If I had a penny (venty)

Cheekers2010

For every time that I've read a birth story that ended "I pushed for x hours and they could see the baby's head, but my doctor told me he/she was too big and I couldn't push him/her out, so I had a c-section," I'd be a rich lady.  I hear this over and over and over again.  Please understand that this is a vent and I understand that this can happen for real.  I just don't believe it should happen as often as it does.  Why don't doctors try and help these women into positions that can widen their pelvis, etc.  It makes me so very angry-especially when these mothers end up believing that their bodies were defective and couldn't birth their babies.  I feel so frustrated lately with the state of things.

kanej

I have to say, I agree!

LaurelBee

A friend of mine had that happen to her. She told her doctor "like hell I'm not able to push this baby out!" And ended up avoiding a cs. She just had her 2nd baby yesterday but was induced bc "it was such a big baby."  :S Or the tax break- you choose. Either way I want to throat punch her Ob!!

kali55

I agree!  My girlfriend just had a baby and after getting an epidural and pushing for a long time they told her she was too small to birth the baby.  This is what our bodies are designed to do!  Sure, it can happen once in a blue moon but it should be the exception, not the norm!

HStern79

DH is trying to learn the best positions for different stages of labor JUST for this reason. We both believe that 99 times out of 100, your body can do it. Can there be complications? Of course! But for example, most OBs in the US are hesitant to put a woman on all fours, because it's considered a "sexual position." That position can help a woman if she is having trouble getting the baby's head and shoulder out. My old GYN told this to me before he retired. He said, "most OBs would rather go in for a C Section than to see a woman in a position that's not considered 'appropriate.'" Like I'm hosting a tea party here. It's one of the reasons he retired early; he couldn't handle the stupidity. It's a shame.

Anyway, to your point, it drives me up a wall. If I need to do the hokey pokey to get the baby out, then that's what I'm going to do. If the doctor or the midwife or the nurse don't like it, let them not look. Women today are larger, stronger, and have better nutrition than centuries past... but somehow, those ladies could do it and we are just too "fragile."

Please. Sell it elsewhere.

julesjarvais65

HStern79:

DH is trying to learn the best positions for different stages of labor JUST for this reason. We both believe that 99 times out of 100, your body can do it. Can there be complications? Of course! But for example, most OBs in the US are hesitant to put a woman on all fours, because it's considered a "sexual position." That position can help a woman if she is having trouble getting the baby's head and shoulder out. My old GYN told this to me before he retired. He said, "most OBs would rather go in for a C Section than to see a woman in a position that's not considered 'appropriate.'" Like I'm hosting a tea party here. It's one of the reasons he retired early; he couldn't handle the stupidity. It's a shame.

Anyway, to your point, it drives me up a wall. If I need to do the hokey pokey to get the baby out, then that's what I'm going to do. If the doctor or the midwife or the nurse don't like it, let them not look. Women today are larger, stronger, and have better nutrition than centuries past... but somehow, those ladies could do it and we are just too "fragile."

Please. Sell it elsewhere.

Bahahaha.... Cuz laying on a bed with your legs spread WIDE open isn't a sexual position at all!!!

kaeti_su

If the women in these birth stories had epidurals, they can't move into positions that would help open up their pelvises. Which is the primary reason I didn't want an epi.

Cheekers2010

kaeti_su:

If the women in these birth stories had epidurals, they can't move into positions that would help open up their pelvises. Which is the primary reason I didn't want an epi.

Depends on the epidural. Some allow moms to continue to have a great deal of mobility. Even if mom is pretty numb there are still things that can be done to open her pelvis more. I agree with you that it's much easier if mom doesn't have an epidural.

hsal

My LO got stuck! Haha! I pushed and pushed and she wouldn't come out! Mr doctor actually rubbed OLIVE OIL on her head to help and I pushed for a few more minutes. The next day we found out that she had fractured her clavical because she literally was stuck. If I can do that med-free, why can't they?