Shoulder dystocia

[madasa]

I don't know about anyone else, but I got given a lot of scare stories about SD, possibly to make me change my mind and go to hospital. If/when you get this spiel from your midwife, these links may be reassuring!

https://www.themidwifenextdoor.com/?p=867&cpage=1#comment-2694

https://www.homebirth.org.uk/shoulders.htm

https://www.homebirth.org.uk/whatif.htm#sd

 

[goddess25]

Thanks for the links will have a look at them. This is what happened to me in my first birth... he had to be delivered in the OR via forceps and I had 3rd degree tearing.

 

[madasa]

ouchee! poor you! i also had forceps withmy first, and a giant episiotomy... not recommended!

 

[Drazic<3]

I am planning a hospital birth, but SD has become a huge fear of mine. Thank you for sharing the links.

 

[Jellyt]

I had SD too and a forcep delivery! I got pretty butchered!

 

[goddess25]

After I gave birth my husband went down to have a look at the placenta and my bits not sure why and his words (later of course) were it looked like a bomb had gone off!
I dont want this to scare anyone... despite the problems i had it was still an awesome experience and I would not change it...

 

[summer rain]

Hi

they keep trying to scare me with this as well even though my middle son was larger (9lb 12) than my youngest (9lb 6) ; and anyway both were delivered with no problems in that regard. My bigger two practically pushed themselves out no problems whatsoever. I think it does depend on your build as opposed to just the predicted size/weight of the baby, and positioning is very important. I needed an episitomy with my first but the problem was my son came down too fast; way faster than they were expecting for a first baby (my husband had to practically drag the awol midwife back into the room as his head was clearly about to come out) yet due to the stupid position they had me in I hadn't dilated well at the actual entrance so to speak, and coupled with the fact my son's head had not moulded properly due to some extra bone at the back of his skull they had to do an episiotomy. My largest son; when he was born they managed it so well that while I tore slightly(well more like grazed which in some ways hurts more; ouch), people thought he'd been born by caesarean section; his face wasn't squashed at all and he looked pretty much as he does now a few hours after delivery.

Soph x

 

[winegums]

hey hun i gave someone else this link about it from the farm, let me see if i can find it

 

[winegums]

https://www.thefarm.org/midwives/dystocia.html

 

[madasa]

Nice one! Thank you

 

[Floralaura]

I experienced SD with my DS2, he was 10lb 3oz and a GD Baby so both were high risk factors but no-one had warned me lol..but it happened and it was managed quickly and effectively and i was neither cut or had a instrumental delivery..so if it does happen its not always the worst case scenario x

 

[Sophist]

My MW says SD is a huge risk for a hospital birth, because you are on your back or in stirrups and can't move around easily. She's never had a single case of it at homes or in her center, because if baby isn't progressing, she has mom move, which solves the problem. It's the number 1 pregnancy related lawsuit for hospital births here though.

My 2 children were both big (9lbs 9oz and 8 lbs 13 oz) and we had no problems with either.

 

[winegums]

My MW says SD is a huge risk for a hospital birth, because you are on your back or in stirrups and can't move around easily. She's never had a single case of it at homes or in her center, because if baby isn't progressing, she has mom move, which solves the problem. It's the number 1 pregnancy related lawsuit for hospital births here though.

My 2 children were both big (9lbs 9oz and 8 lbs 13 oz) and we had no problems with either.

WHAT!!!!! why on earth would you be on your back or in stirrups?? this is very rare practice these days.. some women choose to stay on their backs an obviously if theyv had drugs... but its generally encouraged to have an active sort of birth walking around, changing positions, squatting, on all fours etc!

 

[madasa]

My MW says SD is a huge risk for a hospital birth, because you are on your back or in stirrups and can't move around easily. She's never had a single case of it at homes or in her center, because if baby isn't progressing, she has mom move, which solves the problem. It's the number 1 pregnancy related lawsuit for hospital births here though.

My 2 children were both big (9lbs 9oz and 8 lbs 13 oz) and we had no problems with either.

WHAT!!!!! why on earth would you be on your back or in stirrups?? this is very rare practice these days.. some women choose to stay on their backs an obviously if theyv had drugs... but its generally encouraged to have an active sort of birth walking around, changing positions, squatting, on all fours etc!

wienegums - they are in the US, where birth is much more over-managed than here!

 

[winegums]

oops sorry i should really look at the location thing!!! i apologise!

 

[madasa]

easily done!

 

[Sophist]

oops sorry i should really look at the location thing!!! i apologise!

No worries. It's pretty routine in the US to either be on your back or be in a semi squatting/semi on your back position in a bed that transforms into a birthing position...really all for DR convenience.

 

[summer rain]

Hi

sadly there are still some hospitals like this in the UK as well, some of them are even built/designed in such a way that active labour is not possible (the delivery rooms are so small the delivery bed just about fits and women are discouraged from even pacing the corridors). They kept trying to put me on my back with my eldest and even though I kept sitting up; the fact I was not allowed to be active led to me needing an episiotomy. I've heard of quite a few other hospitals like this as well; if you look on that good birth guide site; there are some hospitals where the episiotomy and forceps delivery rates are sky high and I have read birth experiences in magazines where women from those same areas have said when giving birth in hospital they were on their back the whole time and then put into stirrups for the pushing stage so no wonder they have such crazy intervention rates. Its disgraceful that some hospitals are still allowed to be stuck in a 1960s mentality when it comes to giving birth....

Soph

 

[winegums]

eurgh it sends shivers down my spine i saw a really old traning video for midwives or whoever and they were literally holding this womens legs not allowing her to move etc

i just dont understand! shouldnt they be trying to decrease the rates of intervention and cuts and things not encouraging it

 

[aliss]

Thanks for the info. I had shoulder dystocia with my son and got an episiotomy in the hospital.. they broke his collarbone too... I want a home birth with the next baby but OH is petrified.