Hip Labor - Page 2

[Eresh]

I had hip labor -- pain in both hips that built with contractions.  My body's natural response to the pain of my bones moving was to tense my butt/hips/thighs to stabilize the joints, which made the whole birth thing harder.  I have hip problems in general where I'd be walking along and a hip would just "give out" and I would have excruciating pain.  Oh, and I would have pain standing on my left leg and leaning forward (ie. putting on pants).  Oh, this was DS1's birth.  After the birth my hip pain was much, much better.  To the extent I don't think my hip has "given out" since.  With DS2, I had horrible pain in my tailbone during labor and some hip pain as he moved down through my pelvis.  My MWs think he might have been posterior and then resolved before he presented (he presented anterior).  I did have one contraction where I felt him really move and the pain in my tailbone really diminished.  Oh, and then he presented anterior and did a full rotation to posterior and then stopped.  Both boys were very high with unstable lies before labor.  Both were usually LOT but with both of them the MWs couldn't get good heart tones in the same place twice.  Oh, and since DS2's birth I do know my pelvis is uneven.  I very occasionally will have stabbing pain near my sit bones when I move a particular way and whenever I have a massage I notice I have a lot of lower back tension stabilizing my hips.  It's not painful so I don't notice it day to day but the tension is there.  I need to find a good chiro but I just haven't gotten around to it .. lol 

[Dot-to-Dot]

I'm curious of all you hip laborers...how long were your labors?  I feel very confident that my labor was a longish one because of this hip/asynclitic issue.  My labor was about 48 from frist contraction to last.  But, I'd only consider 18 hrs of that as active labor so I usually tell people it was 18 hours.  But I think the first 30 hours were slow going since the baby was in a less optimal position and I'm guessing the pressure on my cervix was inconsistent.

I've had a recent development of a sharp and sudden ache from the inside of my hip/pelvis.  Every time the baby stretches, I feel pushes on my left side and then this sharp ache on the exact opposite side.  It is reminiscent of the pain I felt in labor last time.  (Not NEARLY as bad of course, but there is some similarity that I can't quite put my finger on).

With the way it feels when she stretches out, I feel like she might be transverse (I'm 35 wks and going to the chiro twice a week).  I'm really worried I'm going to have this hip labor again despite my efforts.  My husband is suggesting that I start accupuncture now, but I'm not convinced it'd matter right now.  The pain isn't horrendous right NOW...it's just a very scary symbol that is making me anxious about how the pain might be LATER.  I want accupuncture during labor, and not spend money on it now.  (But, during labor isn't an option).  I'm scared.

I don't see an OB so I don't know how to tell what position baby is in.  Spinningbabies is lost on me.  My family doctor who managaes the pregnancy isn't skilled at palpating.

[Magali]

My labor was about 26 hours.  I think it was so long because of whatever was causing the pain, and also because the pain made me unable to move around.  I totally understand how you are scared to feel it again.  I ended up getting an epidural about 25 hours into labor...dd was born an hour later!  I was worried the epi wouldn't stop the hip pain because it was so high up, but interestingly enough, it stopped me feeling that pain, and did nothing for the contractions, and I was up and walking around right after the birth.  Not suggesting you get an epidural of course, just sharing my experience. 

[Monkey Keeper]

My labor was about 32 hours from first contraction till birth, 19 hours of contractions 3 minutes apart. Once he got out of my hip, it was fast though--6cm to baby in an hour.  He definitely was not at all well applied to my cervix until very shortly before he was born.

Dot--are you seeing a chiropractor?  If Webster certified, the chiro should be able to palpate for you.  Mine always knew exactly where baby was. The easiest thing for me was to find a hard, round thing and push on it.  If it jiggled, it was a head.  If the whole baby moved, it was a butt.  Not an exact science, I know.  Also, if you can find a long, hard stretch, it's likely baby's back so you can follow that to either end.  Or follow a foot up the leg to the bottom.  Lie flat on your back and really, really relax your abs and poke around in there.

I will say that I started to feel what you're talking about a few days before DS was born, the hip zingers. It sucks. Hopefully your little one moves again.

[Dot-to-Dot]

Yes, I'm seeing a chiro and he is Webster certified, but he does not know how to palpate.  He was just certified last year...so you think that was in his training?  I even mentioned how I wish someone could help me palpate and figure out the position of baby and he quickly started to feel around and just said, "Yeah, that's just not something I really know how to do."  He's great otherwise.

The advice about feeling for a hard lump (either a jiggly one or one that moves the whole body) was the advice that most made sense to me from spinningbabies and I've tried it...however, my whole tummy feels pretty hard...I can't discern any round lumps.  IF and only IF a foot happens to kick me, I feel pretty positive that it's a foot.  But, I can't dig in deep enough to follow a leg.  And then, sometimes a very similar kick happens on the opposite side and I get really confused.  I thought I was pretty sure I knew the difference between a tickly light grazing of a hand in motion versus a foot pushing with more gusto, but still things seem to be all over the place. 

I passed out on my back while at the chiro...laying on my back for more than 30 seconds is just awful for me.  I have very, very low blood pressure.  Sometimes as low as 80/40 and I think I just get to that point a lot faster than most preggos.  So he's been trying to do the round ligament release portion of the technique while I am laying on either side.  I have tried to lay on my back for palpating, for psoas release exercises, etc, and it's just miserable and I feel the blackout coming on.  So I just can't spend much time on my back trying to feel for baby, unfortunately.  I'm actually a little nervous about my GBS exam next week...but he usually props me up a bit knowing it'll take awhile.

