Stange Story from Sister in Law

It doesn't make a lot of sense, but who cares anyway. And my sister had her baby boy 15 years ago, and the doctor did use a vacuum on the boy's head to get him out. This was not C section though. I guess the doctor's do what they have to do, when the time is there.

My son was breech and the doctor said....lets just see how it progresses. No mention of C-section or anything. He was born breech. About the suctioning....it may be possible.

If the baby was breech they could not put the vacuum on its head, also, in the case of a C section if they are having trouble getting it out they are more likely to make a bigger than to use a tool meant to aid in vaginal deliverys.

I am an Ob nurse and have seen/heard people retell birth stories (of which I was in attendance) and find that they completely misunderstood/misinterpreted the circumstances. It is truly amazing how some of the stories come to be told. Many women and dads are so stressed and preoccupied with pain/fear/excitement mixed with confusing terminology and new experiences that the stories take on a life of their own.
It is possible the baby was not head down, which she interpreted as breech, but was actually transverse (sideways). Maybe they hoped the baby would position itself properly after some contractions squeezed it into place. The only way to use a vacuum on a breech baby (they cannot be placed on the buttocks) is if there was a vertical uterine incision which is only done in extreme emergencies (true life and death situations for mom or baby).
Or, she may have been told the baby was "turned the wrong way" which she again interpreted as breech when what they meant was the baby was head down but the baby's back was in line with mom's back (called posterior, which again could be confusing if you think it means the baby's "posterior" is pointed down). A baby in the posterior position can make for a very difficult (sometimes impossible) descent, leading to a c-section. If that was the case an attempt at vaginal delivery would be standard since a c-section is not always required. A vacuum in a c-section is definitely a true possibility, and they are only used on the head (whether a vaginal or c-section delivery).
There are many possible scenarios, she most likely just misunderstood some of the terminology and explanations. Add on some possible embellishments and *viola*, you have a crazy story. I hear them all the time.

It's been 10 years. She suffered. She wants everyone know how much she endured. She's probably expanded on the truth. She probably left out some important info too. Doing so is common when we want others to appreciate what we've gone thru. I suggest she is trying to impress on her son, how she suffered to bring him into the world. She may believe all that she says. It's been 10 years.

What difference does it make if it's true or not. Let her have her moment of glory.

After your SWH. You don't know the whole story. Why are you passing judgment on a doctor that you don't even know? You said you thought she was making things up but yet you use her story to judge the doctor.
Makes no sense to me.

It was 10 years ago - does it matter? People tell tales - you can either believe her or not.

Actually it's not all that strange, maybe it seems strange because her story has changed. I worked as a labor and delivery nurse and a vacuum with a c-section can happen, if the baby is big or in a funny position. Really not all that unusual. The whole breech thing, every once in a while you will find a doc who is willing to try to deliver a breech baby. It's rare, but not totally out of the question. So that may be "stretching it a little far". Hope this helps your feelings on all this.

Not a common story but totally possible...but it's been 10 yrs...does this really bother you?

Why in the world does it even matter? I can't even imagine caring about something so silly!

This was 10 years ago. Doctors may not have been as reluctant to deliver a breech baby vaginally or maybe they allowed more time to let the baby turn on it's own. I worked in the neonatal intensive care unit 10 yrs ago and we had a baby whose mom's uterus had ruptured because her insurance company mandated she try a vbac after having a precious classical c section, which should never be done. My point being that u never know what the situation was back then. It is normal for a doc to use a vacuum device on baby's head during a vag delivery. I have seen them use them during c sections on occasion. During all of the commotion she may not have known what part of the baby they applied the vacuum to. Maybe she is embellishing or changing parts of the story. I think all of us edit certain parts of our birth stories for others and there are certainly parts I don't remember clearly.

A lot of birth stories are embellished and become family legend. It does sound like some facts probably got jumbled in the excitement of the event. This I wouldn't worry about. Just validate that having an emergency C Section was traumatic for her and don't dwell on the details.

ETA: It does sound like you don't trust your sister in laws stories. I know that can be irritating.

Knowing a baby was breech weeks ahead of time before an estimated due date means nothing. Seriously, it means NOTHING. A baby can be breech until a woman is in active labor and turn some time during labor, turning when it's time to descend into the canal. That part of her story may very well be true.

She could have labored to see if the baby would turn on his own during labor. That's not bad medical advice. It's actually common sense. Doing an inversion can be painful and invasive and it doesn't always work. A friend had an inversion done the day of her EDD and the baby turned back to breech the next day. Don't you know she went a week past her EDD and when she went into labor on her own, he flipped on his own. It happens.

