Birthing Question for those Who May Know

[RN2003AZ]

I'm a Labor & Delivery RN. We are taught throught the Neonatal Resucitation Program (mandatory certificate class every 2 yrs) that if there is meconium, the best thing to do it NOT allow the baby to take it's first breath until the vocal cords are visualized using a laryngascope (the thing used to put in a breathing tube) and all the meconium is suctioned out. The baby will not be breathing at this time, but the heart is still beating, therefore circulating blood and oxygen to vital organs. If the baby does take a breath before we can get to it to do the suctioning, then we do not use the deep suctioning, but just use a bulb suction or a small tube attached to a stronger suction to get what's left in the nose and mouth. After the deep suctioning, we start to stimulate the baby to cry but rubbing its back and using some supplemental oxygen.

Hope this clarifies some myths for people. Please feel free to ask any more questions!

 

[vgrandy]

all babies are born blue/purple because they haven't taken a breath yet. They don't pink up until they have had a few breaths.

As a doula, I have seen a mom raced to the OR for a C-section due to the baby's decels only to have the OB use the vacuum at the last moment and get the baby out.

I don't hear anything wrong with OPs story.

 

[sunnyday123]

Stop reading those articles. You'll drive yourself batty.

When my DD was born, she wasn't breathing or moving. The cord was around her neck-tightly. They worked on her and I swear there were 20 people in the room within seconds, and it was pretty bad because they had some woman come in from some counseling thing they do in the hospital when baby's don't make it. Her first apgar was a 2. I think the only reason she got one that high was because when they placed her on my stomach her eyes were open, and then she closed them. Her second score was a 7. We didn't know if she would have brain damage, or if it would be mild or severe.

She's 13, in 7th grade and a straight A student, and just took and passed with flying colors an entrance test for high school. She has absolutely no issues at all, a ton of friends, and everything comes very easy for her ( this is the only thing that worries me ), talked at 10 months, walked at 10 months and did everything else early. ( I called the Dr because she rolled over early and I was convinced something was wrong!)

If you feel something is wrong, get your child evaluated by a Dr, don't try to diagnose her through the internet.

 

[justhat]

I had a very difficult labor with my daughter.

My labor was induced when I was 10 days over due because of low fluid. I ended up pushing for over four hours , and she was stuck. They were about to do a C-section but she came after using the vacuum. When she came, she didn't cry, and the doctor (whom I've since come to realize was terrible ) took her over to the table without saying anything to me. The nurse explained that he was keeping her from breathing purposefully so she wouldn't ingest meconium. She eventually cried--I have no idea how long it was--but they didn't seem concerned at all after the initial birth and she was kept with me for the next few days, although I did have to stay an extra night since she had a rough birth.

My question is, would this constitute lack of oxygen at birth? I'm reading about how their is a belief that many children that experience a lack of oxygen at birth have minor, often unknown, brain damage that can cause behavioral or developmental issues, and later down the road, schitzophrenia. Of course, I'm not saying this has anything to do with my daughter---I just read an article and wondered if her birth experience would constitute lack of oxygen at birth or if it is a common practice---and if by lack of oxygen they mean babies born with cords around necks, having to do cpr, etc.

My oldest also passed meconium before she was born and this is standard protocol when they know about it in advance. In my case, they told me in advance that I should not expect to hear her crying as they would prevent it until they suctioned her lungs. If they don't do that, then they run the risk of aspirating the meconium into their lungs. My friend's baby did this and was in the NICU for several days after her mom was released from the hospital, and for months they thought that she would have brain damage, be delayed etc.

So not only was I prepare for her to not cry at her birth, but I understood why and was actually in slight fear that she would cry and breathe in meconium.


That said, my birth was quite similar to yours. I went into spontaneous labor when I was 37 weeks, 6 days, but the rest is the same. I pushed for nearly 4 hours and we were minutes away from moving to a C-Section, but my dr got her out with forceps. It was a rough birth for me and for her.

However, that particular child of mine will be 7yo next month and is perfectly, completely normal in every respect. She is in 1st grade, in the highest math level for her 1st grade class, she reads constantly and is currently on the 3rd Harry Potter book, and she does well in sports, specifically swimming, soccer, and baseball. She was 8lbs 4oz at birth and is currently about 50" and 52lbs. So no, there were absolutely no effects on any aspect of her development whatsoever.


