11/15/2025
🌿 Shoulder Dystocia Awareness — From a Doula Who’s Lived It 🌿
Peace Love & Hope Doula LLC
Shoulder dystocia is one of the most urgent and emotionally intense situations that can happen during birth — whether at home or in a hospital. It occurs when baby’s shoulder becomes stuck after the head is born, and it requires immediate, skilled action from the birth team.
As a doula and a student midwife, I believe education empowers parents. And as a mother, I know firsthand just how scary shoulder dystocia can be.
When my own baby girl was born, she experienced shoulder dystocia at home. Her clavicle was fractured in the process, and for a moment we were terrified she might not breathe. But proper training, calm teamwork, fast response, and having the right people in the room made all the difference.
Hearing “Call the Midwife” in my head coaching me through it reminded me exactly why birth education and preparedness matter.
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✨ Signs of Possible Shoulder Dystocia
• Difficulty delivering baby’s face and chin
• The “turtle sign” — baby’s head emerges then retracts
• Shoulders not descending after the head is delivered
• Head-to-body time longer than ~60 seconds
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🏥 How Hospitals Manage Shoulder Dystocia
1. Announce & call for help — more hands, more skill
2. Pause pushing to prevent worsening the impaction
3. First-line maneuvers:
• McRoberts maneuver (knees to chest)
• Suprapubic pressure (NOT on the fundus)
4. If needed: internal maneuvers
• Delivering the posterior arm
• Rotating baby’s shoulders
5. Accurate documentation of timing & steps
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🌈 What NOT to Do
• ❌ No fundal pressure (can worsen the impaction)
• ❌ No pulling on baby’s head (risk of injury)
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⛑ Potential Complications
For baby:
• Brachial plexus injury
• Clavicle or humerus fracture
• Oxygen-related complications (rare with fast action)
For mother:
• Tears
• Postpartum hemorrhage
• Pelvic floor trauma
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🌼 As Your Doula…
My goal is to support you, advocate for you, and help you stay informed so you feel empowered — not fearful. Birth can be unpredictable, but preparation, awareness, and a skilled team create safety.
If you have questions about:
✨ Shoulder dystocia
✨ Reducing risk
✨ Labor positions to create space
✨ Hospital vs. home birth safety planning
✨ What a doula does in an emergency
—I’m here to support you with compassion and evidence-based care.
You deserve care that keeps you informed, supported, and surrounded by calm even in unexpected moments.
💛 Peace Love & Hope Doula LLC
Birth Support • Education • Empowerment