United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Karen -- my sister-in-law was writing about our family. Thanks for taking the time to explain in great detail for her understanding. Its comforting to know someone like you is out there.
Thanks,
Trish

You are right, it has to stop! I am a mother who has a young son who was born with Erb's and it makes me very angry that if you cannot trust a doctor who can you trust? I begged for a c`section since I found out I was pregnant. I knew he would be a big baby! I felt I was not listened to. I had 9 ultra sounds diabetes and on meds. The last ultrasound said 7pds. 6 days before he was born. He was 10pds 7oz.. I'm glad there are people out there who agree.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. The weight of my son was estimated at 7lbs. 11ozs. He ended up 10lbs. 7ozs. Keep in there.

I want to make a quick observation here, and I know I am going to be "putting my head above the parapet" and I am prepared to have it shot off - but I would like to say a couple of things, especially to the last couple of posters who have young babies and are concerned about the weight of the baby issues.

Sometimes it's easy to look at just one issue of this complex situation and focus on it too much,
by this I mean that even though you ahd large babies, it doesn't necessarilly follow that they should suffer this injury.
Many ladies will deliver large babies, many will be delivering them without the benefit of knowing just how large the baby is, but not ALL of the babies will be injured, the reason the baby is injured is not just because they are large, it's because the correct prcedures for delivering the baby have not be followed.

The weight of the baby is indeed relevent, a factor for shoulder dystocia, BUT it is not the CAUSE of the brachial plexus injury - that is because too much traction has been placed on the baby's head during delivery.

In our group in the Uk we have babies of ALL sizes who have suffered an obpi - ranging from 5lbs 6 oz up to 12lbs plus - the commone factor is that someone failed to deliver them safely, not their weight.

I'm not saying that the weight issue isn't important - just that it's not the ONLY reason for the condition.

Karyn, the reason we all focus on the weight is that it is a risk factor that is listed for leading up to the problem - an indication that the OB either had very poor protocols or didn't follow them. I know by how my OB for my second daughter behaved, that her protocol was no induction, no vacuum extract or forceps, and no more than 1 hour of 2nd stage labor - she was poised & ready to do c-sect (my first baby as large & c-sect). With Sarah, it had been 5 years and we had moved to a different city. I know I asked these questions and Sarah's OB agreed that she pretty much had the same protocol - it sure wasn't there at delivery time. I don't know what the heck is the matter with hospitals & OBs that don't follow a safer protocol if there's one out there, other than problems w/insurance companies - the almighty dollar. My insurance company had a 3% c-section rate where the national average is something like 30%.

I hear what you are saying Jan
but in some ways, the weight issue can take attention away from the real reason these children have brachial plexus injuries, and that is because the delivery was mishandled.
my sister who is 5 feet 2 inches tall delivered her first 9lb daughter very well, her second 9 lb daughter suffered a shoulder dystocia and was delivered without injury by an experienced Midwife, who didn't panic and followed the shoulder dystocia drill.

I am 5 feet 8 inches tall and I suffered a shoulder dystocia with my second child also,
I wasn't fortunate enough to have an experienced midwife and my son suffered a grade 4 injury.
I too begged for a c section, convinced I would have difficulty delivering my son, but over here in the UK there's no way you get a c section on demand.
Ok if I had had a c section he wouldn't have suffered this injury, BUT if I had had the same midwife who delivered, then also he might not have had the injury.

His weight is NOT the reason why he has Erb's Palsy - the medical negligence he suffered during his delivery is the reason.

Karen

I have to agree about our focus on weight and not on the fact that a baby should be delivered using the proper maneuvers without injury. I also think it is a lack of education that a physician is not paying attention to the red flags that indicate the probability of SD delivery. The physician is the one in charge in the delivery room and should go to that room as if they are taking a final exam. Prepared in all cases for emergency such as SD because it may not always follow that the mother has exhibited the red flags but if the physician has the skill the baby will not be injured.

My Mom was 5'8" she delivered 2 babies both weighed 11 lb. 14 oz.
I was injured I am the 8th child, my brother was her second baby and not injured. Her first baby much smaller died of birth trauma so did her 4th baby both of those babies were at least three pounds smaller than my brother and I.

I am only 5'3" and I had an 8 lbs. 3 oz my first baby was SD delivery they fractured my coccyx to deliver because they failed to show up because I was not dilated. The baby was transverse and posteria (sunny side up) when they turned her a nurse was on my stomach and then she presented face first... I gained so little weight 13 lbs. and lost 26 lbs when I delivered and of course I had no idea that my daughter could have had my birth injury I thought mine was rare. I had large babies with practically no weight gain and 2 were SD and other than the fact I am OBPI no red flags.

My daughter had three large babies the last was two years ago at 9 lbs 9 oz girl. Of course, I drove her crazy this time with questions and how was the doctor going to do this safely. Her babies were 8 lb 15 oz girl - 9 lb 3 oz. macosim (sp) and cord wrapped around him and the largest was last ... she is tiny usually wears a size 6 and is 5'4" her doctor when she mentioned it told her right off the top of his head with out checking any books, all of the maneuvers he would use in case of SD ... the last baby was delivered safely and without even a stitch because of the procedure he used. I do use the same doctor as she does and he is my hero now I was so scared and now I understand why my mother was so scared when I delivered my first two babies before she died.

I think that some parents tend to blame themselves for weight gain, etc., forgetting that they hired a professional to delivery their babies. I think education is the key to having babies delivered safely. On these message boards we have had adult/preemie with obpi...

My mother later in life was a diabetic I am not.

as always Kathleen, wise words from you.
your poor Mother suffered the most dreadful event in the world with her two babies who died - no wonder she was so concerned when you had your children.

I was like you, I only gained 12lbs when I had Gavin and he weighed 11 lbs, with my first son Michael, I gained 10lbs and he weighed 6lbs
weight will always be a factor in these deliveries, but prompt and appropriate action by the delivering practitioner can make all the difference to the outcome.

Dearest Kathleen and Karen: I think I am so quick to want to point the blame somewhere as we all suffer one way or another in dealing with the dreadful and senseless injuries to our newborn babies. I am of the opinion that the size of my baby had something to do with how the emergency situation was handled during the course of my delivery. One thing is for sure, we trust our physicians are trained to handle an emergency of this magnitude. Obviously our doctors and nurses alike need to brush up on their training extensively to stop this from happening. There has to be an easier way to predict such trauma so as to avoid this at all costs. Wish we all didn't have to experience this. It's unimaginable that in this day and age bpi even exists. You would think with all the technology out there someone could figure out how to stop this from happening.
Trish

Karen: My daughter was diagnosed at five days old with "Erbs Palsy". I am now working her arm continuously around the clock and therapy once a week. I'm awaiting to hear back from a specialist about her being fitted for a split to help correct the position of her wrist. Any recommendations you can comment on would be helpful.
Thanks,
Trish