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S/O Shoulder Dystocia vs. Sticky Shoulders

kindacrunchykindacrunchy member
in Natural Birth
I was told that my DD#2 had "sticky shoulders" after her birth. Reading the other thread about shoulder dystocia has me wondering if that is actually what happened. I started to do some research and I'm having a hard time finding a good explanation of the difference between the two. For the background, I was pushing flat on my back with legs pressed all the way back so I was already in the Roberts manuever (I believe that's the name) position, then after DD's head was out there was a lot of commotion, screaming for me to push, and a nurse pressing on my stomach with all of her weight. Then DD was born and was fine. I'm going to talk with my midwife about this at my next appointment but since I have moved this is a new midwife and not the one who delivered.

Anyway, does anyone have a good explanation of the difference between dystocia and sticky?
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Re: S/O Shoulder Dystocia vs. Sticky Shoulders

  • preckles12preckles12 member
    That is the exact same thing that happened to me and I was told shoulder dystocia. I am wondering the same thing...
     

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  • kindacrunchykindacrunchy member
    preckles12 said:

    That is the exact same thing that happened to me and I was told shoulder dystocia. I am wondering the same thing...

    Yeah I asked in your post if you were sure it was dystocia and not just sticky shoulders. But then I started wondering if maybe I was the one with the wrong term. Then I started researching and it sounds more like mine was dystocia too but I can't find a clear cut explanation of the difference.

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  • sschwegesschwege member
    From what I've read there isn't a firm definition between the two.  

    My SIL is a pedi who used to work in a hospital and explained it to me in sort of non-technical terms as a situation where it takes multiple maneuvers to release baby, the provider would have called for more help and the baby would almost certainly be in some sort of distress.

     
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  • kindacrunchykindacrunchy member
    sschwege said:
    From what I've read there isn't a firm definition between the two.  

    My SIL is a pedi who used to work in a hospital and explained it to me in sort of non-technical terms as a situation where it takes multiple maneuvers to release baby, the provider would have called for more help and the baby would almost certainly be in some sort of distress.

     
    Hmmm, well her heart beat was rising. I at first thought that was why they had pushed on my stomach just to help get her delivered faster but was told it was because she had sticky shoulders. 
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  • iris427iris427 member
    It's my understanding that a true SD requires more than just traction to deliver the shoulders. When you say the nurse was pushing on your belly, it does sound like you might have had a true dystocia--was the nurse pushing on your lower belly/pubic bone, ie suprapubic pressure? But of course I weren't there and am not a medical professional, so your provider would be the best one to answer whether you had a real dystocia or not. In my first VB, my doctor used traction to deliver my baby's shoulders. In my second VB, the one with SD, traction didn't work and they had to do maneuvers-- there was an obvious difference, at least in this case.
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  • julyjenniferjulyjennifer member
    Here is a midwife's explanation of shoulder dystocia, for what it's worth.  Unfortunately there is no discussion of "sticky shoulders" and how that might be different from a "true dystocia."  Anyway, just thought I'd throw it out for reference.
    https://midwifethinking.com/2010/12/03/shoulder-dystocia-the-real-story/
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  • kindacrunchykindacrunchy member
    iris427 said:

    It's my understanding that a true SD requires more than just traction to deliver the shoulders. When you say the nurse was pushing on your belly, it does sound like you might have had a true dystocia--was the nurse pushing on your lower belly/pubic bone, ie suprapubic pressure? But of course I weren't there and am not a medical professional, so your provider would be the best one to answer whether you had a real dystocia or not.

    In my first VB, my doctor used traction to deliver my baby's shoulders. In my second VB, the one with SD, traction didn't work and they had to do maneuvers-- there was an obvious difference, at least in this case.


    I talked with my midwife today and she said it sounds like shoulder dystocia because with sticky shoulders they don't have to do any maneuvers and can get the baby out with gentle traction. So basically the same thing you said. This is making me a bit nervous now.
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  • iris427iris427 member
    @kindacrunchy @preckles12

    There is a SD support group on facebook you both might be interested in.  It's a good place to hear from people who have experience with it, instead of just hypotheticals.  

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  • kindacrunchykindacrunchy member
    Thanks @iris427‌!
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