2nd Pregnancy Birth Worries after Pre-Eclampsia and Shoulder Dystocia

2 replies

ss395 · 12/07/2026 12:18

Ive recently found out im pregnant with my 2nd, it’s still early days but I can’t help finding myself anxious about giving birth again.

With my first I was told at my 38w midwife appointment that my blood pressure was high/protein in urine and was sent to the hospital where I was induced. It was 5 days from when I was admitted until my little one was born, peasary on Monday evening, waters broken Wednesday afternoon and little one finally arrived on Friday Morning.
All in all it wasn’t a great experience for me, I very much struggled with the syntocin induced contractions, needing an epidural, the 1st of which had no effect at all.
I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything other than water from the time I went to the delivery suite (RCHT if anyone is familiar) on Wednesday until after he was born on Friday, (one midwife did allow me to have a sip of my partners tea) I was absolutely exhausted and drained by Friday morning that I was begging for intervention and ended up having a forceps delivery where it was found out my little ones shoulder was stuck, I don’t really remember much of it happening and didn’t get much of an explanation after he was born but I believe it was resolved quickly with no issues to my little one or myself.

Something else that made me feel very uncomfortable was that I had to have a midwife with me constantly for the 2/3 days in the delivery suite, (I can be quite an anxious person, especially with new people) I think I would have been more okay with it if there were some form of guidance from them but I don’t remember anyone ever telling me I was fully dilated and ready to push at any point, I even had one midwife tell me I was 8cm and then another tell me hours after that I was 6cm.

I had my first midwife appointment a few days ago and they’ve put me down to deliver in the delivery suite again so I’m wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences with one birth and then what happened with their next.
I’m probably being naive but I really was hoping for a natural more relaxed birth in the birth centre this time, if everything goes smoothly until then of course.

I’m not against intervention if needed of course but I don’t want to plan a birth in the delivery suite as my 1st choice when I’d rather be on the hopeful side a plan a birth experience that I actually want to aim for.

OP posts:

Crumpetring · 15/07/2026 12:47

I can’t imagine not being allowed to eat for so long! Especially during labour which is such a big work out. I’m sorry you had to go through that OP. Have you had a birth reflections appointment? I’ve heard of other people finding them useful.

If I’m honest it sounds like the induction was the issue here and is probably why baby’s shoulders then got stuck, they just weren’t ready to come out and your body hadn’t got them into the best position it could before birth.

If you aren’t induced you could have a very different kind of birth next time around. The vast majority of women who have an instrumental delivery first time around don’t for their second birth. Even a second induction would likely be easier.

You can definitely make a plan with a midwife, consultant or consultant midwife to discuss your preferences.

I had a friend who had written agreement and a plan in place that said she could use the birth centre despite being higher risk. AND if the birth centre was closed and she needed to be on delivery suit she could give birth under the same conditions that she’d agreed to for the birth centre.

You probably just need to have a think about what approach you would take if you develop pre eclampsia again, straight to c-section, induction without the drip and c-section if that doesn’t work or the same again. Or you might discuss what level of monitoring and or medication you could have at home with preeclampsia and wait for spontaneous labour.

CasadelBurro · 15/07/2026 12:34

It's still very early days. Where you will ultimately give birth is far from decided. Your midwife probably put down delivery suite as you're automatically a high risk pregnancy due to your obstetric history.

A chat later in your pregnancy with a consultant midwife (you'll likely need to ask for this) about what would need to be in place for you to safely be on the birthing centre.

Would anything change about your decision should you develop pre-eclampsia a second time?

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