Posterior babies - How did you deliver?

[dukeswalker]

Lately I have run into quite a few women who have had posterior babies - My MW had me birth that 8lb 12oz baby the good ol' fashioned way - if your baby was posterior (face up) how was he/she born? Tell your story if you care! :)

After going into active labor with dd#3 I arrived at the hospital at 8cm - contractions were strong but irregular and I remember telling my MW that I could feel a hand or something moving near my front pubic bone - after AROM at 9cm contractions pettered out before picking back up again (but not nearly as strong as before). MW figured she was probably sunny side up and incouraged my to begin pushing - even though I had no real URGE to push. I did end up giving birth to her vaginally - totally naturally, except for the AROM (oh and I took 1 tablespoon castor oil - because I was a 42 week VBAC and the ob overseeing all of this wa getting antsy...) no IV, no EFM, etc....

[MamaFern]

i say he was posterior because he was up until i started labour but he must have fliped himself around because i didnt experience back labour at all.. i think its pretty comon for posterior babies to spin around to the right place once contractions start..

[Aaudreysmom]

Both my girls were born sunny side up with no suggestion or C/S. I don't think posterior presentation is a reason to C/S. ???

With DD#1 we thought she was turning during all that back labor but NOPE. With DD #2 I had NO back labor so was VERY suprised when she came out faceing up!

[Spark]

Aaudreysmom - if you hang out at Babycenter long enough you see that posterior presentation is a reason for C-section with many providers. They'll do an U/S upon arrival to determine it. Or when the mom can't push out the baby after an alloted amt of time, the mom will birth via cesarean due to posterior position.

WIth my DS he was posterior with a nuchal hand. I pushed him and his hand out sunnyside up. He was my first baby and I was glad I was at home. I did not tear at all. Although my total pushing time was quite long (3 hours or so).

[massagemom]

i had a posterior baby and went through about 20 hours of back labor! i was at a hospital but had a very experienced midwife there.



i chose to have an epidural after 24 hours of not resting or sleeping and not progressing, delivered the baby about six hours later (i pushed for 3 hours), but a vacuum extraction was done.

i would love to hear stories from women that have delivered posterior babies naturally b/c i know i could learn from them!

[sarahlynne]

My baby was not born posterior, but was so until just before I started pushing(so I still voted). I used lots of upright and hands and knees postures during birth and can not imagine what it would have been like if I had been forced on my back. I wouldn't even consider a c/s only for a posterior position, even if he had to be born that way.

[Red Sonja]

My DS turned after about 6 hours of labor. I gave birth in the hospital but did not have an IV or anything so I was free to move around. I spent a lot of time leaning over my birth ball, on hands and knees and leaning over in the shower - I think these things helped my DS turn over.

[dukeswalker]

The only reason I asked is because in the past few months my dear cousin had a c/s because he was posterior and then my very good friend ended up with one (who was very into natural birth - and loved her ob because he was too....whatever :rolleyes)

Its interesting to hear how many of you couldn't even have imagine having to be on your backs during labor - I couldn't agree more - from the very 1st real contraction I was on all fours - even inthe car! (and while wearing my nightgown on the front seat of my car, I can only IMAGINE what passings cars got a view of :blush ).

What position did you end up pushing in?

[DreamsInDigital]

I ended up with an episotomy that tore into a 4th degree tear and DS was born by vacuum but he was birthed vaginally. I was on my back pushing out a posterior babe for 3 hours. Man, looking back now, I'm so surprised I didn't have a c-section.

[annakiss]

I delivered naturally with baby in anterior position coming out after a posterior labor. People really do c/s for posterior without allowing for labor? :scratch It seems that these days most babies are posterior due to our way of life (sitting in cars, on couches, etc.). Posterior babies tend to take longer to turn, but I can't see doing a c/s to avoid that, but then I don't have a golf game to make. :eyesroll I do know that alot of primary c/s cite "failure to progress" after long labors caused by posterior babies.

[ZanZansMommy]

from the very 1st real contraction I was on all fours - even inthe car! (and while wearing my nightgown on the front seat of my car, I can only IMAGINE what passings cars got a view of :blush ).

