For anyone who experienced shoulder dystocia as a birth complication...

When I was born, I was over 11lbs and had severe shoulder dystocia, to the point where my shoulder had to be dislocated while I was stuck in my mums pelvis so that I would fit out. My trooper of a mother gave birth to me with no pain relief. My mum was told that I wasn’t going to be a large baby and would most like be around 8lbs according to a growth scan in late pregnancy. Well wasn’t that inaccurate information!

I mentioned this to my midwife and doctor throughout my first pregnancy and they never seemed to take any interest or concern.

I ended up going into natural labour at 40+6. Well, I had prolonged second stage and was pushing at 10cm for 2.5 hours before the obstetrician was called in. He straight away felt my baby’s head was getting swollen, her heart rate was irregular and that shoulder dystocia was indeed causing my baby to be stuck in my pelvis. Her head kept going in and out for over an hour. I’ll spare you the details of the damage that was done to my vagina and bum! Not to mention the trauma to me and my baby. Luckily she came out fine after a little rev up, but it was traumatic when all of a sudden I had a team of 10 people delivering my baby and a paediatrician ready to work on her.

Anyway, I’m pregnant with number two now and I’m scared that the same thing will happen and that no one will listen to my concerns.

Did anyone experience this with their first and go on to have extra precautions taken in consecutive pregnancies and births?