I am 36w4d and my son #2 has been head down facing his left for weeks now (Left Occiput Anterior I think?). Midwife isn't worried- she said it's good but facing the spine is best. Wondering if your baby was in this position and what labor was like? [Asking kind of bc I had a lightening fast, unmedicated labor and great recovery with DS1 but he was 5lb12oz (came a month early). I would love to have that experience but it's a long shot.]
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My daughter was like that. She moved during labor, which my doctor said is super common. No back labor and just a run of the mill experience. I had one stitch.
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Happened with my last one. No stitches, super painful delivery. Sorry lol. Not sure if it’s because of her position or not.
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My mom says I went from breech to looking at the wall. So although that's better than breech, I came out both shoulders at once and she needed some stitches. She said thankfully the epidural for me worked otherwise she night feel differently.
I don't think it's too bad as long as both shoulders don't decide to squeeze through at once.
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My midwife was saying they actually usually come out sort of vertically and kind of corkscrew their way out. There's a million variables and anything can change but I could go into labor any second so 🤪
My tiny guy tore me pretty good but I only pushed like 20 times and the MW was saying it was too fast for my cervix so that was probably why. I needed that baby OUT. -
Mine was facing away from the spine and they said they usually turn. I had a very fast labor though her hand was by her face so she got stuck. But don’t sweat it at all.
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@Ms.Mermaid: like.... C-section stuck? Or just extra effort stuck?! 🤪
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J was in that position. Labor was definitely harder than R, but that was partially due to my water breaking to start labor and him keeping his hand over his face. I ended up unmedicated and a 2 hour, 20 minute labor. I'm hoping you can have a similar experience.
ETA to answer the question above: With the hand in the way I was threatened with an episiotomy and vacuum. From what I was told later is that coming out hand first is an automatic c section, but he was already so low and I didn't have an epidural that they ran out of options. They didn't want to put me under general when I'd probably deliver before the anesthesiologist got there and because I really wanted to deliver vaginally they put me on a clock. I had 5 minutes to get the baby out before they'd have to get him themselves
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@Pollywog: oh I remember Js birth story. I still cannot believe you stuck it out no meds. 🤯 I requested (ahem begged for) an epidural but there was no time.
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@pachamama: the do ctor did a thing and told me to push and she came right out.
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My second was facing that way (and mAybe my first, I’m not sure). She turned sunny side up during labor. Both labors I got to 10 cm (the second one much easier and naturally) but baby didn’t descend and I ended up with a c-sec. I doubt that would happen to you though since you’ve already had one vaginal. birth. Hopefully baby gets into a better position soon!
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My daughter had her hand on her face and I didn't have any real issues (minus a 2nd degree tear that likely stemmed from that). Maybe it's different though as it was crowning head first and then just extra width when the rest of her head passed though
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No insights...just want to say I can't believe you are nearly due! What a rollercoaster you have been on and I am so happy your son is at the end of it!
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@MamaBear87: maybe it's the fact we push 7-8 lb humans through essentially a tiny hole. Sorry for the graphics but dayyyum when I think about it... It ain't right
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@crazydoglady: aww thank you. It's pretty wild. I'm so excited, more so than with my son who came (a little) early and I was just so unprepared! I feel like I've been pregnant FOREVER!
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@pachamama: oh yeah it's totally a little horrible when you think about it
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@Pollywog: @MamaBear87: Another with baby's hand on top of her head... they talked about a c-section as well but I had to hang out with my butt in the air for awhile and I guess that allowed her to pull her hand down enough that it wasn't an issue. Was scary though for a bit!
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@josina: my daughter had her hand just under her nose, she had a pretty vivid mark there for the first 8ish months of her life, but I think that's why mine wasn't an issue. Her hand wasn't coming first. Hand on top sounds much more scary!
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My daughter was born in ROA position which my doula said was the perfect head position, except she had her little hand by her chin, making the exit a little more rough with the extra diameter. I had a second degree vaginal tear and left labia tear--ouch! Recovery was standard I'm sure for a first time LONG labor (30 hours)--not a "walk in the park" like my second but not too bad either.
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@MamaBear87: The nurse freaked a bit, lol, she went to see where her head was at and felt her hand instead. She came out in a 'cheerleader' pose with one hand/arm up and one leg up, so we had to worry about hip displacement too but she was totally fine. I had a ton of water, that gushed out really fast, so they thought maybe that pulled her limbs up too.
No extra stitches or anything. -
My daughter’s body was positioned facing my spine, but her head was turned to the side. Unfortunately resulted in wicked back labor and I could not push her big head out
So they had me lay in a few positions. Then her stubborn head finally turned and out she came! On the plus side...absolutely no tearing!
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Welp, he turned and I have no idea what's going on (38 weeks today). I feel super strong hiccups by my right hip and very precise "limbs" and kicking all across my belly and stretching limbs/ kicks on my left belly. Def sunny side up. I'll see what the midwife says in 5 days. wahhhhhhh turn baby
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Ds was turned on his side approx 2 hrs before he was born. They had me lay on my side with the huge ball between my legs and then flip to the other side.... It worked bc after about an hour of doing that he was ready and was an EASY two pushes!!!! No tears.
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@Ajsmommy: nice!! 2 pushes oh my, if I could be so lucky! He turned again to I think the original position I posted, so I'm just not gonna worry about it as long as he's head down.
I have ZERO indicators of anything- no contractions, no mucus, sleeping/peeing well, no discomfort or pelvic pain, no weight gain, and he's suuuuuper duper high. This is how it was with my first son but my water broke with him at 36w3 and I got nothing here at 38 weeks. 🤷 -
My first was like that, but I think he rotated during pushing. There was a lot of pushing and his shoulders took a few tries but he was 9 pounds so that's not super surprising. Also his chord was really short.
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LOA position is generally considered an optimal fetal position. An OP baby is much more likely to cause back labour than a baby in any OA position.
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@Synchronicity: I read that! So that'd be good if he stayed.
I just got a call from my regular OB that I have an u/s with a high risk OB because baby has some cardiac arrhythmia in 3 days. They can tell me what he's doing in there I hope (and more importantly if his heart's ok ☹️) -
@pachamama: yes, you'd be in great shape! Ideally they start LOA and rotate into OA while descending.
Keep us updated on how the cardiac testing goes. Thinking of you guys!
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@Synchronicity: the ultrasound was very good, I'm relieved. He has Premature Atrial Contractions which basically sound like a benign in-utero cardiac quirk. The perinatologist wasn't concerned after she dug really deep to make sure it wasn't something harmful. She said the monitor during labor might be thrown off bc of how his heart essentially skips but otherwise I shouldn't worry. And I can drink caffeine
And he's head down ready to go. 38w4d , I'm ready!!! -
@pachamama: Yay! Good news
And you're almost there!
And you're almost there!
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