[Monkey Keeper]

Originally Posted by Dot-to-Dot 

Yes, I'm seeing a chiro and he is Webster certified, but he does not know how to palpate.  He was just certified last year...so you think that was in his training?  I even mentioned how I wish someone could help me palpate and figure out the position of baby and he quickly started to feel around and just said, "Yeah, that's just not something I really know how to do."  He's great otherwise.

That would make me nervous as a patient. I went to 2 Webster-certified chiros when pg with DS, and the first one never palpated. In fact, she never knew my DS was even breech, even though I was seeing her 2x a week!  When I told my new chiro (who is amazing and also a doula and trained with a MW), she was horrified and said that a Webster chiro always should know the position of the baby before an adjustment. I definitely was much more comfortable with her when dealing with trying to get DS to go/stay head down because I knew she knew where he was.

That stinks about lying on your back.  That's the only way I could figure out where he was.

[Dot-to-Dot]

Okay, so I'd heard about another chiro in my area that was Webster certified (she wasn't listed on the national site when I'd done my original search).  I called them talked to the chiro personally.  She seemed MUCH more experience with prenatal stuff but admitted that she doesn't see many pregnant patients and that palpating would be....difficult...I'm not sure how she said it exactly but she said the best way for her to know what's going on would be for her to see me and feel around.  Then she went on to say that she could definitely tell me some things about baby's position.  I don't mean to make her sound like she's inconsistent.  She was very knowledgeable and confident and well, they had an opening this evening and so I booked the appt! 

Oh and she was concerned that the first guy was doing Webster's when baby wasn't breech.  She did not think that was necessary at all.  But I've read it's good for posterior positioned baby's too, or for pelvises that tend to hold baby's in a posterior position more than anterior).  All I know is that if the hip labor happens again, I'm going with the epidural.  It was too traumatic for me last time and I want this child to have the best possible chance to come down easily.

[Monkey Keeper]

Good luck tonight!!!  

[Eresh]

I always say DS1 was 23 hrs but I  had consistent labor patterns off and on for a few days before that.  DS2 was a little less than 8 hrs start to finish tho the first few hrs were intense but not painful.                                                                                                               Good luck tonight :)

[frugalmum]

I have had hip labor and leg labor (when you feel crushing contractions in your upper legs, and as they increase, a bit past your knees).  It started on my third baby.  I figured it was a one time thing, but for my fourth I did everything "right--" home waterbirth, highly recommended midwife, etc.  Well, I had hip and leg labor even worse that time.  We tried every position, massage, etc.. My midwife could offer no explanation other than "some women just have that."  The pain was not something I can put into words.  So I had epidurals after that for my subsequent births-- I just could not risk going through it again.  The epidurals went fine and I was able to get them put in just as the hip/ leg labor started up (around 5-6 cm).

[Dot-to-Dot]

Well, this chiro was great!  She asked a lot of questions and listened really well.  She felt like what I described was a nerve thing.  Like the baby may have been resting on my sacrum (and an nerve I guess) in a way that affected the nerves that branch out to the hips.  She asked if I had a tipped uterus because that would exacerbate the scenario.  I've never been told that my uterus is tipped, but I will be sure to ask my doctor next week at the vaginal exam.

She thought my hips were aligned nicely and that my SI joint and hips moved around really well.  My piriformis is tight and she suggested that if we can keep that in good shape (with muscle work) that I should be fine.  So I am scheduled to have muscle work done at the end of the week and then she'll check my hips at the end of each session.  She also felt strongly about adjusting the upper middle back  - I told her that sitting on the ball is painful because as my hips wobble I have to really use my upper back and shoulders to keep me stabilized.  She said she always adjusts the upper middle back in pregnant women for that very reason (loose hips that cause us to compensate by tensing our shoulders).

She felt my uterus and said that she couldn't say with 100% certainty, but that she was pretty darn sure that the baby was head down and on my right...now I'm not sure how to tell if that ROA or ROP.  But, I am relieved that she felt so certain she was at least head down.

Although I'm still pretty confused about what caused the hip labor and whether or not it will happen again....posterior? asynclitic? nerve issue?  I would give anything to be able to understand and prevent my hip labor.

[x0xmaybeex0x]

I gave birth to my first on the 12 of sept... and i thought my legs were goug to fall off. the pain in my hips radiated through my body, and i couldnt do anything. every postion put pressure on it making it worse. i wish i knew how to prevnt it. id like just contractions pover that again!!

[mtn.mama]

Ah, I see this discussion has been going on for a long time.  My daughter was born in 2007 via Cesarean.  My labor went 46 hours at home before the surgeon cut her out.  She was posterior, I took a long time to dilate, the back labor was intense... but the hip labor, OMG.  My right hip was on fire and locked up in contracture.  I could barely walk because I couldn't lift up my leg to take a step.  The midwives had me changing position all the time... they really wanted me on my side with my leg in the air but I couldn't handle the pain in that position and I told them in no uncertain terms that there was no way in hell I was doing that again.

[Monkey Keeper]

Originally Posted by mtn.mama 
... they really wanted me on my side with my leg in the air but I couldn't handle the pain in that position and I told them in no uncertain terms that there was no way in hell I was doing that again.

That pain was horrible--and I had an epidural by that time!!  It only ended once he moved down past my hip. Oh, did it HURT.
 

[mtn.mama]

I pushed her crowning for 8 hours and she wouldn't budge, even with lots and lots of position changes and help from gravity.  I'm just hoping that this next baby can get lined up better due to lots of rolfing/chiro care, and acupuncture on demand.  Both my rolfer and acupuncturist have volunteered to attend this birth... baby is due in February.  So far this pregnancy my hips/pubis are ALOT more comfortable... so I'm hoping!