What position did you end up pushing in?

This was me. I pushed on all fours & it helped with the back pain tremendously. Still it was a long labor (28 hrs) & I pushed for about 3-4 hrs :nut But thanks goodness she was born vaginally.

[Lucky Charm]

My first two babies were sunny side up, with my second leaving me with a 4th degree tear and a significant repair. He was 9 pounds with a 15 inche head and chest. I did not push long for either, about 20 minutes, and my labors were 9 hours, then 4 with #2. It hurt like no tomorrow, back labor sucks!

Baby #3 was not posterior, and his labor was like a walk in the park pain wise. I had "front labor" for the first time and it was wonderful! He eased out, and I had no tears.

My second felt like i was delivering a fax machine. An experience I dont ever want to repeat. I'm glad i didnt have a c-section, and I had no idea that sunny side up was a reason to have one. Ahhhh the many things I contiue to learn about here at MDC.

:coffee Lisa

[sistermama]

My first babe was posterior for the bulk of labor. It was a strange labor in that he would rotate anterior and I would dialate to 8 or 9, and then he would go back posterior and I would go back to 4 or 5 centimeters. It was a planned homebirth, but I went to the hospital after about 30 hours. I rested and had an epidural. The epidural allowed me to lay on my right side, which is the only way he would stay anterior. I had to fight for a vaginal birth, (including leaving one hospital at 9 cm and going to another) but I won in the end and pushed out a 10lb baby.

[amyjeans]

dd2 was posterior and turned after the first 30 minutes of my 5 hr labor. I could tell because i felt my back ache really strong for that time, then after some great pressure applied to my back by my dh, she turned and my backache went away. Born vaginally, unassisted.

[KaliD]

Add me to the list of those who didn't know that posterior was a reason for a c/s! I can't say I'm amazed or very surprised :o

I labored on my side and birthed DS almost flat on my back (beetle position). He was either posterior the entire time or rotated at the very end. Either way, I'd rather avoid that this time around! :LOL

~Angela

[luvmy3boys]

Middle ds was posterior and I delivered vaginally....he was also my quickest labor and delivery out of all 3 boys (just 3 hours of labor).

[MeredithMommy]

Wow! count me in! I didn't know posterior was a reason to c/s! Glad My doctor didn't notice dd was posterior, I would have left if she had suggested a c/s!

The nurses didn't believe me that my back and tailbone could possibly hurt "that bad", (they told me I was just being a baby about it).

I was 10 cms at 10pm but I didn't feel an urge to push so I took a nap. I woke up at 10:25 and felt like I needed to push, and my dd was born to 10:54. She really wasn't that hard to push out and didn't get stuck.

I don't think any of the nurses or the doctor even realized she was posterior until her head came out. And then they were like, "Wow, I guess your back really did hurt!" duh.

Dd was 7lbs 14 oz, and had a 14 1/2 inch head.

[MamaTaraX]

I had a posterior baby that turned whiel pushing. I had NO back labor (somebody loves me!). I had this one wicked contraction in which the baby flipped, my waterbroke,and he rammedhis head into my perineum...all in one ctx. It was the most intense thingever! His daddy caught him about 5 minutes later. I thought he was going to come out posterior, but he did flip right at the end. Natural birth.

Namaste, Tara
mama to Doodle (7), Butterfly (2), and Rythm (due at home 1/06)

[Sleepymama]

Vaginally with vacuum extraction w/ episiotomy (couldn't get past +3 station) I had hellish, really excruciating back labor for 22 hours. The idea of another posterior baby terrifies me!! We think he turned once during early labor b/c the ctx got actually manageable and I could breathe through them, then he turned back sunny side up. I guess he really wanted to come out looking up!!

I also had PROM and that made the back labor a lot worse--no cushion from the get go. I pushed in the reclining position, on my side, and also hands and knees.

[jessanddanny]

Molly was posterior adn 9#6.8oz. With a big ol' 14.5" head. I had a shot of nubain at 6cms, promptly threw up and was at 10 within 45 minutes. I pushed for maybe 25 minutes. My OB had no clue (probably didn't care :shrug) that she was posterior OR over 9 lbs. Oh, well. I pushed her out w/out an episiotomy, forceps, or vacuum. I did have 3rd/4th degree tears, but, if they would have suggested a c-sect for her postition or size, I would have just freaked out on them!

