Back labor?

callen3

I have never had the pleasure of experiencing back labor. I believe this baby is "posterior" (at least she has been for the past few weeks). Does that cause back labor pains? And does the back labor pains take the place of front contractions? I have been having severe back pain and uterine pressure for hours but not too many contractions.

abailey1823

My DD was born in the posterior position and I had horrible back labor.  When I woke up in labor, my back was the first thing I noticed as far as pain/discomfort was concerned.  After I started timing, the back pain radiated to the front and I had a ton of uterine/pelvic pressure and I was anywhere from 3-5 minutes with the contractions.  I could feel them in the uterine/pelvic area and my stomach was getting hard but the back was way worse.  Even when I was in active labor the back pain hurt so bad I could hardly breath because it felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife.  I would say you will still feel the contractions in the front but they won't be as intense.  At least this this is what I experienced.  Also be warned.  If your LO is in the posterior position at birth he/she will most likely bruise your tailbone.  If I sit for too long and certain ways it hurts even now and DD is 3 weeks old.  Good luck and hopefully you get to meet you LO soon.

DarrenAndMelissa

I had this with DD#1. It did hurt, I won't lie. Getting up on all 4's does help give your back some relief. Like PP, my contractions all started in my back and radiated around to the front - I could literally watch them as they happened. I also spent hours in a jacuzzi tub with the jets beating against my back. That seemed to help too. I stayed at home as long as possible until contractions were 3 minutes apart because I figured anything was more comfortable than those hospital beds. Once we were at the hospital hubby used tennis balls and other massage tools and worked at my back until I caved and got the epidural (after 36 hours of labor... she was my first but you probably won't have near that long though).

I think it's great that you're preparing for it now. Because she was my first the back pain caught me completely off guard, but I think that preparing will help in your pain management.

tink7227

I had back labor with DD1 and she was posterior.  With my son I was having back labor in the early stages and I went to the chiropractor for an adjustment and the back labor went away.  When I went to the hospital they said he was slightly posterior so I go on all fours on the hospital bed and he was no longer posterior when it was time to push.

Back labor is no fun, so try any position that takes pressure off your back and lets your belly kind of hang forward.  That allows the baby to have room to turn.  GL

MrsS2203

Back labor sucks!  I wish that I could have labored in a tub/shower because HOT water and/or pressured water would have felt amazing(felt amazing after I was able to get out of bed).  I felt like someone was repeatedly punching me in the back.  My contractions were super low.  I didn't have an epidural so it's possible to get through the labor without one,but I did get pain meds to take the edge off.  Like a PP said I still can't sit for long periods of time because I end up with tailbone issues. 

Mommy2BMichelle

I had back labor with DD and it was painful.  Like a PP, hot shower, bath, jacuzzi tub will help a LOT along with being on all 4s with pillows to help prop you up.  Cold pop can / tennis ball will help too.

I didn't feel them in my stomach but I still couldn't say if it was because that pain wasn't there or that the back was so intense I didn't notice the front.  I didn't think to time them so by the time I got to the hospital for stronger "back pain relief", the contrax were 3-4 mins and I was 4 cm.  They soon broke my water and the pain was immediately felt in the front.  Thankfully I progressed from 5-10 in a matter of the time it took to get my epi and it was time to push!

Good luck!