ROA Baby, Severe Groin Pain, and Concerns about Delivery

[KempsMama]

This is my fourth pregnancy, second to term. My first was a traumatic, intervention filled birth ending in a section under general. Reason for section was FTP. My son was born with a ridge around his head, which I believe to be caused by the fact that he was stuck on my pelvis for longer than just the twelve hours I was in labor.

I'm attempting VBAC with this birth. I've been getting chiro care for my SI joint pain and hip issues (possibly SPD). Over the last week, my groin and hip pain on my left side has gotten progressivly worse everyday, to the point that I really can't walk without significant pain. Chiro is at a loss, adjustments just don't seem to be helping anymore. She says she's never seen a case this bad, and has expressed concerns of how delivery will go.

Baby is currently ROA, and has been for weeks. He was transverse prior to that. My concern is that his position is causing the hip/groin pain, and that this position will be unfavorable for labor and delivery. Is this concern valid? And is there anything I can do to get him to move to a more favorable position, besides the chiro treatments?

[SashaBreeze]

I am by no means medically knowledgeable on anything but I can provide some "this is how it works with me" kind of information.

My hip was also damaged with my first. After that the last month or so of pregnancy is always really hard. With my third pregnancy I got chiropractic help and it really did help a lot with pain, especially for the first little bit after each appointment, but we were unable to ever really get my hip back to the way it should be and get it to stay. Maybe if you continue to see a chiropractor after your babies birth and combine that with some physical therapy to strengthen the muscles enough to hold things in place longer after adjustments? I was planning on doing that after my third was born but my chiropractor moved.

Hopefully your labor will go just fine. Mine go well as far as no difficulty pushing or anything like that but it does cause pain in my hip while in labor which gets interesting.

[HeatherB]

Can you consult with other chiros? I have seen quite a few at different times, and they all do things very differently. I had major SI joint pain that my chiro (one I'd been quite happy with and who treated me through two pregnancies - HBACs - with good success) just couldn't do anything for. She was always doing the same type of adjustment and it didn't cut it. I finally switched to another chiro who has a LOT more modalities to work with. She was able to do things the other one had *never* tried (some of which the first chiro simply didn't have equipment for), and she got me amazing results. I went from that place of not being able to walk *regularly* to being just fine most of the time.

I think it is absolutely worth getting as much help as you can now to get baby into the best position and get your pelvis into the best position, as well. I had a similar experience with an asynclitic baby, "FTP," and c/s under general. I have since had regular chiropractic care and two HBACs with quick pushing stages. Planning for our third HBAC in November. I hope your VBAC is as healing as mine was!