Anyone's baby come out with their hand on their head and not tear? - Page 2

[lilyka]

My last was born with both her arms up over her forehead. she was down and out in under 3 minutes. When I commented how suprised I was at not tearing my midwife commented that she really had to work to keep me from tearing. I am fuzzy to what she did but it was her skill that made all the difference. It wasn't anything I can take credit for.

that said my friend's baby had her arm up, the midwife went to reposition it but the baby came flying out on the next contraction (friend wasn't pushing, it was just a really good contraction) and I believe the stitch count was somewhere near 50!


So it can go either way.

[MonicaS]

My last baby was born w/ her hand on her neck(like if you were reaching across to your other ear), and I tore about 2nd degree. My MW felt that I wouldn't have torn if her hand hadn't been like that, but who knows?

[kerikadi]

My DD#1 also had her hand up and though I did not tear I did get a skid mark : She was 8/8 and I had 2 previous episiotomies one of which became a 4th degree tear However, I was in the tub and I really do think the water helped. I pushed for less than 10 minutes with all my babies.

Keri

[darkpear]

DD2 had her hand by her cheek. It wasn't much of a surprise, since my midwives had felt it there several times while palpating me during the last month or two of the pregnancy I didn't tear, had maybe a minor skidmark but wasn't sore at all past the first day or two. I do think the hand made it harder for her to move down, since I was in transition for quite a while (about 3 hours of 7 hour labor).

[liawbh]

DS2's hand was by his head (14 1/2" head, too!)as he crowned. My mw pushed on his fingers, and instead of pulling his hand in like most babes, he stuck his arm straight out (when she told me this later, I was like "so that's what that sharp burn was all about ). I had a skidmark ,and a small tear that I declined a stitch for.

I, too, have a scar from a prior epis., so who knows if that impacted things.

[flapjack]

Yep. Skye had a nuchal hand and I didn't tear, but I did feel somewhat tender for a few weeks afterwards (which I didn't with my boys, both bigger.)

Seeing as we're having this conversation, can I also ask if these babies who are older now have a preference for their nuchal hands?

[mama_at_home]

My baby is only 3 months old so it is kind of early to tell. That is an interesting question, though.

[grace's voice]

Originally Posted by flapjack

Yep. Skye had a nuchal hand and I didn't tear, but I did feel somewhat tender for a few weeks afterwards (which I didn't with my boys, both bigger.)

Seeing as we're having this conversation, can I also ask if these babies who are older now have a preference for their nuchal hands?

Juels sucked on the fist of that hand, while the other one played with her hair, from birth to about 2 years old. I assume she was sucking the fist inutero when labor began and it just got stuck, and I could feel her hand above her head on my cervix the last few weeks of pregnancy. Anyway, after she turned 2 she dropped the fist and just went to sucking on her tongue, which she still does at 4 years old as well as the other hand in her hair. She doesn't seem to have a preference for the nuchal hand in any way at this point.

[MamaTaraX]

Yep,no tears. Hand up on his forehead. That was my 2nd. I did not tear my first or 3rd either. Kudos to my perinuem

Namaste, Tara

[orangebird]

Oh! Oh! <waving hand in the air wildly> Me here. My 8 month old was born with his hand up over his head and I had no tears at all. It was a bitch to birth him- most traumatic birth I could have imagined- but I didn't tear. Not even a skidmark.

[faithhopelove]

My boy was born with a nuchal hand and I tore as bad as you can. I had to transfer to the hospital for repairs I ended up with like 250 (approx) stitches. It was horrible, I heard my perinium pop and everything.

Then I did retear during my UC with my next baby. I didn't even realize it till the swelling went down. My midwife for this preg noticed that I never closed all the way and I have a very short perinium now.

Crystal