Shoulder dystocia - positive experiences for next birth?

[tisonlymeagain]

I am being induced this week and starting to get nervous after previous shoulder dystocia. Before it happened to me, I had no worries but now I am nearing the end of this pregnancy I can feel myself starting to panic.

I really didn't want a c-section and to be honest, it was never mentioned to me by my consultants as something that needed to happen but I know that having had one already buts me at a higher risk, as well as the fact I am being induced, and my baby is over 95th centile.

So today, I was wondering if anyone has any positive stories about subsequent vaginal deliveries after previously having experienced shoulder dystocia?

I've had two out of three, possibly three out of three, but as that was an instrumental delivery by ventouse, I think they preemted it.

How bad was the shoulder distocia? Apparently mine with my second born was pretty bad, so when I wanted to give birth with the same midwife in the same MLU in Germany, they said baby needed to be smaller and should be careful with carbohydrates. She was smaller by about 1 kg and 1 cm compared to our first born, but still she got stuck again today, though things were a lot better than last time (not so terribly blue and very alert, crying, everything you want from a newborn really).
It may also have helped that I wasn't in the pool, but the really bad consequences of shoulder distocia are very rare and some of them (e.g. paralysis of the shoulder) depend on the skill and experience of those who deal with it.

My second child was stuck at the shoulders for 8 minutes but luckily had no long term ill effects. He was 10lb 11oz at 39+5.

My third child was induced at 39+1 weighing 9lb 6oz and I had a lovely vaginal delivery with minimal tearing.

Hopefully the positive story you wanted to hear good luck OP.