[tonka01]

Hi Momo,
I am pregnant with my third child at the moment, and after a caesarian with my first baby, I had an assisted vaginal delivery the second time around (forceps - ouch!). I didn't realise at the time, but my second baby had mild shoulder dystocia. When I saw my obstetrician, she said she would like to keep an eye on the size of the baby, and said I should deliver on all fours. I have just had my GTT today, but regardless of the result, I am planning on ditching the sugar (I remember having big bowls of ice cream every night with my last baby!), and going for low GI and diabetes-friendly food. I hope it helps. I am also seeing a chiropractor who treats a lot of pregnant women. Not sure if it will help, but I'd like to give it every chance.
Good luck. Hopefully your delivery will go smoothly this time!

[Spotted Giraffe]

Positioning! I had shoulder dystocia with my first 4.36kg baby. I laboured on my hands and knees, well more with my body slumped over a beanbag, as I got labour pains in my thighs and could not hold myself up. I totally hate the position and found it uncomfortable and undignified, but will be doing it again to ensure baby comes out okay.

ETA - I laboured on my back with my shoulder dystocia baby, it was the next one I used positioning for. The weight of my babies is also tracked, but thankfully they are getting smaller. Interestingly, my biggest child was the one I ate the healthiest with.

This post has been edited by chatem: 21/02/2012, 10:35 AM

[soontobegran]

http://www.inamay.com/?page_id=30

Oh Ina May...the cervix is a band of predominantly fibrous tissue...it is not muscle, it is not a sphincter no matter how often you like to tell us it is!

This post has been edited by soontobegran: 20/02/2012, 06:45 PM

[beljane]

Hi,

I am pregnant with # 4 and had severe shoulder dystocia with # 3 (I don't know what you would call the maneuver they did to get him out, but it basically involved the OB sticking her arm up inside me and helping the shoulder out - Not pleasant without pain relief!) He had to be revived when he came out and it was and extremely scary time.

I was labouring on my knees bent over the back of the raised bed, the same way I gave birth to #2 who came out easily (a really great way to give birth in ordinary circumstances), so position may not "fix" the problem #3 was 4.3kg.

I was told by the OB after the birth that if we had anymore I would need a c-section, which I am totally freaking out about (have not had my first hospital appointment)

One of the doctors who looked at my 32 week scan mentioned that bub was big and that they may consider inducing me at 39 weeks, at my next appointment I mentioned it to the head OB who said, no we won't worry about that.......then this happend. Certainly makes you wonder!

Hope you get the birth you want!

[WinterIsComing]

A question - is the size of the baby always a result of pregnancy diet?

And also - is the larger size always an issue in labour?

I had a 4.2 k boy via emergency ceasarean (unrelated to his size). The size was not discussed by my OB before labour and was not mentioned after...reading this thread, I am gathering over 4 k extra risks in labour??

[samshine]

Hi OP

I would agree with focusing on birthing positions.

I had shoulder dystocia with DD - a 3.66kg baby, also requiring McRoberts manouvre. I laboured mostly on the toilet or on my back as nothing else was bearable, which I think did me no favours. Second time, my caregivers weren't particularly concerned about me having another VB despite them noting from very early on that the baby was tracking quite a bit bigger. He ended up 4.35 kg - an emergency CS but only at the beginning of second stage... so they obviously got a bit worried then

Anyway the reason I was replying was, earlier in my current pregnancy I sat next to a private midwife from the UK on a plane trip, who was talking about bigger babies and recommending to me if I wanted a VBAC using a diet devised for following in third trimester by a midwife in the UK to lower birth weight- sounded like it was based on low GI principles. A little part of me is skeptical... whilst it makes sense that bigger babies are a tighter fit passing through the pelvis, does diminishing their subcutaenous fat amount really make that much of a difference? DS was not a fat baby, his head & length were on or above the 97th percentile and he was not at all chubby, his shoulders were broad, so say if I had followed the diet with him, how could it contribute to a smaller frame? It'd also be interesting to know how many grams less a baby is expected to be from following such a diet. I can see the point for following such a diet for GD mums - for management of their blood sugar levels - but I'm not as sure on the value in following it for the purpose of reducing birthweight.

OP I would be inclined to read up more on the benefit of an active birth and positional benefits. Good luck on your birth, I hope it all goes beautifully.

[WinterIsComing]

A little part of me is skeptical... whilst it makes sense that bigger babies are a tighter fit passing through the pelvis, does diminishing their subcutaenous fat amount really make that much of a difference? DS was not a fat baby, his head & length were on or above the 97th percentile and he was not at all chubby, his shoulders were broad, so say if I had followed the diet with him, how could it contribute to a smaller frame? It'd also be interesting to know how many grams less a baby is expected to be from following such a diet. I can see the point for following such a diet for GD mums - for management of their blood sugar levels - but I'm not as sure .

The above adds details to my question...

DS was not fat either, just broad and long (with GIANT feet), how could have my diet changed his sceletal proportions?!

[eleishas]

Sheer luck!

DD2 was stuck on her way out. She was born @ 34weeks and weighed 4lbs.

DS1 was born at 42 weeks and weighed 8lbs with no problems at all.

[spando]

Mine was 4.9kgs at 40 weeks exactly and he got well and truly stuck apgar of 2 once he came out (we were very lucky he was okay)
Number 2 sizing scans every week from 30 weeks. They gave me the choice of being induced at 38 weeks if I went into labour after 38+4 I had to get in straight away for an emergency ceasar (she was predicted to be worst cast senario at 38 weeks 4.25kg and on her projected growth 5.2kgs at 40 weeks. I chose induction she was born after 3 hours of quick labour on all 4s she popped at 4.3 kgs no problems

[Phascogale]

There is another maneuver, called the Gaskin maneuver

Basically hands and knees and bum up in the air. Also is part of the mnemonic to assist with a shoulder dystocia anyway (where it's used is sometimes dependant on the position of the woman in the first place ie if mum is on her back then McRoberts will be quicker than trying to get mum on her hands and knees).

Not sure how much diet is going to help with the size of the baby. Obviously not getting gestational diabetes will definitely help so a low GI and diabetes diet (I would go sugar free - read David Gillespi's stuff) would be a really good start. But start the diet now, and not later.

Also there is a big different to a big baby who is long and skinny than one who is short and chubby when they both weigh the same. One of my friends mums commented that my friend jus slipped out regardless of the fact that he was over 4kg but he was 57 or so cm long(really tall now too).