tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post463744649300170452..comments2023-12-05T19:37:24.036-05:00Comments on Well Rounded Birth Prep: Unmedicated vaginal breech hospital birth story in photos!Sarah--Well Rounded Birth Prephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00430583826211639431noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-84599221074314215932014-11-14T11:52:42.426-05:002014-11-14T11:52:42.426-05:00Sadly, we won’t be bringing our sweet baby boy hom...Sadly, we won’t be bringing our sweet baby boy home tomorrow. Instead, we will be burying him. Our sweet, much loved and much desired little grandson perished last Friday as he was struggling to be born. His cause of death was head entrapment. He never had a chance.<br /><br />He was a footling breech, but the positioning of the placenta made it impossible for his mom to deliver him via C/S. Extraordinary measures on the part of medical staff could not deliver his head . He died with half of his body protruding from his mothers birth canal, and half still in her pelvis. She, our little Eli who was no longer alive, and his Daddy had to remain in this position for over an hour waiting for his mother’s cervix to release it’s grip on his head so he could finally deliver.<br /><br />He was never able to take a single breath, never able to open his eyes, never able to grasp our fingers with his little hands. Not even once.<br /><br />His birth was a hugely traumatic event for the 20+ medical personnel who tried so very hard to save him. These are super experts with every advanced technique, true expertise and experience, and all possible equipment available to them. These are super specialists who are known for their ability to beat poor odds. But they could do nothing to change the outcome of Eli’s birth despite their heroic efforts.<br /><br />In the end, our little Eli’s strong steady heartbeat fell from strong and vigorous, to thready, to nothing. His poor bruised little head finally delivered on its own, long after his heart had beat it’s last.<br /><br />His mother and father are devastated and traumatized. His mother suffered physically traumatic procedures to try to help him and suffered internal injuries as a result. She hemorraged after his birth and was at high risk of bleeding out. She underwent emergency surgery to save her life.<br /><br />Eli’s OB is traumatized and wept openly. His neonatalogist and perinatalogist is are both deeply shaken. Everyone in the room was crying.<br /><br />This all happened at one of the four best institutions in the USA for handling obstetrical and perinatal emergencies. The best of the best.<br /><br />Head entrapment does happen. The results are tragic. The interventions are few and brutal. The outcomes are poor. This condition isn’t a joke or a myth. It is all too real.<br /><br />If your OB tells you that you are at risk for this complication, please don’t blow him or her off. Please don’t “doctor shop” or worse- seek out a midwife who will reassure you that the vaginal birth you desire will turn out well. Please don’t seek to find someone who will agree with your desire to have a vaginal birth. Don’t let well meaning advice from others sway you. It isn’t worth the risk. It isn’t worth a life, or maybe two.<br /><br />We will never forget the things we saw that day. We will never forget holding our precious little Eli, so still in death, and caressing his poor bruised head. We will never forget the heroism we saw that day, or the heart. We will never forget the agony of every moment and the zeroing of hope with each second of entrapment.<br /><br />Will this happen to you? Maybe not. But, is it worth the risk to find out?<br /><br />If you are the mother whose child dies in this horrific way, then the mortality statistics are 100 percent for you. And they are very high for any child who becomes entrapped.<br /><br />I’ve learned that this kind of event is considered to be one of the the worst nightmares for OBs. Ask questions, get a second opinion from a high risk OB. Listen. Please don’t take chances.<br /><br />Yes, vaginal birth is beautiful. It is preferred. But, please don’t risk your baby’s life to experience it.<br /><br />If even one of you makes a choice that avoids the loss we have experienced, then Eli’s death will have served some purpose.<br /><br />Please love your baby more than you want to experience vaginal birth. Don’t take the chance of walking the hard road we have found ourselves on. Please. It is a road of lost hopes and shattered dreams. Please do not join us on this empty road.