PREGNANCY-BIRTH Messages for January, 2001: Re: 'Sunny side up?'

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Re: 'Sunny side up?'

From: William F. von Almen, II, MD, FACOG (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun, 21 Jan 2001 14:10:52 -0600 (CST)

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In reply to: Sandra: "'Sunny side up?'"

At Sun, 21 Jan 2001, Sandra wrote: >
>My baby is now one year old. Looking back on my difficult birth
>experience, I am hoping to avoid the same situation in future
>pregnancies. I will try to briefly summarize my labor and delivery.
>I am a 32 year old woman, and this was my first pregnancy. At 38 weeks
>and 2 days my water broke spontaneously around 10:00AM. I went to the
>hospital with contractions that were hardly recognizable. After my
>first exam I was found to be 1cm and completely effaced. My blood
>pressure was slightly elevated, but I hoped this was due to my rushing
>to the hospital (it had crept up a bit at last couple of check-ups).
>Pitocin was started almost immediately. Even in this very early stage
>of labor I felt an immediate sensation of painful pressure in my rectum
>with each contraction. I wondered if I needed to empty my bowel. During
>the check for dilation, my doctor was able to ascertain that my bowel
>was empty. Looking back now I wonder if this could have been a sign
>that the baby was posterior.
>
>I spent the entire afternoon with contractions increasing in severity
>and duration. I was given two separate doses of Nubain to help me
>relax. My high BP continued to be a problem, so the staff had me on my
>left side continuously. Second check of cervix in late afternoon showed
>4cm... My left hip was killing me, so I begged to be able to try laying
>on my right side instead. Upon changing position, though, the baby's
>heart rate began to drop. The nurses threw me back on my left side and
>jack-knifed my right leg. This seemed to corect the trouble.
>
>After the next check, I was still only 4cm. At this point, I had a bit
>more bleeding than what is expected, I guess. My doctor hiked up the
>Pitocin even further and gave me 45 more minutes. Last check found
>still 4cm, so with my BP still up and baby's heart rate still
>inconsistant, he urged us to go for a c-section. Twelve hours after my
>water broke, my daughter was born... 7lbs. and perfectly healthy. The
>doctors made no comment at this time as to what may have caused our
>labor to stall out. I was feeling a bit foggy and didn't think to ask
>about her position.
>
>My chart at the OB's office states only that I had "failure to progress"
>due to CPD (head too big for mom's pelvis.) I wish that during the
>c-section, the doctors could have noted the position of the baby as they
>delivered her. My doctors have never been very forthcoming with
>information. They seem to work on a "need-to-know" basis, an old
>fashioned view that keeps women in the dark. And so, bringing my
>concerns up to them at this stage is a mute point. I am currently on
>the hunt for a new OB/Gyn.
>
>If I could speculate that my baby was posterior, I could plan for a VBAC
>next time with reasonable optimism. A posterior presentation would be
>easier to accept than the more vague diagnosis of CPD. I understand
>that a woman with posterior presentation has an increased chance of the
>same problem in subsequent pregnancies. I have also read that there are
>exercises which can help prevent or correct a posterior presentation in
>the weeks leading up to delivery. Does it sound like my baby may have
>been posterior? If so, what signs point in that direction?
>
>--
>I hope you can help me shed some light on my birth experience. Thank
>you!
>
>Sandra
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>--
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>I hope you can help me shed some light on my birth experience. Thank you!
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Sandra
>

Sandra

Sure could have been. You are at somewhat higher risk of another posterior as this may be the way your pelvic architecture directs the baby. You may have a completely different experience next time, you may come in in active labor with the baby already rotated to anterior and have a successful vbac. Good Luck

--
William F. von Almen, II, MD, FACOG
Editorial Advisor-Pregnancy and Birth
Private Practice
New Orleans, La.

*Please understand I can not respond to private emails.

*These comments are for educational purposes only.  They are
not meant to take the place of an examination by a qualified
health care provider.  They are not intended to be the start
of a physician-patient relationship.

Next message: William F. von Almen, II, MD, FACOG: "Re: Normal AFP but 2 markers on u/s"
Previous message: kelli: "Re: D&C and periods"
In reply to: Sandra: "'Sunny side up?'"

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