[wendy1221]

WIth my DS he was posterior with a nuchal hand. I pushed him and his hand out sunnyside up. He was my first baby and I was glad I was at home. I did not tear at all. Although my total pushing time was quite long (3 hours or so).

This was my first baby as well, except I had a hands off OB (she recommended the Bradley Method to all of her patients. I :love ed her!) in the hospital and pushed for 2.5 hours. Only I tore badly w/ his elbow/shoulders. But he came out w/ his shoulders parallel to mine. I never knew that was strange until my mw expressed surprise when ds3 came out the same way (but w/ no nuchal hand--no tears this time!) I guess I have an extra wide pelvis??? ds2 came w/ his shoulders sideways (although he was asynclitic), which I guess is the normal way? I'm pretty confused by this. :nut I have to ask her about it next time I talk to her. I guess I've never had a baby in a perfectly normal position. LOL! :down

Oh, and I went from 2cm to pushing in 2 hours w/ him. He was 8lbs 8oz, 36.5cm head (I think that's 14.5 inches?)

Baby Liam, 9days old, was my longest labor. But he didn't get into a good position until the last hour or so of labor and had the cord around his neck. So he was born anterior, but he didn't start labor that way.

[Full Heart]

My baby born last week was posterior. He tried turning but never got all the way around. He was born looking at my left leg. I did have back labor but it was a super easy labor. Though it was long for me at 14 hours. My back labor was much more tolerable then all my other labors. go figure. I didn't much like pushing his head out sideways though, it felt huge and it was only 14 inches. My other babies heads at 14.5 inches were sooooo easy to push out anterior (even 2 had nuchal arms).

My mother birthed all her babies sunny side up and only had one difficult labor (with her smallest baby to boot). They were going to do a c/s, had her prepped and all and she ended up giving birth an hour later and this was almost 30 years ago! c/s for posterior baby doesn't suprise me at all.

Michelle

[ldsapmom]

My last baby was posterior. I also never had any back pain -- instead I had immense pressure and pain in my lower abdoman -- so bad I asked for ice packs. And from the beginning I could not sit in any traditional upright position, even in the Jacuzzi tib -- I always had to be tilted to my side. I pushed my baby out in a side-lying modified squat. I had no IV and intermittant fetal monitoring. I also got stuck at 9.5 centimeters for about 2 hours. Finally my midwife asked if I wanted to push. I agreed because I got tired of sitting there doing nothing. I pushed for 90 minutes, never with any urge, and my baby did come out, all 9 and 1/2 pounds of him.

At my last midwife's appointment I told her, "I'd like to avoid another posterior baby this time." She laughed and said, "Put your order in now!" So, I am officially putting in my order :).

[dukeswalker]

Add me to the list of those who didn't know that posterior was a reason for a c/s! I can't say I'm amazed or very surprised

Ooops - I'm bad...isn't labor reason enough for a c-section nowadays?!?! :irked:

[MrsMoe]

Emma was face up - C-Section was never mentioned.

[crysmomofthree]

baby #3 was posterior, labor was hard but I was on pit so it was probably a combination of back labor and pit that made it so much worse. But I could feel his head and decided to give a little push and then all of a sudden the urge was uncontrollable and he flew out with his face up looking at me.

[wasabi]

I've had some back labor with all four of mine but probably the worst with my first and my fourth. I didn't even realize this was considered a true complication until my last pg. :LOL With my first I had an epidural because they told me I'd "have" to have a c-section if I didn't. I was 16 and didn't even know better so I agreed. I pushed for about 3.5 hours usually with them rolling me from side to side to turn him. I'm not honestly sure what the point of that was. Maybe they were worried if he got all the way down posterior I couldn't get him out? Really I don't know why. :LOL They eventually used forceps and fortunately he and I were both. #2 had the least of it. Just a little spate of back labor and then turning her a bit in the beginning of pushing. #3 I had hours of back labor and it was not fun. Really could barely sit. I am not sure if she came out sunny side up or not. She was a shoulder distocia/tight shoulders so I guess she likely was still posterior. With my last birth she was posterior until the last second. Awful back pain. Hands and knees was the only position I could tolerate for labor or pushing. As I pushed I felt her trashing around and turning. She kicked Dh through my back. She didn't get all the way around though as she was born looking at my right leg. And she was also a shoulder distocia. Is this what is meant by the shoulders being asynlintic (sp?) that the shoulders are at a right angle to the pelvis?