<br />Jodi Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06630676412988742310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-43894356882991924222012-05-07T21:16:12.013-04:002012-05-07T21:16:12.013-04:00Wow, 2 more testimonies of vaginal breech births! ...Wow, 2 more testimonies of vaginal breech births! This is so encouraging, ladies. Thank you so much for sharing your stories. You are giving strength to other women who are researching their options to see what's best for their situation.Sarah--Well Rounded Birth Prephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430583826211639431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-16012495930771076942012-05-07T03:02:57.037-04:002012-05-07T03:02:57.037-04:00I am the mother of five children, four were breech...I am the mother of five children, four were breech, all a little different, dangling footlings, frank, successful version, only one c-section...3 were delivered vaginally and there were so many doctors, students, residents and nurses in the delivery room each time..because it was something that was rarely seen - the delivery of breech babies vaginally...typically the doctor/mother would opt for a c-section. With mine minimal medication was given in order for the contractions to be felt, so I was able to assist in bringing the babies down and out....when the head is not presenting first, Mom really has to help push baby through the birth canal. Lots of work, but amazing!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-89888264836131713342012-05-01T22:43:12.484-04:002012-05-01T22:43:12.484-04:00I,too,had a unmedicated vaginal breech birth! I ha...I,too,had a unmedicated vaginal breech birth! I had an ultrasound the day before my induction and she was head down. Somethime during the day she flipped and I delivered my daughter a surprise frank birth with no meds in less than 2 hours!b My Dr was incredibile!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-81562081271732628822012-05-01T22:08:28.748-04:002012-05-01T22:08:28.748-04:00@MegaSway Best wishes for you to have your breech ...@MegaSway Best wishes for you to have your breech water birth. It sounds as though you're in good hands and prepared, and that you're a "good candidate" for breech birth. Let us know how it goes, I'd love to hear an update. facebook.com/wellroundedbirthprep or wellroundedbirthprep at gmail dot com.Sarah--Well Rounded Birth Prephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430583826211639431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-59492044593248958722012-04-30T17:27:18.684-04:002012-04-30T17:27:18.684-04:00At 38 weeks, my baby is not flipping. She's h...At 38 weeks, my baby is not flipping. She's head up and facing my left side. I want to do what is best for her. I;m so torn. I have changed to a birthing center, where the OB is well versed and experienced in breech births. The other hospital that I was assigned to (we are military) would only talk about c section. I didn't want that to be my only choice. But now that it comes down to it, I'm getting scared. Not about the pain. Pain is relative, and I have had 2 natural births in the past. I'm using hypnobirthing to help me with the "pain". My worries are with the baby. Why has it been so engrained in hospital OBs that breech deliveries can harm the baby? Why do they feel they need to instill this stress and worry into our heads? I have decided to have a breech water birth. To give it my all, my best.MegaSwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17331957114925759551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-46167066040853163632012-04-29T16:51:26.056-04:002012-04-29T16:51:26.056-04:00What an incredible story! I am so happy that she f...What an incredible story! I am so happy that she found a doctor who would do this for her! There is hope after all.... <br />Thank you for sharing. <br />And congratulations to the parents.SurvivorBlessinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10779318508047517634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-59283222910986065352012-04-29T16:31:24.939-04:002012-04-29T16:31:24.939-04:00midwife sue { amazing birth glad all well just tho...midwife sue { amazing birth glad all well just thought id let u know that some places still encourage breech vaginal births.im in uk at my unit we prob get one a month usally delivered by a midwife if nice and *normal* often a second twin. my last breech? it was a homebirth just over 2 yrs ago. happy birthingssue watsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-86674601141912704372012-04-22T10:21:23.473-04:002012-04-22T10:21:23.473-04:00WOW! Love this story. So inspirational. Here is ho...WOW! Love this story. So inspirational. Here is hoping for more natural breech deliveries to come. Stand Strong breech mommies and insist on your power to push and your right to not be cut! Breech is just another variation of normal!Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15941360061119045566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-64727896194937409862012-04-21T12:47:11.157-04:002012-04-21T12:47:11.157-04:00Thank you for sharing your story, that is awesome ...Thank you for sharing your story, that is awesome that you had a birthing team that supported your decisions. I had a vaginal breech birth at home. We found out that he was rump first while in the birthing tub. It was my midwife's first breech birth. It was amazing!Tawnya G.