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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Pressure for natural birth after shoulder dystocia with baby 1

24 replies

Beth2022 · 19/04/2022 16:29

I'm due Baby 2 in early Oct and have been discussing birth plans with midwives (I know it seems early). Midwife 1 said they would advise c section due to shoulder dystocia with Baby 1. Midwife 2 has said she would not advise c section as I have Baby 1 to think about that will need me and being out of action is impossible when they're that age (he'll be almost 2) and that maybe it wasn't 'true shoulder dystocia' because I had forceps so it would have been hard to tell if me pushing was working due to me not having any feeling there.

I feel so deflated, because I'd settled on a c section in my head because Midwife 1 told me that the risk of it happening again was 1 in 10 chance. And I dread the thought of the same thing happening and the outcome being worse. Baby 1 was mottled when he arrived and had to be taken away for an hour, but he didn't need extra oxygen and so far seems to be okay developmentally wise. However it was a very traumatic birth and his face was all cut and bruised from them trying to get him out with forceps when he was stuck.

I'm just interested to hear anyone's views of their subsequent births after shoulder dystocia and whether you were talked out of a c section, or whether you decided to go natural in any case?

Many thanks for reading x

OP posts:

kalidasa · 19/04/2022 16:33

I have not had shoulder dystocia but in your circs I would stick to your guns about the section. One of my sister had two complicated deliveries one with shoulder dystocia one with a different problem ending in an emergency section. For the third they didn't risk it and she had a planned section she says it was lovely and calm and she wishes she'd gone for that with no. 2.

IncompleteSenten · 19/04/2022 16:34

My first has erbs palsy as a result of mishandled shoulder dystocia. I was, like you, very scared about having my second. I had a natural birth delivered by the consultant with a team on standby in case I needed a cs (various factors meant cs was dangerous and only last resort)

They were very careful and well prepared because they knew the risks. Talk to the doctors and really push for what you feel most comfortable with.

HarrietM87 · 19/04/2022 16:36

I had 2 lovely natural births but in your situation I would absolutely go for a c section. Everyone I know who had a planned section had a great calm experience and quick recovery. 1 in 10 is quite a high risk and there could be other complications which end up in an EMCS anyway.

bakey9 · 19/04/2022 16:37

I'd get a cs

TooManyAnimals94 · 19/04/2022 16:40

I haven't had a c section but I know several women from my NCT group did and the one that had an elective had a much shorter recovery time than the emergency ones. I assume because your body hasn't been put through the strain of labour and surgery. I also have another friend who had an elective with a bouncy 2 Yr old to look after and I don't think she found it too horrendous so I wouldn't let that be your main reason choosing natural...surely if you needed forceps again then that's quite a long healing time too? In your position I think I would go c sec if that's the decision you were happy with before midwife 2.

Maydaysoonenough · 19/04/2022 16:45

I had a 9lb3 dc stuck. No intervention in the end but wasn't pleasant and a quick birth - just under 3 hours.. Next dc was 8.6 and an uneventful under 3 hours labour. Ultimately your decision op.. Not a mw.

MarineBio · 19/04/2022 16:48

I would request a discussion with an obstetrician about it. The comment about having another child to look after is ridiculous misogyny imo. Here’s a crazy thought: you could have rest and support to recover from whichever delivery is right for you medically. This what a man would expect.

Tulipvase · 19/04/2022 16:52

I don’t know about SD but I had 3 children under 5 and all were c-sections.

I’d absolutely go for the c-section. What does your consultant think?

AntoinetteCosway · 19/04/2022 16:52

I had a natural birth after shoulder dystocia - I was desperate to avoid induction again, and had written into my birth plan that if for any reason they felt induction was necessary, I would have a section instead. In the event, the birth was very smooth and easy, so it wasn't necessary. I think maternal mental health is a really important aspect here, and if you feel more comfortable with a section, I'd insist on it. I hope it all goes well for you

Sistanotcista · 19/04/2022 16:57

You should be able to have the birth you want, which sounds like a C section (which I can fully understand). Apologies if I’ve missed this info, but is the father available? Can he take annual or parental leave to help care for the 2 year old whilst you recover from surgery?

ILikeCrapTelly · 19/04/2022 17:08

I'd settled on a c section in my head because Midwife 1 told me that the risk of it happening again was 1 in 10 chance. And I dread the thought of the same thing happening and the outcome being worse.

Tell them you want a CS and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy

I had a difficult delivery with DC1 and chose to have an ELCS with DC2. After sticking to my guns with everyone who tried to convince me otherwise, I felt like a weight had been lifted and I could start to look forward to the birth.

bengalcat · 19/04/2022 17:08

You need an appointment with a Consultant - presume the MW’s have requested this .

Thetailfeather · 19/04/2022 17:13

My PFB had SD at 40+10, pretty big 4.5kg. When my midwife with DC2 heard she got me put into consultant led care. We decided to go for induction on dates so DC2 wouldn't get too enormous but I wouldn't have to deal with CS recovery with only 18month gap. I went ok, but if I had my time again I would have had CS with both - the first to avoid the traumatic labour and the second to remove the anxiety of expecting a repeat.