I don't get the idea of getting a c-section for an epidural or necessarily considering it that far out of normal. Clearly it is less comfortable than an anterior presentation but as this thread shows for many of us it is the norm and we still make it through with interventions. :shrug

Oh and I'd take another posterior natural birth over another pit augmented epidural birth any day.

[dukeswalker]

[QUOTE=
Oh and I'd take another posterior natural birth over another pit augmented epidural birth any day.[/QUOTE]

:thumb :thumb Here, here!!

[Sleepymama]

At my last midwife's appointment I told her, "I'd like to avoid another posterior baby this time." She laughed and said, "Put your order in now!" So, I am officially putting in my order :).

I'm putting my order in too!! Where do I send it??? I'm totally serious!!! I've got 21 weeks to go...surely my order can be processed in that time? Should I also send a tip? I'll even perfume the envelope! :LOL

[todzwife]

I ended up with an episotomy that tore into a 4th degree tear and DS was born by vacuum but he was birthed vaginally. I was on my back pushing out a posterior babe for 3 hours. Man, looking back now, I'm so surprised I didn't have a c-section.
ME too- except my tear was a 3rd degree...I think??

[mrmansmama]

My DS was sunny-side-up and 9lbs 10oz. I was in labor from 8am Wed until birth at 10:33am Thursday. The last 12 hours of that I had contractions every 2 min. and most of that time I labored on hands and knees in water. I ended up getting out before the birth though. I had very bad back labor, particurally when pushing. My midwife also never mentioned C-section...she just said that if he didn't flip before labor I'd be spending a lot of time on my hands and knees...she was right!

[Spark]

At my last midwife's appointment I told her, "I'd like to avoid another posterior baby this time." She laughed and said, "Put your order in now!" So, I am officially putting in my order :).

You know about www.spinningbabies.com right?

Great site. :thumb

[Crunchier]

Ben was posterior and I had awful back labor, but no one told me till he came out, and everyone was like, "Oh look, he's sunny side up!" My doctor was itching to give me a c section because they are so convenient. I pushed for maybe 10 minutes and out he popped. The pushing was the easy part.

[Aaudreysmom]

Yes I should add that my 7.4 pounder was an easy 15 min to push out and my 8.9 pounder was harder but still just 45 min. Both babies were sunny side up.

[VBMama]

Ds was posterior, birthed vaginally with a vacuum assist & episiotomy. I had back labor the entire time - contractions got real around 7:30 am Tues and he was born 10:28 pm Wed night. The last 26 hours of that I had contractions every few minutes. I labored mostly on hands & knees with a lot of pressure on my back and a hot rice pack. Apparently you could see his shoulder (or something?) bulging through my sacrum with every contraction. Dh told me afterwards that near the end I was barking orders about applying pressure to the spot that hurt and then to stop touching the spot that hurt and then stop even looking at that spot, dammit! :LOL The doctor (grr) insisted I needed pitocin around 8 pm and despite dh's best efforts to convince me to the contrary, I broke under the disappointment of not having a drug-free birth, the sleep deprivation, and the fear of pitocin-enhanced ctrx and got an epidural. Pushed for about two hours without ever feeling an urge to push. Ds' heart rate was showing distress because the cord was wrapped around his neck, and they yanked my poor little guy out with the vacuum, giving me an episiotomy without asking :angry along the way. I guess I'm lucky I didn't end up with a c/s, because dh heard the dr telling the team that if ds didn't come out with the next push/pull to prepare for c/s. Not exactly the birth I'd imagined, but all turned out okay in the end. :shrug