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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Long term effects of foetal distress during labour?

18 replies

abigboydidit · 27/05/2013 09:17

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in Behaviour & Development so apologies if this is the wrong place. DD is now 4 months old and is a lovely, contented baby. However, at the risk of sounding ridiculous, am beginning to worry that she is too placid (told you it would sound ridiculous!) as everyone who spends time with her comments on it. Her labour wasn't easy and ended with a forceps delivery as she was showing signs of distress. At the point she arrived she had arrested, although she was revived in less than a minute. To be honest, all this is only just starting to sink in now and I didn't really ask questions at the time as they reassured me that there would be no adverse effects. At least I think I remember them reassuring me..

I have tried Google but it just comes up with litigation lawyers, which isn't helping. I wondered if anyone could share knowledge/experience? I am due to see the HV tomorrow so will ask her but to be honest I don't have a lot of faith in her after she has came out with some real clangers re my DS and his allergies. Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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LynetteScavo · 27/05/2013 09:29

TBH, I think any GP or HV will tell you the birth hasn't effected your DD....at this point I would focus on saying what your concerns are about your DD, rather than what you think the cause was.

DS1 had a difficult birth, and I thought this contributed to him being difficult and unsettled, so I totally see where you are coming from.

Original poster

abigboydidit · 27/05/2013 09:36

Thanks for the reply. I am just aware that my concerns seem so silly. Hoping am just fretting over nothing but I used to work with adults with acquired brain injuries (often through oxygen starvation) and just worry she hay have had some damage but I don't have any details. At the time I was just so besotted with DD and then so tired...

OP posts:

MrsBungle · 27/05/2013 09:44

Hello op. your dd's birth sounds very similar to my dd's birth. She was also distressed, came out with forceps and had to be resuscitated.

My dd was also a very placid baby. Everyone would comment on it. She slept through early. She was not temperamental, hardly ever cried. People would say how lucky I was!

My dd is 4 next month and is really making up for all the contended baby stuff by being a bratty threenager! There's not a thing wrong with her!

Try not up worry. It took me a good year to get over dd's birth. It was all traumatic although I'm not sure I realised it so much at the time - it was in the months afterwards.

If you are worried see your go, hopefully they can set your mind at rest. X

Original poster

abigboydidit · 27/05/2013 09:47

Thanks MrsBungle. DS was an emergency CS and was also a contented baby but DD takes it to a whole new level. I hadn't been worried until everyone started mentioning how unusual it was and then, well..I am the sort of person who worries if I have nothing to worry about

OP posts:

MrsBungle · 27/05/2013 09:58

I think you should see the gp. If they think your dd is unusual i assume they'd refer on to a paed. My dd saw a paed when she was 15 months as she was not weight bearing at all and he checked her over thoroughly and proclaimed her perfectly well and healthy.

I think at least taking to a medical professional about it may help to stop you worrying or if there is an issue, they can look at it. No-one is going to think you're silly for asking about this.

Do you have a good health visitor? Mine was excellent. Maybe you could ask her (or him ) to visit you to talk about it?

LadyPeterWimsey · 27/05/2013 09:58

DS ended up with an emergency section for foetal distress, and had a massive cephalo-haematoma, so had probably been in a poor position for a long time.

He was an extremely placid baby, fantastic sleeper and feeder, and has turned out to be extremely bright (academic and musical scholarships,etc.). He still has a very calm and laid-back personality at 15.

Enjoy the placid!

Original poster

abigboydidit · 27/05/2013 10:11

Thank you everyone. Just writing this has helped to clear my thoughts as I realise its not so much DDs behaviour that is concerning me (I wasn't worried till people mentioned it), more my lack of knowledge of what happened during labour and the potential impact (if any) on her. Reassured to hear of other people with similar labours and healthy DCs.

OP posts:

slug · 27/05/2013 10:17

DD was a similar birth. She spent a week in the SCBU to add to the drama. She was also a placid and very calm baby, living nothing more than a good feed and a long sleep. She's just finishing primary school now, has sat the SATS and is expected to get level 6 in all.

Babies brains are very plastic and can recover from the sort of trauma that would disable an adult.

Original poster

abigboydidit · 27/05/2013 15:56

Thanks slug, that's very reassuring.

OP posts:

CointreauVersial · 27/05/2013 16:16

I was going to say what Slug said regarding the resilience of the infant brain.

The only one of mine with a difficult birth (DD1, small-for-dates, induced, foetal distress, EMCS) was also the most placid as a baby. She literally never cried, and really didn't need me. 12 years on, she is as bolshy as the next child, never stops talking, is top of the class (but still very self-contained). I'm not sure if there is a link, but her birth sure as hell hasn't adversely affected her life in any way.

Original poster

abigboydidit · 27/05/2013 16:20

There does seem to be a bit of a pattern forming!

OP posts:

CointreauVersial · 27/05/2013 16:41

A pattern, maybe, but not an adverse one particularly.

I had epilepsy as a small baby, several fits a day, to the extent that doctors advised my mother that I'd be lucky to make it to mainstream school, and I spent the first six months of my life on massive doses of steroids.

Undoubtedly I suffered some sort of brain damage, but I'm still trying to find what's missing. A happy life, normal relationships and an Oxford degree says, not much.

Original poster

abigboydidit · 27/05/2013 20:16

Wow! That showed them!

OP posts:

redwellybluewelly · 29/05/2013 10:26

I have a baby that did suffer hypoxia at birth due to obstetric failings, she was anything but placid and does have longer term issues. As always though I say go with your instincts and don;t be fobbed off by GP or HV if you have genuine concerns.

I suspect you would find some kind of debrief useful from the midwifery team, anyone can ask for it and although you may find it brings you a sense of peace you may also need to speak to a counselling service afterwards if it raises concerns? I didn't deal with my birth trauma, mainly because I was dealing with a sick baby, but I know several people who have come to terms with births and been able to move on and lay the ghosts to rest so to speak.

Rituu · 22/06/2018 01:40

I have the same issue. How is ur baby now

gigglywiggle · 23/06/2018 17:37

If your baby was crying within a few minutes and didn't need to go to the baby unit it is extremely unlikely that there will be any long term problems with her. Some baby's are just chilled out. Enjoy it!

mumsastudent · 23/06/2018 19:36

my dc (long long ago!!!) was very difficult delivery and blue when born & taken into intensive care overnight ….I tell DC (adult) that the reason why DC didn't get a 1st at uni! Dc was the most placid and had the least health problems of my DChildren.

BananaHarvest · 23/06/2018 19:51

Well any hypoxia ischaemic injury should be picked up in post birth assessment.
Our first was a 68 hour labour culminating in a failed forceps, internal manipulation and second attempt at forceps. She had cerebral irritation, was in NICU, has the most shrill cry imaginable which she did most of the time. She was irritable, twitchy, horrible.
She is now a GP trainee. We think her dyspraxia is birth related. We think her colour blindness is birth related but overall she’s done just fine.
Relax and enjoy your baby instead of fretting. Love that she is good natured. Dream of her future.

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