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-91982395367178981442011-07-05T21:24:24.194-04:002011-07-05T21:24:24.194-04:00R.- Thank you for sharing your story. I hope your ...R.- Thank you for sharing your story. I hope your baby turns head-down soon! The promise of a puppy is too alluring for baby not to take on that challenge. If not, you're doing well by preparing yourself for your options for breech vaginal birth.<br /><br />I hope you come back and tell us your birth story. Best wishes for a positive birth in every way.Sarah--Well Rounded Birth Prephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430583826211639431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-91940711929012078732011-07-02T07:32:30.811-04:002011-07-02T07:32:30.811-04:00Thank you, and thanks to Jessica, for sharing this...Thank you, and thanks to Jessica, for sharing this story. <br />Like the commenter above, I am trying to fill my brain with positive stories of vaginal breech births. Our baby was confirmed breech by ultrasound at 36 weeks, and by 37 weeks, my midwife still felt what she strongly believes to be his head up near my ribs. Like Jessica, I've been trying everything to coax him along to the head-down position. I've even promised him a puppy! We will go in for a scan on Thursday morning to see if he has managed to turn, and then they will attempt a Version. If that doesn't work, they will want to schedule a c-section at 39 weeks... I want to give him as much time as possible to make the turn on his own. My midwife will support me in a vaginal breech delivery (we were hoping for a natural birth at home in water--pretty much as far from a c-sections as you can get!), but I will have to deliver at the hospital if he remains breech and I know they will try to push a c-section. I am trying to remain positive and hold onto hope that he still might go ahead and turn on his own. <br />Thank you for sharing this birth story and information about breech deliveries. <br />R.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-15358206255709156072011-01-25T00:21:03.555-05:002011-01-25T00:21:03.555-05:00Ripples of Motherhood, best wishes to you! Your ba...Ripples of Motherhood, best wishes to you! Your baby does still have time to flip (possibly even during labor). I'm glad that you have found a care provider who is willing to attend a breech vaginal delivery if your baby doesn't flip, but I'm curious what her reasoning is to insist upon routine IV (as opposed to hep/saline lock) and epidural--other than the fact that it's faster to do a C-section. <br /><br />I haven't seen any studies or even articles to suggest that vaginal breech birth is safer with a routine IV nor with an epidural. Particularly in the case of the epidural, that's the opposite of what I have read pertaining to preparing for a safe vaginal delivery. "Jessica's" OB told her that NOT having the epidural was going to be crucial in her success of having a safe vaginal breech birth, since it was extremely important for her to be able to feel the sensations of his descent so that she could respond appropriately to the her natural urges to push on cue. If she had been anesthetized, it would have been far more difficult to bring her baby down in an efficient manner. <br /><br />Since you mentioned that you are hoping to have a birth with as few interventions as possible, you might be able to ask your OB if she can show you the studies to back her suggestions. Is it a provider preference, or can she show you reliable studies showing a difference in safety & maternal and infant outcomes in vaginal breech deliveries with versus without epidural and/or IV? Maybe your OB can accommodate your requests.<br /><br />I hope you have a beautiful birth, whatever choices you need to make based on your circumstances.Sarah--Well Rounded Birth Prephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430583826211639431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-6987089724483756002011-01-21T15:41:10.907-05:002011-01-21T15:41:10.907-05:00Thank you for posting this, and thank you to "...Thank you for posting this, and thank you to "Jessica" for sharing her experience. We're due in 3 weeks and although we're still trying to do everything we can to flip our breech baby, we're starting to plan for the possibility of a vaginal breech birth. It's hard after having had our son at home, in a birth pool, with no challenges/interventions, etc. So I'm trying to find as many positive vaginal breech birth stories as I can to get into a positive frame of mine. It will be at a hospital, it will be much more medicalized (e.g. the OB said she needs me on my back and she wants to put in an IV tube and epidural (both without any medication, "just