And FWIW, my 2nd was born 4 weeks early, with the cord around his neck, and his heart rate was dropping significantly during my (very short) labor. He too is totally normal at 4.5yo. He's not quite where his sister was at his age, but that's just his personality more than anything.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

there was the issue of meconium in the fluid (from the time they broke the water) during my DD's birth and there was a team standing by. Thank goodness she didn't breath before they could take care of her!!!!!

I can't imagine that short period of time is what the article is talking about.

 

[bdcp]

OP's story isn't that unusual. And babies have no problem if they "swallow" meconium, (mine did because he threw some up later), it's if they "INHALE" it into their lungs which can cause pneumonia. APGAR's do tell a story, but babies with low ones that improve usually go on to be perfectly normal. There's some indication my DS hearing loss could be congenital or genetic, but we'll never know for sure. Meconium births aren't that uncommon and can be easily dealt with. In my case, we didn't know until his head was out and they suctioned him to make sure he hadn't inhaled any (he hadn't). They think he was a meconium birth because his cord was probably compressed a little. When my water broke an hour before he was born (I had very fast labors (5.5 and 3.5 hours) with my boys), nothing came out because his head was already descended so far so they didn't see the meconium then and no "team" was there. The Dr. grabbed him and took him into the delivery room across the hall (I had him in a birthing room) and probably suctioned him some more, but all they told me was he was given oxygen. No one was at fault. It happens.

 

[ols386]

What is miconium? I have two grown children, but I've never heard this term before, until now.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

My DD scored I think a 4/8 on apgar and didn't cry for a few minutes also. The Dr. had called in for NICU nurses because he knew she had swallowed meconium so they were suctioning her for a bit before I heard her cry. As of this marking period, she's an A+ student and a quiet, good-natured child. No schizophrenia here. Don't believe everything you read or at least take it with a grain of salt.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

What is miconium? I have two grown children, but I've never heard this term before, until now.

Poop in the amniotic fluid.

 

[monkeyboy]

BANFEST 21011?

 

[ols386]

Poop in the amniotic fluid.

Thanks!!

I just googled it, and was reading about it.

 

[Desert Dwellers]

Just to add -- the APGAR tests are important at delivery to identify any intervention the baby needs at that time.

But there is no correlation between the APGAR test and future development. It might be interesting and comforting to you to see that if the 1 minute test was low, that the 5 minute test was higher. A higher score at the 5 minute mark means the resuscitation efforts were effective.

Again, a low APGAR score does not indicate any future neurological problems. If you have fears of problems, such as CP, discuss this with your pediatrician at your next well baby appointment.

 

[N&B'smom]

OP - if it makes you feel any better I didn't breathe for a bit after I was born and I'm just fine. My mom said she could hear them saying 'come on, baby...breathe.....breathe, baby!'

I am TOTALLY fine though!! Try not to worry!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

I haven't all the replies.
When DD11 was born she was overdue and she did not cry either. there was meconium and the dr wanted to make sure everything was OK. I have a wonderful, beautiful, smart, hilarious DD now so the lack of oxygen did not seem to impact her negatively. I was also more comfortable because I was very close to the midwife, the dr's and my anesthesiologist is the girls' Grandfather (my ex's Dad). He was there thru the whole thing and when DD was born he went with her to the table to watch her get cleaned up.

 

[surfergirl602]

My daughter was two weeks overdue when I had her, and my doc did the same thing. He suctioned as much out as he could while he could before she could ingest any of the meconium. I believe he got it all. She's 10 now, and perfectly fine. Babies don't breathe while in the womb, (they practice). I couldn't begin to imagine the problems we could have had if she had gotten all of that meconium into her lungs!! I just wish my doc wouldn't have let me go so late. We could have prevented the meconium in the first place.

 

[justhat]

My daughter was two weeks overdue when I had her, and my doc did the same thing. He suctioned as much out as he could while he could before she could ingest any of the meconium. I believe he got it all. She's 10 now, and perfectly fine. Babies don't breathe while in the womb, (they practice). I couldn't begin to imagine the problems we could have had if she had gotten all of that meconium into her lungs!! I just wish my doc wouldn't have let me go so late. We could have prevented the meconium in the first place.

Don't feel too badly about going late. My 1st was 15 days early and she passed meconium. I think it's kinda random. Like I said in my earlier post, she is 100% fine.

 

[Lintasare]

I was born 5 weeks early and had breathing problems as a newborn as well. My mom says whenever the nurse would hand me to her I would stop breathing and wouldn't start again till the nurse took me back.

I am now 30 and only slightly crazy.

But whatever you do...DO NOT listen to Bumber. She hates modern medicine and considers doctors and nurses to be "hired help". Most of what she posts has no basis in modern medicine at all.