Any midwivers or anyone elase know...What does moulding mean in relation to childbirth?

[stickybean]

I hope someone can help me, i am due to give birth in the next week or so.
I have an 18month old who was delivered my EMCS. At the time i was told it was failure to progress because her head was a transverse lie... I had been in labour for a day and half and am generally ok with the decision, i don't think she was going to come out on her own.

Anyway, i am at a different hospital this time and the consultant has just got my notes from my last birth. They said there was a degree of moulding...
What does that mean??

I am hoping for a vbac this time around and the consultant says he is very happy to let me go for it but my reasons for a c section last time are more likely to be reoccuring than other reasons people have C=sections.

The problem is i don't understand why.
They are making a fuss about the baby being big, which i am sure it is, as was my last baby. But as far as i understand it wasn't her size that caused the problems.

They wanted me to go for a scan and internal at 40 weeks to see how big this one is and to 'discuss options' but i have said no to this as im not willing to go looking for trouble. Will consider it if i go overdue.

I just feel i have more questions than answers which i don't think will stand me in good stead for a vbac!

So, sorry for rambling on and on, but can anyone tell me what moulding means?
Other VBAC advice also welcome!

Excuse the typos in the title! Rushing too much this morning

I'm not a midwife, but I THINK moulding refers to the effect of vaginal birth on the skull. You know how CS babies have those perfect round heads, whilst VB babies can be a bit pointy and squeezed looking (very pointy in the case of my DCs. Little mekonheads)? Well, I think the changes in the skull bones is the moulding. So your little one will have had a bit of squeezing but not a lot? I think it is more of an observation than a problem.

I've googled it - that's seems to be what it means. here

Hi stickybean
Some good info on this here
Sometimes if there is a large degree of moulding or swelling the consultant may be implying that you could have what they call CPD (cephalo-pelvic disproportion) ie that your pelvis is too small for you to birth your babies.
In a developed country this is unlikely to be the case unless you had a severe eating disorder as a teenager or have had a serious pelic injury (such as in a car crash or accident).
In my opinion, some people do have more difficulty getting babies out sometimes due to pelvis shape, baby size and position but mainly due to not being encouraged to be mobile and upright in labour and use of epidural pain relief.
There are some really good sites with info
www.bellybelly.com.au/articles/birth/small-pelvis-big-baby-cpd
AS a Doula I have supported a few women that had a cesarean for a large stuck baby and went on to have a VBAC of a larger baby.
I would suggest you look at the Spinning babies website and consider a doula.
Selina

I was told DS was a 'moulded baby', but that was a pregnancy thing rather than a birth thing. I stayed quite small when pregnant (everyone said I had a 'neat little bump') and so DS was quite squished inside me, and his muscles developed slightly differently on different sides etc. It caused some cosmetic things in his first year (slightly bowed legs, one cheek slightly bigger than the other, always slept with his head turned to his right etc), but it's all resolved itself with time.

Thank you so much for your responses, that does clarify things a lot.
Thanks for the link Selina, i have been on the spinning babies website and its great.

I don't believe that the problem was my daughter's size, more her position so will be trying to remain active and upright as far as poss and just keep faith in my own body... even when others don't!