Posterior vs Transverse Head presentation

When I was in labour with ds I was aware that he could present either anteriorly or posteriorly, but I hadn't heard of presenting transverse (had heard of baby lying transverse which is diff, but not head-down on the side). Of course his head came out transverse which is what made the labour so long (and more painful!)

What I was wondering though (and i keep forgetting to ask), is does anybody know how transverse relates to posterior births in terms of difficulty? Like, is posterior the 'hardest' and transverse in the middle? Or is it up there with posterior? Or worse? I'm just curious I guess, if say this current bub was posterior, how that would connect with the experience I had previously.

Hope that makes sense!

I would guess that most bubs whose heads are transverse do not come out vaginally. My DS was posterior and transverse, it was a very difficult and long second stage. Many comments were made by the mids that if it had not been for my Ob's efforts I would have been in theatre having a c sect.

I am not in any way qualified, but that is my guess, and I also suspect that it would be way up there as one of the difficult ways to give birth!!!

Interesting, DD was posterior and transverse, my OB worked at turning her during labour, but mine was a very quick progressing, it was just all the pain was in my back, none at the front at all. I had two tears and ended up with an episiotomy as well as they lost DD's HB, so had to get her out quickly, the second stage lasted 17 minutes for me.

I agree that it was difficult to birth, but as I had been through an anterior delivery I couldn't really compare :D

You don't often see a transverse birth (have only seen a few as a middy) often when doing a vaginal examination you can tell that the bub is transverse but as labour progresses and bub descends it goes to OA (anterior) but occassionally OP. Also often as the mother is pushing the bub out you can see its head rotating into a better position for birthing so although it maybe OL for the intire labour birth itself rotates into OA. I think posterior would be harder to get out as a first time mummy then transverse but thats just from the births I have witnessed. And now you have birthed vaginally before regardless of what way the baby decides to be born in (OA, OP or OL) you shouldn't have as difficult a time as the first time as everything is a trialled passage. Best of luck, hope bub is in the most ideal position for birthing. It does make it so much easier when they are coming OA. My first was OP 2nd OA. It was much easier.

Thanks for posting that info Mildez, especially about the subsequent births :)

Just gotta get this baby out of the breech position and I should be all god ;)

Beema have you googled "spinning babies"? There is heaps of info on positioning and stretches to help bubs move.

Thanks Rory :hug:, it was the first place I went - complete thanks to BB as it was where I had heard about it.

I am doing inversions and looking at the breech tilt, a lot of the rest I can't do as it encourages labour. I am also seeing a Chinese Medical Therapist and Accupunturist and doing accupuncture and using Moxa Sticks, hopefully we gets some rotation soon, realy wish I didn't have to think about it so early, but lack of amniotic fluid and crappy placental placement is making it all very tricky...

And OMG you know about it when they turn around.

Mine has gone from transverse left-to-right to transverse right-to-left several times now, which is weird enough, but on Sunday night it flipped to bum up head down in the most uncomfortable way imaginable. I'm hoping this is the last flipover.

My first one just stayed head down bum up the entire time (and kicked me in the ribs constantly as soon as she was big enough to reach them), the second two have been somersaulters. But as the doc keeps helpfully pointing out, there's more room in there after the first time ...