"back labor" what does it feel like?

charliesbride · October 2008

I'm 38 weeks, 5 days with DC#2. I'm having constant low grade ache/warmth in my lower back, not from exertion/regular belly back ache...

but it's not like contractions in my back, you know?? ? just wondering if this is what 'back labor' is... I'm thinking not bc it's just nowhere near strong enough pain.

Back labor is supposed to be from the baby facing posteriorly, right?

tia

PenelopelePhew · October 2008

Mine definitely got more intense w/ the contractions and felt like my back (by my hips) was being torn apart.

CoastieWife08 · October 2008

Yes, back labor usually means the baby will be delivered sunny side up, which is what Scarlett was.

I had pains shoot down my back and legs and around to the front of my stomach. It was uncomfortable for me to sit back because it felt like someone was punching my spine.

Try getting down on all fours and seeing if that helps. You'll pull the baby away from your spine and see if you feel anything then.

wishin&hopin2008 · October 2008

I had all back labor and didn't really feel anything in my belly. It felt like what I would imagine someone stabbing me in the lower back would feel like.

hbeemom · October 2008

I had it with my first and he was posterior. After I had an epidural and couldn't move, I remember the nurses rolling me from side to side like a beached whale trying to get him to turn, and it worked. Anyway, for me back labor was a constant burning pain in my lower back. It was honestly worse than the contractions I felt when I had my daughter.

kgrl21 · October 2008

My DD was not posterior but I had the wort back pain of my life. I literally thought my back was going to split in two. And the actuial pushing just made it worse, which is why I pushed for 4 hrs because I just didn't want to do it. And FYI my contractions didn't start off strong either. I though they were stioll just BH even after my water broke. It took about 2 hours to really get painful. GL!

iris427 · October 2008

If you have real back labor, you will KNOW. It is awful.

I had a lot of pain like you are describing in the last weeks of pregnancy, so I suspected I would have back labor. I did. Having a rice sock in labor before I got the epi was really helpful. I also got a wooden massage thing to use for counter pressure, but it wasn't as good as the rice sock.

And yes, it's from a posterior baby.

crackerjackprinter · October 2008

Ditto pp. Mine came in waves. It took 3 hours (labor was 8.5 hours) before I was sure I was in labor. DD was not posterior, but may have been at a slightly weird angle. My bloody show was my real indicator that my pain was labor. DD came 2 wks early btw. GL!

hmms · October 2008

My labor started w/ a lower back ache (didn't know it was the beginning at the time). Just kind of a "PMSy" lower back...only til later when it started getting slightly stronger (but no where near what I thought a contraction would feel like, just a little more achy) and then I started realizing my back aches were coming and going...then they started coming and going more regularly and quickly...you see where this is going...

By the time I got to the hospital I was dilated to a 5-6 and hadn't had anything but minor discomfort...just that dull come-and-go back ache (I went in when the back aches were 5 min apart). Had an epidural shortly ever and never experienced any painful laboring - at all.

clayswife · October 2008

super intense pain- like ds was trying to make his exit through my spine. It was constant, but definitely worse through contractions.

colleen724 · October 2008

I felt like I had an "inner tube" of contraction, wrapping all the way around my hips, back to front.

iris427 · October 2008

FWIW, lots of babies start out posterior and then turn during labor. Some don't turn. A posterior baby can be delivered vaginally, but it's harder and sometimes they get stuck. My baby got stuck and I needed a c/s.

PamelaC · October 2008

I honestly can't remember enough of what the contractions felt like to describe it. What I do know is that the pain was enough to make me cry. That was the only way I knew that they must be real contractions. My baby was sunny-side up as well and I was getting terrible pains in my back, even with the epi (hope that's not what it means for you!).

mrsfrank · October 2008

I went in to be induced and thought I was having muscle spasms in my back, turned out I was contracting 2-5 min apart! They weren't doing much at that point they still had to break my water and give me pitocin but I had no idea it was actually contractions....... I continued back labor through the 21 hours until I had a c/section.... and DS was NOT facing posteriorly

colleen724 · October 2008

And DS was OP. "Sunny side up"

lmdbww · October 2008

I have no idea where baby was positioned during all of this but my back pain was so bad I felt like I wanted to die. I could not find a comfortable way to sit, lay, stand... It hurt to do anything and nothing made it better until I got the epidural. It came in waves and I literally cried when the pain would come.

adhenash · October 2008

dd came early so all of the hip spreading happened all at once, plus with my back labor...i felt like someone was hitting me in the lower back with a sledge hammer!!

but the pain wasn't so crazy that i couldn't handle it. we used no painkillers, but it did hurt like a muthabiitch!!

jenbowman · October 2008

It started out feeling like back cramps every 5 minutes. Then it went to more intense "stop you in your tracks" curled up in a ball cramps.

MarriedBelle · October 2008

It feels like horrible back pain and the only relief I had was my DH sticking his thumb in my hip bones. I had back labor the entire time. I labored for 8 hours slow progression and got to 61/2 cent. dialated before I gave in and had the epidural. I was really happy I did though because I ended up pushing for 3 hours, using the vacuum and having a 4th degree episiotomy from it. It was pretty horrible but she was so worth it I would do it again in a heartbeat!!

Mustang Sally · October 2008

I think when people say back labour they are talking about when you are really in labour and close to pushing. My initial contractions were so mild and really didn't feel like anything much. But after my water broke the pain started coming from my lower back/pelvis area and I wanted to die. DS was facing kind of sideways when he came out (needed the vacuum). I'm not sure if you'd know this early if you were going to have back labour.

jenmarie06 · October 2008

For me it felt like the worst back pain in my life and I could not do a thing to relieve it. I was desperate for someone to rub my lower back but the epideral was there. At the time, I didn't realize I was having back labor because we didn't know that DD was OP. It wasn't until I was pushing that we (dr, nurses, and I) realized this. I pushed for 50 minutes which is REALLY good for DD being sunny side up. She ended up turning just before she came out.