As for the rest with the vacuum... who cares? It was 10 years ago.

I want to know why you are picking apart a story that is so old and really does NOT matter anymore. She may be remembering some of the facts wrong. She may not be that bright. Or maybe she had bad doctors. Maybe they didn't think she was that close to labor. Maybe the baby was small enough they figured the baby would turn. But again...you are just gossiping and it's really not worth hashing over in public is it?

My friend hd a c-section where the doc had to use a vacuum to remove the baby. So I guess it's not uncommon.

My former bosses wife delivered twins naturally - one in breech position. And they knew it going in.

Not really sure about having her labor and knowing the baby was breech, but is it possible they thought the baby would still turn? My son was breech and born via c-section. It was a scheduled c-section because I had had a previous c-section, and we did not know he was breech until he was born. My OB said, "Oh my God, there's a butt!"

I can tell you that my niece was born via c-section, and that the OB used a vacuum to help deliver her. I never asked, but I did assume they placed in on her head. Well, she wasn't breech, so it probably was on her head. I thought that was weird at the time. I mean, the OB can stick a vacuum into the womb but not her hands? Then again, I've never been to med school.

Totally plausible. There are MANY ways (with some details left out) that this could have been either exactly as she said, or durn close to it. Possible details are:

- She spent most of the day laboring at home or out of the hospital (you know how many women get sent home, or when they phone are told not to come in until contractions are x time apart?)

&/OR

- Her doctor was unfamiliar with versions OR really used to breech babies turning during early labor (super common) and she and her team wanted to see if the baby would turn on it's own.

&/OR

In this very affluent area most women FIGHT for vaginal births, and mom sometimes has to go unconscious before they can legally perform the surgery. If she was in labor saying "No CS! No CS!" THEY CAN'T until mom and baby's life is at risk. Or they can be sued to a faretheewell.
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- Vacuums are used during csects fairly frequently. Placement depends on where the baby is located, and they can get stuck in some pretty wild positions. All the surgeons I know go for the 'least traumatic best outcome' option. Which changes patient to patient. A vacuum is a pretty small device compared to adding a whole other HAND inside.

((There may be some miscommunication here, as well. Remember SIL wasn't watching her own CS. But I can bet you she was told "We're going to use a vacuum to help get his head unstuck." WHERE they placed the vacuum depends on where the baby was, and hands were, and the incision was.))

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Then there's the terminology issue. People who aren't familiar with medical tech, are scared, excited, in pain often misinterpret. Could have been baby was Sunny side up / transverse/ "wrong position" and your SIL "hears" breech when they said any of the above, or someone explained it to her as "like being breech", which most of us just plain GET. Or it may well be she just got sick and tired of explaining transverse to people and started saying breech because it's the closest.

((many many many women go into labor breech, but the baby turns head down during early labor... some few go into labor -I know of 2 through my old clinic- who didn't turn once, but twice and three times. The joke was "spin the baby". Both delivered head first vaginally, although ORs were prepped for emergency csections . Mom1 was head down to start, then went breech, then head down again... Mom2 was breech to start)). Even more misinterpret "wrong position" as breech. All in all, it doesn't really matter. Pointed the wrong way.))

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Anyhow... whole point is... she may be telling the truth spot on... or she may have misunderstood a few points/left out some details... but totally plausible.

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hmm... yeah that seems off!!! maybe the baby was side ways and not butt down?

Both of my kids were 11# at birth, almost 2 weeks early...so very big babies. I had C sections for both of them and my daughter was so big and they couldn't get her out and used a vaccuum. so I don't know about the breech and all that but can testify that they do use vaccuums on babies heads during c sections to get them out.

hhhhhmmmm...never heard of a breech baby that was head-first...i've not heard ANY stories of a vacuum being used on the rear end.

When babies are in breech position, the doctor usually uses one had outside and the other inside to manipulate the baby into the right position.

I've never heard of a doctor or a midwife let a W. go into labor with a breech baby. Too many bad things can happen.

Sounds like she is trying to get sympathy and attention....scary because I wonder what she will say next...or do next...hormones after pregnancy can be wicked in some women and if they are getting attention from an emergency procedure...welllllllll....they may end up doing things to get MORE attention....Munchausen by proxy...soooo keep your eyes and ears open!

mmm not really my baby was breech but she was sitting, so I had a c-section scheduled, but I had it scheduled the same day!!! Seriously I went to the doctor and he said you want a c-section or you want to wait two weeks see if the baby takes position and I was like nooo take her out today and he was like let me think about it, go and preregister at the hospital in case I decide this week and I was like ok, I went and came out with a baby!! :).
However I have heard of instances in which the baby is kind of sideways, and because in most cases the baby is able to position itself to go into the birth canal so doctors let nature take its course. Please mind I have heard never heard someone experience this firsthand.

