January 2016 Moms

Posterior baby causing stop/start labour?

Hi fellow Januaries, I need some advice.
I'm 39+2, due on 9th.
Had a midwife appointment at 38+3 and she's written in my notes that he is LOP. I looked this up and it means 'left occiput posterior' which explains why I am feeling a lot of kicks and wiggles and little hands down below. To my knowledge he is still in this position. I've tried turning him naturally by the usual methods - being on all 4s, keeping upright, walking, lying on left side at night and keeping knees below hips etc. But having read up on OP babies it seems there might not be a lot of point - they seem to turn during labour. Hopefully..
Anyway my question is to anyone who has had experience of an OP baby... I've been having strong period-like cramps and mild to moderate contractions over the last two days. They are fairly irregular and far more frequent at night and in the morning. This morning however I was woken up at 5:30am with stronger contractions every 11 minutes. This persisted until 7am and then they went really irregular when I got up. Stopped for a bit and now starting again. They aren't that painful but definitely not like the usual painless BH I normally get. I haven't had much back ache this pregnancy but now I've got it alongside the contractions. Does this sound like my body is doing something exciting?! Or is it the OP baby not putting enough pressure on my cervix to cause proper labour?

Re: Posterior baby causing stop/start labour?

  • I think it could be either the start of labor or b/c of the baby's position.  I have had contractions almost every night that are painful and timeable but then just stop.  It is so annoying.  I Googled and a lot came up about how the baby being in the wrong position causes prodromal labor, which I also feel the little hands down low and in the front.  When I brought it up to my midwife, she just said that it was normal and baby will usually turn during labor.   Hopefully it is the start of labor for you though since you are closer to your due date.  I'm still 2 weeks out...ugh!

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  • Thanks for your reply, I phoned my midwife and described what was happening and she said the exact same thing to me as yours said! I was told to take some paracetamol and 'potter about'... Haha! The only reason I was suspicious was because I've been having them throughout the day whereas before I've only ever had them in the evening like you. Good luck, hopefully prodromal labour will establish itself into something more!
  • I used to walk and bounce on my ball thinking I could get them to go somewhere...now I just walk around for a few and sleep.  I'm tired of the game! lol  I figure if they are real, they will wake me up.  I'm pretty crampy and have had a constant backache since yesterday though so I'm hoping I'm gearing up for the real thing.  Probably not though...lol

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  • My second was baby was full OP. LOP is a great position to be starting in. As labour truly begins, your baby will rotate it's body into an anterior position as it descends through the birth canal. The little one sleeping on my chest was LOP at my midwives appointment on Thursday. Her head crowned in an LOA position (totally fine, not more painful that an anterior position), she then rotated her shoulders between contractions and her body was born in a more anterior position. If you're a first time mom, it's likely that your baby's head is engaged already. While the spinning babies practices are great, I really wouldn't worry about it, Mama. 

    As for the stopping and starting... YES. This is so normal of OP/LOP/ROP babies. It's your body and baby gently trying to coax baby into a slightly better position for actual labour. I've been through it twice now, and it's hard emotionally. Try to stay relaxed. Your body is doing very important work in positioning your baby. An LOP baby doesn't put quite as much pressure on your cervix as anterior baby does, but labour will begin regardless. 
  • Thank you SO SO MUCH that is so reassuring!! :):) I managed to have a little sleep and am still contracting but they are aren't so intense now. I'm going to attempt a trip to the shops tomorrow and have a walk about and see if it helps anything progress.
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