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planning home birth- big baby- fear of shoulder distocia

2K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  LiLStar 
#1 ·
Hi all,
First post here. Live in ontario, 36 (almost 37) weeks pregnant with my first. Being followed by a midwifery practice and planning a homebirth. I did a hypnobirthing course for some prep and have a birth pool ready to go. The only thing that is causing me some anxiety is that for a while during my pregnany (since about week 20) my fundus has been measuring 2-3 weeks ahead. At 35 weeks the midwives sent me for a growth scan just to check out what was happening. Everything looks normal, but baby is measuring in the 90th percentile, including head. I'm trying to be positive and know that fundal height measurements aren't aways accurate and neither are growth scans. I'm not diabetic (screened negative for GD) and have gained about 27 lbs so far this pregnany. After reviewing the ultrasound, the midwives believe I am still a good candidate for home birth but have cautioned me on the risks with a larger baby. The biggest thing that has me concerned is shoulder distocia. I just can't get it out of my mind for some reason. I've become totally fixated on it..

Trying to listen to birth affirmations and remain positive as well as do research. I know the midwives are equipped to handle it should it arise, but I'm scared. And I know that if I'm scared, my birth is less likely to be as peaceful as it could be (mind-body connection and all that)....any words of advice?
 
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#2 ·
Hi all,
First post here. Live in ontario, 36 (almost 37) weeks pregnant with my first. Being followed by a midwifery practice and planning a homebirth. I did a hypnobirthing course for some prep and have a birth pool ready to go. The only thing that is causing me some anxiety is that for a while during my pregnany (since about week 20) my fundus has been measuring 2-3 weeks ahead. At 35 weeks the midwives sent me for a growth scan just to check out what was happening. Everything looks normal, but baby is measuring in the 90th percentile, including head. I'm trying to be positive and know that fundal height measurements aren't aways accurate and neither are growth scans. I'm not diabetic (screened negative for GD) and have gained about 27 lbs so far this pregnany. After reviewing the ultrasound, the midwives believe I am still a good candidate for home birth but have cautioned me on the risks with a larger baby. The biggest thing that has me concerned is shoulder distocia. I just can't get it out of my mind for some reason. I've become totally fixated on it..

Trying to listen to birth affirmations and remain positive as well as do research. I know the midwives are equipped to handle it should it arise, but I'm scared. And I know that if I'm scared, my birth is less likely to be as peaceful as it could be (mind-body connection and all that)....any words of advice?
Well, all my children were large, and my only complication was a retained placenta, with my eldest. He was nearly the smallest, btw, at 8.15 but he was two weeks early.

My others were 8.13, 10.12, 10.8, and 10.4. 10.12 was sideways, the stinker, but no difficulty. Heads about 15 inches.

Are you particularly small, yourself?
 
#3 ·
My second was born at home and he did get stuck. All that happened was that I had to move from the tub to the bed and position my self in such a way that he could be maneuvered out. There weren't any issues at all for me nor my baby.
 
#4 ·
Hi all,
First post here. Live in ontario, 36 (almost 37) weeks pregnant with my first. Being followed by a midwifery practice and planning a homebirth. I did a hypnobirthing course for some prep and have a birth pool ready to go. The only thing that is causing me some anxiety is that for a while during my pregnany (since about week 20) my fundus has been measuring 2-3 weeks ahead. At 35 weeks the midwives sent me for a growth scan just to check out what was happening. Everything looks normal, but baby is measuring in the 90th percentile, including head. I'm trying to be positive and know that fundal height measurements aren't aways accurate and neither are growth scans. I'm not diabetic (screened negative for GD) and have gained about 27 lbs so far this pregnany. After reviewing the ultrasound, the midwives believe I am still a good candidate for home birth but have cautioned me on the risks with a larger baby. The biggest thing that has me concerned is shoulder distocia. I just can't get it out of my mind for some reason. I've become totally fixated on it..

Trying to listen to birth affirmations and remain positive as well as do research. I know the midwives are equipped to handle it should it arise, but I'm scared. And I know that if I'm scared, my birth is less likely to be as peaceful as it could be (mind-body connection and all that)....any words of advice?
I know it can be hard to get a fear out of your head once it is there. Have you done some reading about the Gaskin Maneuver for shoulder dystocia?

This link is very informative and (I think) reassuring: http://www.thefarm.org/midwives/dystocia.html

Also if you get a chance to watch Birth Story:

They show a peaceful shoulder dystocia birth and explain why the maneuver works. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth also offers several examples of shoulder dystocia births that went well thanks to the Gaskin Maneuver.

Good luck working through this mama. Try to trust that your body and your baby know how to work together. We are designed by nature to have successful births.
 
#5 ·
Are your midwives experienced with shoulder dystocia? Thats my most important thing. I am much more comfortable with shoulder dystocia at home with a good experiences midwife than rolling the dice at the hospital with all those bells and whistles! Ive had 3 home births. My 1st was 10lbs 2oz and had shoulder dystocia. I was exhausted from pushing for 2 hours and in my back. It took 4 minutes for the Midwife to free him. First McRoberts maneuver since i was already on my back (push legs way back, think knees to ears) which didn't work. Couldnt reach his shoulder in that position. That is the normal technique in hospitals especially since epidurals are so common. Then she had ne flip to hands and knees (gaskin) and with some effort, he was born. He didn't look awesome at first, needed help breathing, but he was resuscitated between my legs with the cord intact! It was not traumatic, and did not require hospital transfer. Within a few minutes he was perfect, pink, and nursing like he'd been doing it all his life! ;)

Next baby was 11lbs. He had his arm up by his face and was a beast to push out! But he had no shoulder dystocia, and came out screaming. 15" head and 16" chest!

Last baby was 10lbs 3oz. Fortunately pushing wasn't quite as long a process so i had enough energy to be upright. I was kneeling while leaning on a birth ball. After his head emerged my midwife had me pick one of my legs up and go into a lunge. At that point i was thinking, ugh, sd again?! She only needed to apply a little traction and he came out. She said it wasn't true sd, just a little sticky. She suspects if i was on my back it would have been worse. He also had a tightly wrapped cord. He was like the 1st one and needed help getting started, but here's what is awesome: it was beautiful, not in spite of, but because of. I rubbed him, talked to him, rested my hand on his chest and felt a good strong heart beat, which reassured me he was fine. Meanwhile, mw is giving puffs of air with the bag and mask. After she removes it, i leaned forward and kissed his forehead. A few seconds after he woke up and screamed. He didn't quit screaming for 30 minutes! Lol. But it was great. Im glad they were born at home because an ob would have cut a giant episiotomy, cut their cords, and whisked them away for resuscitation! That would have been traumatic. My babies were born over an intact perineum, received all their blood from the placenta, and stayed right with me. I never feared for their safety.

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