Chances of another asynclitic birth second time round

[LadyGoneGaga]

I had my son three years ago. He was supposed to be a lovely, gentle home birth in a pool. In the event I ended up transferring in after two abortive hours of pushing and he was finally born by ventouse. The labour was fine and mellow until first mw exam (at 6cm) when contractions just came on top of each other. Later at pushing stage I just felt as if my pelvis was going to snap apart, which was a very frightening sensation, - I suppose due to his bad position. MW said my waters had broken and she could see the head and he was very bald. However, when we got to hospital it transpired this was just my waters bulging. When they broke my waters and examined me they found he was asynclitic and in transverse arrest with deflexed head. They hooked me up to a drip to kick off contractions again and at this point I had an epidural as was exhausted and in too much pain. After a lot of tussling and faffing they finally got him out with the ventouse. Second stage recorded as 6 hours!

I am 33 weeks pregnant again and keen to try again for my home birth. Am really hoping that the asynclitic position is unlikely to recur and it was just "one of those things". Does anyone have experience of this? How did your second labour go? Did you do anything to encourage better positioning? Am I kidding myself trying for another home birth? I've been seeing a chiro for my SPD but also hoping that she can iron out any wonkiness (technical term) in pelvis that may have contributed to this.

Would love to hear anyone else's stories.

Some good info here-
www.spinningbabies.com/baby-positions/all-positions/asynclitism
Seeing a chiro should definetely help.
Lots of other info on the Spinning babies website with stuff to do in pregnancy and labour for better positioning.
You could get your DP/a friend/a doula to do rebozo and inversion etc
Some pregnancy yoga might help.
Its unlikely to occur again!
Maya abdominal massage could help too-
www.arvigomassage.com/practitioners?value_3=&city=&country[]=United+Kingdom
S x

And-
www.gentlebirth.org/archives/position.html#Asynclitic

Thanks Selina. Interesting what it says about getting really strong contractions that then plateau or even decline. This is definitely what happened to me. And just felt like my body exhausted itself pushing against something that just wasn't going to move on its own.

I really hope you're right that it's unlikely to recur! The visualisations I have been doing most definitely do not include an ansynclitic presentation!

DS1 was transverse then oblique so I opted for a CS.

DS2 was either transverse or breech but conveniently went head down just in time for his CS! He was very small though and moved positions a lot.

Interestingly, I had an anterior placenta both times, with a partial placenta previa with DS2. Don't know if that influences the baby's position?

Interesting you say that, Highlander. I had an anterior placenta first time round. This time round is posterior. So hopefully will help!

First baby asynclitic, born by EMCS after 42 hr labour and pushing for 4 hours. The MWs said they could see an ear, but when I queried this they said they weren't sure what they could see. I know the feeling you describe of pushing and pushing against something that isn't going to move whatever you do.

I did all the Spinning Babies stuff second time, and had regular osteo and reflexology. I kept very active and made sure I didn't slouch when sitting down. I tried to sleep in the best positions.

Baby shot out after a very quick labour, I actually had to try and stop myself pushing as he came out so quickly by himself!

Asynclitic is extremely rare, I think for it to happen twice you would have to be really unlucky.

That's a very reassuring story, Box. Thank you. Really hope it goes that way for me.

My first birth with DD was very similar to yours... basically a homebirth transferred into hospital when it suddenly became apparent she was breech.

When I was pregnant with DS I was told both that there is no statistical evidence that women with one malpresented labour will experience another, but that anecdotal experience of midwives suggests that there is probably a slightly increased chance. So like you, I was worried.

But DS was born, at home, so peacefully and calmly three days ago. Perfectly engaged and textbook delivery. I hope the same will happen for you...

Ah, lovely story, BMDAFL. Congratulations on the birth of your little boy.