Does a cervix in posterior position have to end up in a c-section???

[kakies]

When I was pregnant with my first baby the doctor checked my cervix and said it was posterior. I was 40wks plus 5 days when I had my last appointment and I was only 1cm dilated. I had leaked a little of amniotic fluid before going in and the doctor decided to leave me in the hospital 'so I could have the baby'. I felt fine and wanted to go back home because I had a feeling that my baby's arrival was close but I didn't feel like I was going to have the baby that day.

Anyway I did what the doctor told me. I thought "He's the doctor, so he knows whats best."(right?) At the hosp. they gave me an enema, they made me shower and they put me on a bed with all those monitors. I wasn't allowed to get off the bed or toss around too much. I started to feel back pains and have light contractions. But my cervix remained posterior and I got up to at least 2cm.

7 hours later the doctor told me that he had to practice a c-section on me due to "no progress". There were no other reasons because the baby and I were both fine. I tried to see if I had another alternative but he said that I was already past my due date and the cervix wasn't ready so he couldn't wait any longer... he just wasn't going to take that risk, period.

Now I am pregnant with #2 and I am worried that this will happen again. I don't want another c-section and I wonder if there is a way to help my cervix move to the right position if it hasn't done it on it's own by the time I have 40wks of gestation.

Does my posture have anything to do with it... I remember having a really bad posture during my first pregnancy.

Any advice?

[crazy_eights]

I'm missing something here. Were you on pitocin? Or just in the hospital with the hope of labor occuring b/c you were leaking amniotic fluid? I'm a bit confused as to what exactly went on. It sounds like you had a c/sec while you were still in early labor.

All that the cervix being in a posterior position means is that you are either not in labor or in early labor. THe cervix moves around from posterior (think of if you pulled a turtleneck over your head and teh opening was on the back of your head) to midline to anterior (the opening now has swung around to the front), usually in early labor.

Hope this info helps!

[Spark]

I have a posterior cervix. It's just the way some women's bodies are designed. My cervix actually tips all the way to the back and slightly over the left. I always joke with gynos, "It's just like my political position!" Never have I been told by any of the 7 people that have examined my cervix that it would result in C-birth for any children I might have. I did ask a few if it would make a difference during childbirth and all of them replied, "Not at all." And, they were mainstream folks.

During my first pregnancy, my cervix stayed facing backward until my son was engaged and I was in active labor. Then, it dialated just like a regular cervix would. Whent the head becomes engaged it doesn't matter which way your cervix faces, because it becomes thinned out and almost flattened around your babe's head.

If your cervix was still pointed backwards then, chances was your babe wasn't even engaged yet. Which would explain why you weren't dialating.

Lying in bed not moving would be the worst thing to encourage your babe to engage (other than hanging from your toes like a bat). Walking, dancing, squating, birth ball, these would be much better positions that would encourage your babe to drop into position.

That's all from me and my posterior cervix.

[kakies]

Mom2six- thanks for your reply.

And the answer is "No I wasn't on pitocin." I only had monitors and a routine I.V. I was in the hospital because I was 5 days late and leaking. They were expecting for me to give birth soon and since nothing changed (in those 7 hrs) the doctor decided to take the baby out by a c-section I didn't know better back then, or else I would have told him to hold his horses. Actually I did try to convince him to wait but he just didn't agree and I felt like I didn't have the knowledge to go against him so I gave in.

One question: How long can it take for the cervix to go from a posterior position to an anterior position. It seems like he (the Dr.) thought it would take waaaay too long for that to happen so he decided to cut me open instead.

[crazy_eights]

Sparklin - What you are talking about is what is commonly called a "tipped uterus". It makes no difference at all.

Kakies - I hate to say this, but your former OB (at least I *hope* he is your former OB) sounds like an idiot. From what you are telling me, in the absence of a fever or signs of infection, there was no reason to section you. Where I work, most OB's would have put you on pitocin b/c you weren't in active labor at that point with leaking amniotic fluid, but they certainly wouldn't have sectioned you. And most midwives that I know would have continued to wait for active labor!

((((sorry)))). Hope you can find a more informed and less paternalistic caregiver for your next birth.

[AutumnMoonfire]

The only thing we do with moms with a premature rupture of membranes is watch for infection!!!

It also, if you go past 24 hours, buys you a private bathtub!:LOL

My SIL leaked with her second and they did induce her with Pitocin but they let her walk around so the head engaged and did it's job...Why some docs are in such a rush I do not understand...If everything is cool with the baby why overmonitor when the resulting immobility is likely to cause a problem...?

[DalaiMama]

Kakies, in response to your question about how long it takes for your cervix to go from posterior to anterior, I would guess it varies from woman to woman depending on what kind of labor you have, you know? I know that when I was admitted to the hospital with my ds, my cervix was posterior at 4:30 pm and I gave birth at 6:56. Though my whole labor from beginning to end was only five hours. I think your ob sounds like he was just a , and was itching for you to have a baby on his terms.

to you, and here's hoping for a calm, relaxing, hands off birth this time.

[crazy_eights]

Sorry I didn't answer you question about "how long". But yes, it varies from woman to woman and is part of that "prodromal" labor stuff usually - the early phase when your cervix starts to dialate, but before "active labor". Could be days for someone women, or minutes for others.

Hope that answers your question!

[applejuice]

Unfortunately, the fact that your first labor was done for a "failure to progress" will definitely shade the opinion of any future caregiver toward the outcome of your future pregnancies and labors.

