The lady whose care I was involved in had quite a long second stage, and I could tell she wasn't progressing, she ended up with a c/section. The lady yesterday had a very long labour, and she still hadn't delivered when I went off shift bless her.

__________________
Bless you Mum & Dad x
Student Midwife 2007

Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

My first son was OP, i had a 33 hour labour and an emergency c-section(also due to small pelvis and big baby). They didn't seem to notice until the end that he was in this position, and kept saying that the shooting pain down my side was just normal labour pains. When he was deliveed he was so badly bruised and swollen it was obvious he'd been stuck for a long time.

What was said earlier on in discussion about women not been given enough information, like why they should move is true - where i was. I knew something was wrong but they ignored what i was saying! If moving around would of help i would have gladly done it, instead i was told to lie down on my side, which made it hurt more!

My lady who gave birth with baby face to pubes, was not OP antenatally. A reason for her baby being delivered OP was her quick labour. Its an amazing thing to watch though isn't it, seeing this face appear first!

__________________
Catches: 2 assisted.

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/michelle-susie

I attended one of Jean's study days a couple of years ago. It was a good day. She is very dynamic and passionate about her work. But, some found it a little frustrating that her work is not research based. It is purely anecdotal. Personally I believe she is one of the true "wise women" of our profession, so I we should listen to what she says and learn from her years of experience.

I don't remember everything said on the study day, but a few things do stick in my mind:

She talked about the woman's pelvic shape. In her experience women with flat sacrums are more likely to carry their baby OP. (You can see this pelvic shape when the woman stands side-ways on.) They labour well, but get stuck in second stage. She advocates the woman lies flat on her back and gives a few pushes in this position, which helps the baby down into the pelvis and the woman can then adopt a more upright position for the birth. Personally, I've not been brave enough to try this in the hospital setting!

Another point that she made on the day, that I have carried into my practice, is not to disturb women in the intensity of labour, with small talk and by asking them questions. She suggested having drinks & flannels handy for the woman to easily reach and help herself to, without having to verbalise what she needs and without the partner or midwife saying "do you want a drink?" etc.

On this point, women may not respond to a reasoned argument as to why they should change position during labour, to help the baby to rotate, as has been suggested in some posts. I cared for a women just this weekend whose baby was OP and I did suggest that she turned to all-fours to help the baby to rotate. But, she was having none of it! It took her about an hour to go from 8cm to fully dilated and a further 30 mins until her baby was born. The baby descended OP, but could be seen to be rotating with pushes and was delivered OA. (She was a multip.)

__________________

My DD was OP, all the pain of labour was felt in my back and nowhere else, I went into the all fours position purely for comfort, it was the only way that eased my pain, all fours balancing precociously on a birthing ball, on diamorphine scaring everyone around me that I would fall off the bed hahaha, anyway, she eventually turned thankfully, otherwise I fear it would have been a very long drawn out do!
If on palpation I feel it is OP (by the distinct shape and dip at the umbilicus) then I suggest sitting on a dining room type chair leaning over the back of it with your legs around it (IYKWIM) and also rocking the pelvis, scrubbing the floor hehe, or ironing, due to the motion of swinging the hips, that said they will go where they want, but from experience all their labours seem to last a lot longer, and the contractions tend to be felt in their backs, last thing these women need is to get on the bed x

__________________


Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

I have attended one of Jean Sutton's study days and have her book. A few of us from uni attended the lecture and we were all really excited. However, we all left feeling rather disappointed. None of the information she offered was evidence-based and was purely on her experiences, which were somewhat interesting but for the price of the day I expected to learn something that I could use in practice. The session was not structured in any way and was quite confusing. And most importantly, it cost about £70 and promised refreshments but they didn't have enough cups for us all to have a drink! Cheeky mare. lol.

__________________
3rd year Student Midwife