United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

hi everyone I haven't been here for awhile. Makayla is doing great she has a check up with the surgeons in Feb. We recently found out that we are expecting our second child. And I am scared. My husband keeps telling me that it won't happen again.and that they will most likely do a c-section.my question is can a baby be injured by c-section?? how often?? has anyone had more then one of there children injured?? thank you

Congratulations on your pregnancy!! I know that you will have people post the answers that you are looking for - many people on here did get pregnant again and gave birth successfully by c-section.

I hope that you can set aside your fear so that you just enjoy your pregnancy. Your second child also deserves an environment free of stress hormones. Easy to say right?

If you are positive that you most definitely want a c-section, then you have to find a doctor who will support you on it completely, without a doubt. I always wondered about carrying around a prescription for a c-section - just in case you get to the hospital and your doc is not available. I have heard a story or two where one doctor in a practice has promised a c-section, and they they get to the hospital and another doctor from the practice says 'no' to the c-section and another injury occurs.

I guess communication is key and communication on your chart would also be important for other doctors seeing you.

I wish you the best and a very wonderful pregnancy.

-francine

Congratulation...

My suggestion is to sit with the doctor you choose to go to and ask him about SD and his plans for delivery.

I am sure you are worried. Just recently my daughter had a 9lb. 9oz. baby... I was so scared.... I drove her nuts.... did you talk to the doctor what did he say about the baby's size... what will he do... I sent her and the doctor into the delivery focused on the possibility of SD... and Erb's .... I also go to the same ob/gyn as my daughters do... seeing me gives them something to think about... right obpi....

Your doctor/midwife/the entire team..... should have a plan in place with you should he see that the baby is too big or that the shoulders will be a problem....

Ask him all the manuvers he would use... If he can answer off the top of his head just exactly what he will do should the need arise... and include C-Section as a last resort... then you can worry less...
I would worry if he has to look up the manuvers necessary... or perhaps if you choose he will do a C-Section....

Best of Luck... and Congratulation... I am happy for your family
Kath

Hi, Jennifer. Nice to see your name again. Glad to hear also that Makayla is doing great and that she'll soon have a little sister or brother. I would suggest that you print the list of ?s from Francine's site (www.injurednewborn.com) to ask your dr. There's also a great brochure for expecting Moms. Go to the home page of this site and then go to the Awareness 2001 section and you'll find it there. The list of ?s might even be in the brochure, but I don't recall offhand. From what I understand, it's not very common, but a baby can be injured by a c-s, esp. if the labor has already begun. So, it is very important to start talking about all this stuff with your dr. now so that you can plan and findout his/her plans and decide if you still want to entrust your care with him/her. For me, the dr. has to pass my "test" questions before I will choose him/her for the next delivery. I like Francine's idea about carrying around a script for a c-s. I wonder if that would work. There are a few people here who have more than one child with a BPI; hopefully they'll all post here. I would like to get preg. again and was really stressed out about it until I read something that made me feel more at ease. I'm going to quote the wonderful Mom who wrote: "I had a c-section with this last one and I had very little concern about a repeat BPI. Besides I figured if it happened again, I could handle it." For some reason, this post really helped me a lot (I printed it and saved it). I still have my concerns, but am not as stressed about it. Not that you would ever want another baby to get injured, but if it happened, look how well you would get your baby taken care of from day 1 b/c you already have so much knowledge and experience with the injury. Like it or not, you have become a BP expert. Well, I hope more people with experience post here. Take care.
-Tina (Nicole's Mom)

Well ladies I am just in awe of all those that have gone on to have more children after their BPI kiddos...I don't know how you have the time!! And I cannot imagine Kimberly trying to give birth again any time soon. She still has problems going to potty!

I think this is something that you have to decide for yourselves and Tina is right about going armed with all the questions. I can't imagine an OB/GYN not making the best decision if faced with one of our kids so I think I would at least take a picture and spell out how it has affected your lives. And make it clear you will be monitoring everything yourself as well. Stand up for yourself and baby, demand the best of care, just as you do for the BPI child that you now have!

Hope I made sense....I think it is a good thing that you are able to move on and let your family grow. All those little grunts, smells and smiles...thank GOD for granchildren!!!

I've posted this before(but on the old boards). I had one more child naturally after my BPI child. I agreed to have a c-section, but then at around 34 weeks, I went into preterm labor. I was able to keep the baby until 37 weeks gestation. I had multiple ultrasounds and it seemed that he was a small baby. He was 8lbs, 4 ozs and three weeks early! Thank Heaven he was not BPI. From what I understand now, it's not the weight of the baby, but the shoulder girth. I would have just died if he was also injured... I would like to believe that my OB acted in the best interest of the baby, but if that were true, she should have insisted on c-section for my youngest.

Hi,

I want to offer my congrats on your new baby....I had a baby boy 9 weeks ago by emergency c-section and he has a right bpi. We are not sure as to how this happened, but he also had a blood clot in his shoulder in the same arm. The only thing I can tell you is to keep on your doctor... your body knows when something is wrong. I only wish my doctor had listened to me...

Congrats again,

Lisa

Hi,
I have two children with robpi. Melanie was full term at 8lbs 12oz. She recovered at six weeks. Matthew was induced 2 weeks early and from the ultrasound was only supposed to weigh 7lbs 9oz. He was 10lbs 6oz. Question your doc on gestational diabetes results and make sure they're using the Carpenter-Coustan conversion. Matthew's injury also involved phrenic nerve damage. He was in the hospital until he was four weeks old and required oxygen on and off for about three weeks. Matthew had primary surgery in October and can now lift his arm about 40 degrees.
Good Luck with your decision.
Cindy

Congratulations on the great news! I know we all have similar yet different stories regarding our deliveries. I do not know how big your first baby was, Gabrielle was 8 lbs. 11 oz. The doctor told me that a 6 pound baby would not go through my pelvis bone. They can check pelvis size if you request it (I was told after the fact) They also said I must have a C-Section before the baby drops or even with C-section the child could have a BPI. It's not just the size of the baby that counts. Just another thing to have checked- like you don't have enough already. Best wishes to you and your family.