Everyone should go into pregnancy labor and delivery with their eyes wide open. Your future health and the health of your future children depend on it.

[Mothra]

First of all, don't feel bad for not knowing what was going on. Most of us are raised to trust authority figures, and doctors are right up there next to God in our society. It sounds like the situation leading up to the birth of your child was very stressful. You were vulnerable, and your doctor took advantage of that.

I want to reinterate that the bit about a "posterior cervix" is bogus. Your body was not ready to give birth yet. My cervix was still posterior at 6cm when I gave birth to my second son. The nurse made a joke about it, about how difficult it was for her to check me, and less than two hours later I gave birth after fifteen minutes of pushing.

Are you still with the same provider? If so, I would seriously recommend that you try to change. With any other provider, I would explain in great detail what happened during your first birth and let her know that you are fully aware of the fact that what went down was crap and you won't stand for it again.

[Drewsmom]

Definitely not. Just my experience but I'm always posterior before I deliver until at least 4 cms and I'm in very active labor. Then it pulls forward. I have slow labor that lasts for weeks before I get to active labor. I was 1 cm with my first for a week nad then 2 cms for another week before going into active labor. I was 2-3 cms with ds#2 for 3 weeks before going into active labor. When they checked me they couldn't even get back there to fully check and it was way too painful so I told them forget it. Then once I went to hte hospital with #1 at 4 cms I wasn't posterior anymore. With #2 I was already 8-9 cms and definitely not posterior any more.

My sister stays posterior and the midwifes just pull her forward in order to deliver but it's still a vaginal delivery.

Good luck with the next. Sounds like you definitely* need a new dr.

[Greaseball]

It sounded like you just were not ready to have the baby yet. 40 weeks and 5 days is nothing to worry about - it used to be doctors would wait until 42 weeks before getting concerned, and even well after 42 weeks we know there is nothing to worry about.

The interventions probably slowed things way down. 7 hours is not too long to make "no progress." Rather than failure to progress, it was most likely failure to be patient on the part of your doctor. I hope you can see someone else next time.

He is probably blaming your body for his failure. If you weren't supposed to have a tilted cervix, you wouldn't have been superiorly designed with one!

[kakies]

It has been a while since I visited this thread. At first I thought that not too many of you would answer. I was surprized to see so many responces to my post. Thanks.

A couple of you were concerned about who is my doctor this time. Well unfortunately I am still with the same one, but let me explain. It's a group of 3 gyn's and for my first pregnancy I was aiming to give birth with doctor #1 because he tends to wait longer, doesn't like to intervene and he trust's a woman's ability to give birth naturally... he doesn't do too many c-sections. But when I was 40wks+5days he (doctor #1) was out on vacation and I ended up with doctor #2... he is not too patient and more traditional as you all know.

When I became pregnant this time I tried to find another doctor but I kept hearing that hardly any of them were practicing VBACs. I thought 'what if I try a new one and he decides that it's too risky to do a VBAC since he has never had me as a patient?'

So after 3mo of searching I decided to go back to the group of gyn's that attended my first pregnancy. I checked to see if doctor #1 would be working during my last trimester. I know he (doctor #1) will not be nervous about letting me VBAC or move around during labor. I'm not too sure about doctors #2 and #3 so I will have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that doctor #1 won't disappear on me this time.

[bec]

What about a midwife? There are a bunch of midwives that won't shy away from a VBAC. I wouldn't feel very good about a 1 in 3 chance of getting the doctor that might be patient with my labor. I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's one of the reasons I am having my VBAC at home this time around.

Good luck!


Bec

[kakies]

hi bec-

Well I tried to find a midwife in my area and they hardly don't exist around here. At first I didn't know where to search then I started asking the ladies at the LLL and they all ended up refering me to the same midwife. I even asked my daughter's pediatrician and she suggested the same midwife. I started to think that she is the only midwife available down here. Anyway, I tried to contact her since I was 7wks pregnant and I had no luck.

Now at 26wks I tried once again and I finally got to talk with her over the phone but she only attends 2 births per month and she is booked all the way up to May-2004. She mentioned another midwife but I feel that I am so far into the pregnancy that maybe it's just not ment to be this time... I don't know.

[New Moon]

Hello
I would encourage you to at least meet with this other midwife. Whats the harm? If you meet her and decide not too, then at least you have explored your options. Its never too late to switch care providers until youve had your baby =) I agree that a 1 in 3 chance isnt that spectacular. And Doc was way out of line last time (way out). Where are you located? Have you checked out the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)? They may have more ideas for you regarding midwives.
Blessings
new moon

[Drewsmom]

I don't know if you'll look at this again but I just wanted to say that I didn't feel totally comfortable with my group practice most of my pregnancy but was holding out for the 2 midwives I really loved hoping that I wouldn't get the other midwife or dr.s. However, close to the end of my pregnancy after several disconcerting visits with the other caregivers I decided that it wasn't worth chancing and stressing out over. So took the leap of faith and just started asking around like mad and scheduling lots of appointments with dr.s. There was one who was solo practice and I had heard good things about. He was wonderful.

Things got even better when I learned that the 2 midwives I loved broke off nad started their own practice. So I joined them at 36 weeks. It's never too late nad it was SO worth it. I totally know how you feel, feeling like you're not going to get what you want anyway maybe with other dr.s but it's definitley worth just going to interview. Btw I had to schedule it as a regular appointment since my insurance doesn't cover interviews, but it's still no additional charge.