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Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

shoulder dystocia. baby born blue. feeling scared. anyone been here?

53 replies

happybutscared · 12/10/2010 22:49

Have namechanged for this as have never posted about anything quite so personal or scary before...

DS2 born on Friday. Induced at 40+10 due to high BP.

He got stuck, and was eventually delivered with the help of second midwife and team of doctors. But he was blue on birth.

The doctor at the time said not to worry. His heartrate had been monitired throughout the birth, and had been good. He needed oxygen, but his colour returned quickly (something about 6? "somethings" needed to re-start respiration). This reassured me, and I didn't think about it afterwards.

But DH has just said he is worried. DH isn't someone that worries about stuff. Isn't dramatic. But he says that he doesn't know how long it was between the head being delivered and the body being delivered (and consequent resuscitation)... and this is what matters.

I remember feeling the head was out. I remember being told to reeeeally push. I remember another midwife being there and maybe one more push. Then a shout of "shoulder"... doctors everywhere... DS born.... taken away and resuscitated.

I'm sure it was really quick. But now I'm in a bit of a dark place. How likely is he to have suffered brain damage? I know it's an unanswerable question, really. But I'm just in shock here.

Dunno what I'm asking really. Reassurance? Knowledge? Experience? Anyone?...

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Insanitybecomesme · 12/10/2010 23:26

At the time I was a wreck, and thefact I had to go to theatre before scbu was heartbreaking, but time heals I was adament I would never have any more children (that lasted 6months).
Have had another three since thenSmile
I am less strong more stubbornGrin

mamatomany · 12/10/2010 23:30

Crickey now I'm worried, my baby had a score of 1, 5 and then 8 but didn't go to SCBU, should he have ? We were home 24 hours later.

Original poster
happybutscared · 12/10/2010 23:30

Okay, only... no more Google, I promise!! :) I'll stick to mumsnet in future :) I think you're right, if time was going to drag for anyone, surely it would be me (the one with a baby's head sticking out!!) ...but it definitely didn't feel like 5 minutes!!

That's great news Backinthebox. This is all really wonderful... :)

Stubborn is good, Insanity, and congrats on DC2, 3... and 4 (!!!) wow!! :)

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Original poster
happybutscared · 12/10/2010 23:32

Oh gosh, sorry mama Blush
I hope I haven't set you off worrying now

I think they always err on the side of caution, don't they? Am sure they would've kept you in if there was anything to worry about.

OP posts:
BrightLightBrightLight · 12/10/2010 23:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
happybutscared · 12/10/2010 23:35

:) I didn't even notice the bruising on his face til my mum pointed it out! Shock

Oh thanks so much everyone. I think I should stop typing now and try and get some sleep before DS2 wakes again.

But I wouldn't have been ABLE to sleep at the start of this, so thank you thank you thank you!!

will ask midwife how I go about ringing the hospital for a debrief. Seems like the way to go. Although am much less worried now. Thanks :)

OP posts:
mamatomany · 12/10/2010 23:36

You're right ignore me, it's just I was pretty insistent I wanted to go home with my smurf, didn't occur to me that he was a delicate case after his traumatic entrance Blush

Insanitybecomesme · 12/10/2010 23:37

When you watch this happen Dh says it felt like hours to him, time distorts, if they were concerned they would have made you an outpatient appointment I am sure.
Niav was my first girl but third child so I am insane hence my name as have 6 children now(never expected twins would happen to me)Grin

onlyjuststillme · 12/10/2010 23:44

I had so little knowledge of what was going on I spent the entire time telling DP that it was ok and that he neednt look so scared! Grin I barely noticed the entire medical staff in the room and I didnt notice the porters trying to keep my parents out as they had been waiting nearby when they heard the alarm. (In fact, despite being told that the alarm was like a siren, I dont recall hearing it at all.Confused)

Original poster
happybutscared · 13/10/2010 00:03

Right! I've got a grip again, now.
Just been down to see DH and give him a big hug and to say everything will be okay... (he's still working!)... and he said he's just looked at the cord blood results, and the pH was 7.2.
(you asked this ages ago, VivaLeBeaver, but I didn't know if we had it or not)
From the Googling we DID do (never again, obviously!!), it seems this is a good thing.

mama, I was insistent too! But they didn't let me go home for a few days (needed to sort the jittery thing)... so am sure they wouldn't have let you go unless they were happy, however insistent you were :)

Insanity, that is just amazing. Am in total awe! I find my heart just bursting now I have 2 of them.... :)

only... what? there would have been a siren?! totally missed that, too! wondered how so many doctors knew to come in all of a sudden!! Grin

okay... i really must sleep now. "sleep when the baby sleeps" and all that....

OP posts:
Original poster
happybutscared · 13/10/2010 00:04

and thanks again for all your wonderful stories and supportive messages :)

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 13/10/2010 07:24

PH of 7.2 is good.

Bagpusstree · 13/10/2010 07:43

Slightly different, but my little boy born 3.5 years ago regularly went blue during his first few days, he was having seizures. Anyway, a week in SCBU and many many blue turns later, he was allowed home. They warned us he may have some developmental problems due to the lack of oxygen, but that time would tell.....
3 years on, he's an absolute joy, pretty intelligent (in my eyes Smile,) and NO development problems at all.

I'm sure if the hospital were happy to send him home, then they are 100% happy with him.

Enjoy your little boy, and congrats!

