Is it common for hospital to delay birth?

[Cdm2020]

Hello, 9 months on from giving birth I’m still traumatised by my experience. I understand many people have difficult births but wanted to find out if other people had experienced similar to me or had any input.
Short version - I was dilated enough to push at 3am; midwifes in place and ready to go. Midwifes were then called away urgently to another birth on the ward, my birth couldn’t go ahead due to staff shortages. I’d had an epidural, they continued to top up the drugs for a further 6 hours with my baby in birth canal, fully dilated. Longest 6 hours of my life. By the time they had the staff to do my delivery I couldn’t feel a thing obviously and no way I had it in me to get baby out, I was exhausted. Tried to push but ended up having forceps delivery.

My baby ended up with torticollis and despite our efforts to avoid it, as a result now has an extremely flat head. I also suffered a rectal prolapse (rectocele). Both these issues may have been caused by forceps delivery and/or difficult birth. They could have occurred regardless of the 6 hour delay of course but I’m left wishing I hadn’t had an epidural now, so that they were not able to delay the birth. Is this a common method to manage births on a busy ward? Many thanks in advance.

(This was pre-covid)

I have never heard of midwives "delaying"a birth. Just because a woman is fully dilated doesn't mean she should push. When the baby is low enough, the body has a natural instinct to push which cannot be prevented. It doesn't sound like your body was ready to push yet.

Torticolis is develops over a long period of time in utero (months and weeks, not hours). It does not happen because of the way a baby is born, and the torticolis can cause the flat head.

Having said all that, your feelings of trauma matter and are valid. It does not sound like you felt safe and supported in labour. It can be very helpful to request a meeting with the head of midwifery to go through your records and explain the decision making at that time. It may help you regain a sense of control.

Do I understand correctly that they could see the baby was ready to come but left you unable (as in you couldn't feel anything so couldn't push him out) or they meant it won't be long until he's here?

If it's the first that is big malpractice as I would assume the baby would be very distressed and it would be very dangerous. If they did that you definitely need to look in to this.

Torticollis can be caused by instrumental births. When I had an epidural I could not feel anything and had to be told to push. If I had been left alone I wouldn't have pushed because I wouldn't have known I needed to. I had my epidural early on in labour (I didn't actually have any contractions as they were preparing me for a cs) and am pretty certain it caused issues in my labour and birth injuries.

Have you had a review of your birth with a midwife. If you haven't I would really recommend one.

Thank you for your responses. As far as my understanding goes, the baby was ready to come (but I couldn’t feel much due to epidural). This was after 17+ hours in labour and checking all along saying “not quite ready yet” and eventually saying “right it’s time to push“, midwifes in position... then things being stopped. The baby’s heart rate was increasing through the 6 hour delay and it was very distressing for me and my partner waiting for her to be born when we knew she was “ready”.

I have not had a review of the birth, sounds like this is definitely something I should request even if just to help my understanding.although I’m reluctant to be demanding during these difficult times.

Thanks again for taking time to respond

There’s absolutely no way I could have not pushed when my three were ready to come, it kind of just happened. No epidurals though so maybe that’s the difference.
It really does seem very strange to ‘delay’ it, especially for that length of time. I’d be asking for a debrief.

And definitely don’t be reluctant to ask for answers. The NHS exists for everyone, not just Covid.

I would defiantly look at doing an 'after birth question time' thing that trusts do. However for me - pushing was involuntary and DC was coming it I liked it or not

People can give birth in coma’s because your body just takes over. I don’t think you can delay birth like that - the pushing is almost involuntary.

I would definitely ask for a birth debrief though and that might answer the questions you have.

People can give birth in coma’s because your body just takes over. I don’t think you can delay birth like that - the pushing is almost involuntary

Yes this is what I thought. I’d go as far as to say I didn’t ‘push’, it’s not a conscious decision.

When I was ready to push there is nothing that could have stopped that from happening. I didn't have an epidural or anything though, so maybe that is the difference. I'd definitely ask for a review.

Leaving a woman fully dilated for 6 hours is completely unacceptable if this is what happened. Did you not have a midwife in the room with you after they were called away?

That sounds horrendous and dangerous.

With an epidural you don’t feel the need to push: they tell you when to push

I would ask for a debrief OP, many hospitals do offer this service, or if they don't then hopefully they can, as it seems like something you need help coming to terms with. It either was malpractice (the absolute state of maternity services that's not surprising), or perhaps things were done correctly but not explained to you, I'm not going to minimise your experience as others on the thread have done though, because how you feel about it is just as important as what actually happened, but talking through it may help to give more clarity.

It is often common to wait for the baby‘s head to descend further down the birth canal if all is progressing well and the mother doesn’t have the urge to push. It minimises the pushing stage and makes for an easier delivery for the mother.

Torticolis is not caused by the delivery?

Everyone saying you can't help pushing when you're ready, this isn't always the case when you've had an epidural. Natural birth, yes because you can feel.

When I had my epidural following a hideous drip induction I had no sensation from the waist down. At all. They could have chopped my leg off and I wouldn't have noticed. I didn't get any push sensations at all, the midwife relied on the monitor and an internal examination to tell me when a contraction was imminent and when to push. I pushed on command and it did pretty much nothing, even though I tried my hardest for over two hours. I too ended up in theatre having a traumatic forceps delivery which resulted in birth injuries that I'm waiting to have surgery for four years later and it also injured my baby.

It's not as straightforward as 'your body will know what to do, and do it'. Not always.

OP, I would definitely go for a debrief because they are helpful to understand what went on. It may be the case that they were negligent etc or there may have been good reason that they left you which for lost in translation in the chaos of birth and a busy delivery suite. Find out, then see how you feel. The Birth Trauma Association has some good resources to help you work through your feelings and therapy can also be helpful in these situations.

Thank you again for all your responses. To address a couple points-

I think it’s quite common not to feel a thing with epidural, especially after being on it for several hours. At the point when they said I was ready to push, I could still tell when I was having contractions - 6 hours later as princesshollysmagicalwand says, they could have cut my legs off and I wouldn’t have known. I understand Epidural is also used in c sections too, with the aim to ensure the mother can’t feel it when they go in..
I was unable to walk afterwards for 18 hours and had a catheter for 24 (standard, I think)

They continuously topped up my drip - I asked at one point if they could give me less so I could feel the contractions again; they said no this would be too painful and my body wouldn’t cope at that stage.

A midwife was in the room when we were waiting but she told us there had to be two there to deliver a baby.

Quick google search of torticollis and instrument delivery will confirm forceps and prolonged or difficult delivery can cause it. (although can be from awkward position in the womb too) “Torticollis is most frequently caused by physical trauma during childbirth”.

And you were definitely fully dilated that full time? An hour or two for decent is standard with an epidural but much longer than that without review or communication of a clear plan is outrageous. She didn’t even start you pushing and see what happened? Whilst two midwives is preferable, it’s not essential. I assume you were on a CTG trace too? Was this not reviewed by a secondary clinician periodically?

Both times I was repeatedly sent away from hospital despite meeting admissions criteria and both times they refused to offer interventions within the safe timeframe. I kicked myself both tunes for not wanting to take the trip down to London to go private.

I'm sorry you had such a difficult experience. I asked for my notes (under the data protection/subject access request thing) after one of my births and found it helpful to understand what was happening. In fact they didn't want to give me the notes without also seeing a midwife for a debrief, so I did that too. I think you might find that helpful for understanding what was going on.