in case"). I know these are important to make everyone feel comfortable, but it does make me feel less comfortable. Wish us luck!ripples of motherhoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631563721046314538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-53928447679137941302011-01-03T21:26:51.951-05:002011-01-03T21:26:51.951-05:00so amazing and beautiful..brought tears to my eyes...so amazing and beautiful..brought tears to my eyes. I loved hearing this beautiful story and the photos are wonderful. What an awesome Mama, and amazing labor support. And yes, it is such a shame that this type of birth isn't considered normal. So glad she found the support she needed and educated herself with the right information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-47097133706769948902011-01-03T17:55:48.767-05:002011-01-03T17:55:48.767-05:00So wonderful! I am thrilled she found a supportive...So wonderful! I am thrilled she found a supportive OB and that her birth went so well.Enjoy Birthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13227246774801636777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-5779712544014087102011-01-03T14:18:22.931-05:002011-01-03T14:18:22.931-05:00Wow, wow, wow! Beautiful and inspiring!Wow, wow, wow! Beautiful and inspiring!Eileennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-83008533936263498622011-01-03T12:17:57.010-05:002011-01-03T12:17:57.010-05:00I love it!!!!! Thanks for sharing Sarah and thank...I love it!!!!! Thanks for sharing Sarah and thank you for sowing seeds of info among others. It can be discouraging when so many are not interested in natural birth, exclusive breastfeeding, etc, but sometimes we really do get to inspire someone in that direction, and it is a phenomenally gratifying when it happens.Christyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08304188988165235918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-85859009190642230782011-01-03T12:17:18.557-05:002011-01-03T12:17:18.557-05:00Incredible!Incredible!Erin_hsmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05032420391358073657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-11230142141647817962011-01-03T11:02:29.771-05:002011-01-03T11:02:29.771-05:00I've been waiting for this one! Yaayyyy! How...I've been waiting for this one! Yaayyyy! How a-mazing! Truly, TRULY amazing! Great job, Momma! So inspiring!the degroffshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07614371489412624726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-43280603181533948812011-01-03T10:56:33.959-05:002011-01-03T10:56:33.959-05:00Thank you so much Sarah for working with me to get...Thank you so much Sarah for working with me to get my story finally written out. I've struggled for months on where to start, what to include, etc, and you did a wonderful job putting it all together for me. I pray that this story could help someone to not have a bad birth experience like I did w/my 1st 2, and encourage someone who is contemplating a vaginal breech birth.You don't know how much your knowledge, support, and friendship has meant to me. Above all, I thank God for his guidance. Through much prayer and support from my husband we really felt a peace that we were making the right decision. I'm happy to give Him the glory :)"Jessica".......birth mommanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-60659338163593189312011-01-03T08:33:01.240-05:002011-01-03T08:33:01.240-05:00Fantastic birth story! I'm in awe that this m...Fantastic birth story! I'm in awe that this mama found such a birth-friendly OB in this area!Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15643405538059355944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-46424413507834319112011-01-03T03:42:23.885-05:002011-01-03T03:42:23.885-05:00Good job Sarah! Well written! Was wonderful to hea...Good job Sarah! Well written! Was wonderful to hear her birth story again. She'a so proud of her birth, which she should be!! Good photos, too. ;)Jennifer Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06815758786703975248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-59883619235278073872011-01-03T01:08:35.101-05:002011-01-03T01:08:35.101-05:00That was awesome! Thanks for posting! :)That was awesome! Thanks for posting! :)Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10301075330910381544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271893222326606837.post-50288094722574766382011-01-03T00:39:07.574-05:002011-01-03T00:39:07.574-05:00Awesome! For my doula training I had to interview ...Awesome! For my doula training I had to interview a mother over 60 & the lady I talked to had her 3rd baby vaginally and he was Frank breech too! Thanks for sharing! I will be keeping this in my inspiration file for my Doula clients! What an amazing, beautiful birth!AJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00951483514659186850noreply@blogger.com