Sorry to hear about this difficult birth. A valuable experience for you, but probably not one you would choose to have so early in your training.
Originally Posted by Josie  It can be quite a shock cant it? as I always do, Id suggest a reflection, it helps get out how you feel  |
Yes, I would agree with this. (TallPoppy, you are very wise.) A reflection is important, not just for you to put down on paper how you feel, but could also be an important reference for you in the future. I don't wish to alarm you, but if the baby is showing signs of possible nerve damage, following the shoulder dystocia, there is a possibility that the parents could put in a complaint, or even sue, if the baby carries on having problems. As a student you may be asked to write a witness statement about what you observed during the delivery - who was there; how long was the head born before the midwife called for help; who attended; where were people positioned in the room; what proceedures were used to assist delivery of the shoulders; how much force was used etc.
I'd strongly recommend that you write down all that you remember now, whilst it's still fresh in your memory. File your notes away somewhere and you may never need to look at them again. But it you do, it will be so much easier to write a statement from these notes than simply relying on your memory. I have had to write such a statement, when I answered an emergency buzzer and it was a bad shoulder dystocia. The complaint was filed when the child was 5 years old.
I hope I have not alarmed you by writing this. Sadly, this is a reality of midwifery in the 21st century.