Hi,

Wow. That is a very strange story! If your SIL tends to exaggerate things, I would assume that the whole vaccum part from inside the c-section part wouldn't be true. I don't see how any doctor would put the mom/baby at risk with such a careless procedure. Its not needed in the c-section anyways because they make the incision and pull the baby out! If she were having a vaginal delivery, it would make sense. But...I think bottom line, she got her facts mixed up and wanted to tell you all the story a little dramatic to get a bit of attention. :) Good question though! Hope you get some clarity.

M

i see several holes. first off, i believe babies can turn at ANY time (mine did, i had an appointment one day, and my water broke 2 days later, and sometime in that 2 days he turned breech). i was under the impression that a "breech" baby was not a huge deal UNTIL labor. when i went into labor and the nurse saw he was breech, i had a baby 30 minutes later. yes, an emergency c-section. (now if he had been breech the entire time then maybe we'd have had the conversations about version etc like you did)

i am not sure how it would be physically possible to put a vacuum on his head - if she was having a c-section because he was breech, then, by nature, baby is butt first. baby comes out at the same angle during a c-section as going down the birth canal. as far as i understand it...

i think maybe part of her problem is it's been 10 years and now she can't keep her lies OR her facts straight.

which is why i don't lie...lol. i have enough trouble remembering what ACTUALLY happened! :)

Every OBGYN is different in his/her philosophy, so this is entirely possible. My son was "breech" at 36 weeks and my doctor had told me that they would do a c-section if needed when I went into labor, but there was no discussion of scheduling the procedure. They suggested that I do all kinds of things to turn him "naturally" and then go into labor and see what happened. My son did "flip" at 38 weeks. It hurt b/c he didn't have much room to move, but it does happen.

Also, my sister was breech and my mother delivered naturally. Granted, this was 25 years ago, but doctors then were MUCH less "quick to cut". Today it happens all the time, but then it just didn't. The doctors didn't use a vacuum on her head, but they did use forceps and turned her (by the head) a little bit at a time over the course of 24 hours and she was delivered.

I have friends and family who have labored for 24-36 hours only to end up with a c-section in the end. The comment is ALWAYS... "Why did the doctor put her through that for ____ hours when he could have just cut her open?"

My sister and I both had our first children by c-section. Her doctor feels strongly that she should have this one by c-section and mine feels strongly that there is no need to have elective surgery "just because". In the end as long as everyone is healthy and here, there's always more than one way to do something!

Well, I know you already updated...but all I can think of is that her docs were very against scheduled C-sections and that maybe they thought the baby would turn in time before labor.
As for the vacuum during C-section, I have no idea if that is normal or common or not.
My son was born vaginally and the doc did use suction on his head--but I assume that's normal for a vaginal birth.

Both of my sons were breech and it took some wrangling to get them out. With my first son, the doctor warned me that I may feel some tugging. My husband says the feet popped right out but it took a little doing for the doctor to get the rest out. With my second son, the doctor didn't warn me, so all of a sudden I felt a pressure on my chest and had a hard time breathing. I mentioned it and it eased up. I asked my husband about it later and he said it was because I had a 6 foot lady laying across my chest. I guess she was trying to hold me still while the doctor pulled the baby out.
Maybe her doctor was worried about dropping the baby since they are so slippery and he uses a vacuum? I would be surprised it it was on the babies head though.

I don't know why Live Bold is picking at you about this. I really don't. I understand why you are asking. Jessica Wessica is spot on about knowing about being breech ahead of time being nothing. My second baby was breech and the doc told me that he would attempt a version close to the time. My baby turned on his own, though unknown to us he didn't turn face DOWN. He was face up. That caused a lot of problems...

I do think that according to the insurance, doctors allow women to labor based on insurance guidelines and payments. Sometimes it is sad - one woman laboring at the same time I was had no insurance, and they begged for an epidural for her - she had labored as long as me - but because they didn't have the money upfront for one, they wouldn't give it to her. My epidural for that baby (my first baby) took me from 4 cms to 10 in 20 minutes flat so that I could finally start pushing. I'll bet they could have gotten that laboring bed free a lot sooner if they had just given her an epidural, poor lady.

Anyway, I think that you have to see that not every doctor or hospital or insurance does things the same. I DO think that there is a strong possibility that she is confused about where the suction cup was. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they grabbed his butt with it...

Dawn