But every labor is different and just because you had it the last 2 times doesn't mean you will the next.

[lifeguard]

Mrs. Oz - your labour pain sounds exactly like mine & ds was not posterior either. I just assumed it is how my body labours.

[phatchristy]

For me, with all of my babes who were anterior I did get some back labor, right at the end...just a little though. I wonder if it was simply the fact that babe was so low?


With my posterior babe, VERY different though in that the back labor lasted the whole time while contractions were intense...not just at the end!

[allgirls]

I wonder how you would know the baby wasn't posterier? My midwife kept telling me when I was in labour, she kept guessing that the baby was even though I didn't have back labour and there never was any evidence that she was posterier ever..but she still said she was. She never touched me during labour other than to listen to the heartbeat very occasionally.

I'm just curious.

[MGBoutique]

My third labor was just like that-excruciating back labor. I'm not sure if he really was posterior or not, because he came out very quickly into the water in one push...or if he possibly turned at the last minute before coming out. But oh, the agony.

Interestingly, it took almost 2 hours for me to deliver the placenta. After a few minutes of no pain after the birth, the pain began again and was as agonizing as the labor was. I was in severe pain until I stood up (I was out of the water by then) and a huge clot came out. After that, the pain was manageable and I was okay "laboring" until the placenta finally came out. It was like night and day-once that clot came out, I was fine. I theorize that maybe it was pushing on a nerve or something, because it was a huge clot, but my midwife doesn't think that is what was causing my pain. Who knows.

I do agree that you never know how the pain will present though-my first (hospital) birth, she was posterior and I got an epidural for the pain. Second baby was not malpresented and she was born naturally with no drugs at all and what I envision as "normal" pain, for me, for childbirth. Third child, born at home, I couldn't have made it without being in water due to that back pain...oh, and my dh using counterpressure. Thank goodness for him.

[purplemoon]

With number two I had bad back labor. The pushing stage also felt funny, like he was pushing into my back, not out. I was amazed how much it felt like he wasn't making a smooth exit.

He wasn't sunny side up at all. However, I am not sure in the womb and coming out of the pelvic outlet what was happening because his face was bruised very badly. So, hmmmm.

I read somewhere that some babies are malpositioned and turn in the birth canal so you can have back labor without it being obvious why when the babe is born.

I hope I hear more about this because I have wondered the same thing.