GhostlyMissBeehiving · 13/10/2010 08:41

I had shoulder dystocia with DS1. I didn't realise it was happening at the time and thought that everyone gave birth with about 30 people in the room Blush. They performed McRoberts and then he was born with the aid of ventouse, leaving me with a third degree tear. He was terribly blue when he was born but 6 years on is a bright as a button.

When I was pregnant with DS2 I was seen by the consultant who recommended a ELCS as DS1 had only been 7lbs and my pelvis was not any bigger.

It's really interesting to see how many other posters didn't know what was happening.If it's your first you really don't realise what's "normal". I wasn't told about the shoulder dystocia until I saw the consultant with DS2 Shock

lostinwales · 13/10/2010 11:03

Ok so this is copied fro Wiki about Apgar scores, but it seems accurate compared to other sites as well

'A low score on the one-minute test may show that the neonate requires medical attention but is not necessarily an indication that there will be long-term problems, particularly if there is an improvement by the stage of the five-minute test. If the Apgar score remains below 3 at later times such as 10, 15, or 30 minutes, there is a risk that the child will suffer longer-term neurological damage. There is also a small but significant increase of the risk of cerebral palsy. However, the purpose of the Apgar test is to determine quickly whether a newborn needs immediate medical care; it was not designed to make long-term predictions on a child's health.'

Which after a lifetime in the health service I didn't know, but reassures me now almost four years on (you never do really stop worrying do you!)

happynappies · 13/10/2010 11:49

My dd was born 4 weeks ago. She didn't get stuck (like dd1, who needed ventouse and had shoulder dystocia, and was also born blue) but was born blue and not breathing. In the notes it said she needed 5 emergency breaths (with the oxygen mask thing) and she was fine. She wasn't considered a cause for concern on the postnatal ward, and we went home the next day, she's been fine ever since. To be honest I think lots of babies must be born like this - the shock of coming out into the world, together with any complications like SD or like my dd - having the cord wrapped around her. It sounds like you've already been reassured, but just wanted to add my story. Waiting to hear her cry seemed to take ages, and my heart was in my mouth, but the midwife didn't seem at all anxious, she said it happens all the time. Congratulations by the way!

onlyjuststillme · 14/10/2010 22:56

How are you doing now happy?

ebouskill · 15/10/2010 16:11

OMG you have just described my labour with dd2 almost exactly.
i had shoulder dystocia as well, unsure how long for , and dd2 was v blue and not breathing at birth. first apgar was 3 , 6 at 5 mins, then 9 at 10 mins. Her cord PH was 7.3 as well.

I was also worried , a friend who is a paediatrician was v reassuring. dd2 is only 3.5 months now but seems to be doing fine. Is likely to be delaying gross motor though as in pavlick harness for dislocated hips so unlikely to roll etc for a while ( will be in for another 2 months at least)

congratulations by the way and hope you are feeling bit better after replies above, made me feel better!

Original poster
happybutscared · 16/10/2010 20:20

hi. apologies for not replying sooner. thanks for asking, onlyjuststillme
I've actully been back in hospital since Thursday. Me this time, not DS. Nothing serious... just needed to be monitored for a couple of days.

Anyway... I feel so much better after writing this, and after reading all the replies. Am so grateful to everyone for sharing their experiences, advice and knowledge.

I think that was actually enough for me. For DH, I think the pH measurement reassured him. I asked him if he still wanted me to ask the midwife about contacting the hospital for a debrief on Thursday and he said no. I agreed.

Firstly, my worries have mostly been allayed anyway. Secondly... there's nothing we can do anyway. If, god forbid, he suffered any form of "damage", it's not going to change anything. We still love him. And if someone says there's some possibility of it, then it's not going to do anyone any good worrying about it. So I'll just watch in wonder as he grows and develops, however that happens. As I did with DS1. And however that happens, he will still be my gorgeous DS2!!

Does that make sense?? naive, glib? dunno. But that's how I feel right now.

So glad I bit the bullet and wrote that OP :)

OP posts:
phipps · 16/10/2010 20:22

Not the same but my son was born by emergency section and wasn't breathing. He is 9 now and a lovely cheeky sod.
My second son was also born not breathing but he has just been making cards for the teachers. Miss H you are mad. Mrs Y I like you. HmmGrin.

Original poster
happybutscared · 16/10/2010 20:30

aw... :) they sound gorgeous, phipps!

yes, I did speak briefly to the midwife about it, and she said it's actually fairly common for babies to need some oxygen on birth. Hence all these lovely stories with gorgeous children resulting.

You don't realise these things til they happen to you, do you?

Am just feeding DS2 (for the umpteenth time today!! :) ), looking at him in awe, and thinking how lucky I am. And that's what matters....

OP posts:
phipps · 16/10/2010 20:31

He is so lucky to have you for his mummy Smile

Original poster
happybutscared · 16/10/2010 20:36

thanks :)
isn't that funny? i spend a lot of time breathing in his gorgeous scent... nothing beats it! :)

OP posts:
phipps · 16/10/2010 20:39

Mine is 5 and still has it.

splashy · 17/10/2010 23:51

i also had shoulder dystocia at the birth of my daughter. feel incredibly lucky everything worked out well in the end. she is only 3 weeks old, but perfect. it was scary and she was also blue and had the whole team rush in, but they were very happy with her progress in hospital.

your baby is clearly healthy, so try not to worry, and enjoy being a parent :)

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