BearBibble · 19/04/2022 17:20

I would ask to look through your notes from your first birth, ideally with an obstetrician. A shoulder dystocia that resolves with simple McRoberts (where they bend your legs and push them back against your abdomen) is a whole different ballgame than a SD that requires suprapubic pressure and/or internal manoeuvres. Also think/ask about what might have caused the first incident - e.g. was your baby big? Is this baby predicted to be big?

Soontobe60 · 19/04/2022 17:21

You had a traumatic birth first time round. You don’t want to risk something traumatic happening this time round. That’s perfectly understandable. Midwife 2 needs to keep her (his?) opinions on how to manage your 1st child after a CS with your 2nd to themselves!
An elective CS will be carefully planned, you can organise your child care, support, etc all well in advance. Stick to your guns.

Inthesky42 · 19/04/2022 19:07

Jumping in to say go for the c section. I had a planned one after an emergency c section first time around. I had a 19 month old at home. Recovery was difficult but we managed. In your situation given potential risk to baby I'd absolutely go section

TotalRhubarb · 19/04/2022 19:13

It isn’t midwife 2 who’ll be giving birth, it’s you. If C section is your preference (and it would be mine), stick to your guns and they’ll have to arrange for that.

GinIronic · 19/04/2022 19:20

MWs should keep their opinions to themselves. Have they learnt nothing from the recent enquiry? If you want a C section - then you have one -it's your decision and yours alone.

Ohshitiveturnedintomymother · 19/04/2022 19:28

I can’t help with SD but I did have a c section last year with a 2 year old and I was fine! I had an elective and recovery was quick and straight forward. I didn’t struggle with dc1 (dh was at home for 3 weeks) and was driving after 2 weeks and able to walk slowly to do the nursery pick up and drop off.
I would recommend a stretchy sling so you don’t have to haul the pram around straight after surgery and the best thing I bought was one of those big u shaped feeding pillows which I put round me every time I sat on the sofa so dc1 didn’t jump on my scar.

Push for what you want, not for what a midwife tells you that you want. It’s hard but childbirth takes away a huge amount of our voice and we must speak up to get what we want and to be safe both mum and baby.

springtimeintheair · 19/04/2022 19:33

In your shoes I would stick to having a C-Section as originally planned. You can bet your last pound coin that that is what any obstetrician would be advising/ insisting on doing for their own family member., given your previous experience.
Best wishes.

MayMorris · 19/04/2022 19:34

What utter nonsense mw2 stated about having a toddler and that they will need you. If you have a forceps delivery again and the damage that goes with that, you are likely to be in a worse situation. The only thing having a toddler after c-section makes difficult is lifting, toddlers can understand that for a few weeks mummy cant pick them up or carry them and need to be gentle around mummy’s tum. But given you’ll be carrying a baby a lot that’s going to happen anyway, given you’ll be feeding a baby a lot of the time, your toddler isn’t going to be able to climb over your tummy anyway,
Literally not a problem. I had 2 c-sections. 2nd one elective. I was a better mum for both of them 2nd time around as I hadn’t just come out of hosptial sleep deprived, traumatised and overwhelmed as I was when I left hospital after first one.
Jeez…has that midwife seen the report of what has been happening in hospital trusts that have gone the resist c- sections?
Ask not to see her again,

MayMorris · 19/04/2022 19:35

@Ohshitiveturnedintomymother

I can’t help with SD but I did have a c section last year with a 2 year old and I was fine! I had an elective and recovery was quick and straight forward. I didn’t struggle with dc1 (dh was at home for 3 weeks) and was driving after 2 weeks and able to walk slowly to do the nursery pick up and drop off. I would recommend a stretchy sling so you don’t have to haul the pram around straight after surgery and the best thing I bought was one of those big u shaped feeding pillows which I put round me every time I sat on the sofa so dc1 didn’t jump on my scar.

All this…exactly my experience and what I did over 25 years ago now.

Original poster

Beth2022 · 19/04/2022 21:03

Thank you so much to every one of you who has so kindly commented. There's so much good advice that I'll certainly take.

I'm going to stick with my guns and go for the c section, I know recovery may be harder but it's not worth the risk to baby if this one is stuck for longer. Also, the recovery of an episiotomy and forceps was not exactly pleasant 🥴

I'll have my husband at home for 2 weeks, then my mum coming to stay for weeks 3 and 4, then we can take it from there and if I need more help we have family around that would be happy to. So in a very fortunate position really.

It's good to hear that some of you mums have been in the same position with young toddlers and managed without too many issues, that's music to my ears!

I have an appointment at the end of May with a consultant to discuss my choices and to go over what happened with the birth of Baby 1. It's really hard to recall the time he was stuck and I couldn't face attending the debrief after birth as I was so relieved all was okay and didn't want to have to talk about it, which I do regret now but felt right at the time. The doctor told me afterwards they almost had to push Baby 1 back in and go for section, so I imagine it wasn't particularly easy to release but he did arrive in the end with no significant injuries, other than the forceps cuts on his face.

Midwife 2 also asked me why I don't just get induced at 38/39 weeks, because the baby will just fly out then. Such a ridiculous thing to say, as if it's that straight forward 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thanks again ladies, you've been incredibly helpful! 🥰

OP posts:

pollyRae16 · 19/04/2022 21:06

No experience of shoulder due

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