# Preventing nuchal hand?



## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

Okay... so I'd wondered about it but hadn't given it much thought until today when I saw the midwife's apprentice for my prenatal and she commented on thinking the baby's hand is up by his/her head (and head is fully engaged in my pelvis). I'd been feeling some odd movements, bubbly feelings etc and thought the elbow felt like it was in a strange place but now that it has been confirmed I wonder what I can do to try to prevent nuchal hand/tearing. Mw's apprentice mentioned doing belly lifts during ctx... anything else I can do?

I'd really prefer to avoid a nuchal hand, ya know?


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## Triciabn (Nov 6, 2005)

It isn't too huge of a deal. My first baby had a nuchal hand and it took me 40minutes to actually push him out. Now considering he was my first and I was clueless on what the heck I was doing...no biggee.
The one thing we did do...and I ahve no idea if it had to do with the nuchal hand or what... but we moved around a bit to help him out....but like I said; he was my first.
I have had 3 children in all and I wouldn't say that was any more difficult then anything else...you will be fine.
Tricia


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## kate~mom (Jul 21, 2003)

i have no idea what if anything might help prevent it - but my ds was delivered like that. labor was a breeze, compared to my dd, and he was born after *maybe 10 minutes of pushing, 15 minutes after my water broke. no tearing.









don't let it stress you out. your body was made to birth this baby.


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## citizenfong (Dec 24, 2002)

Yeah, I got no advice, either. But my ds 2 also had his fist under his chin, and I didn't tear at all.

GL


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

The only way I can see that would really prevent a nuchal hand would be having a breech baby- it's the lesser of two evils.
Skye was born with a nuchal hand and I didn't tear- for various reasons she was born with me flat on my back and was jiggled out- arms stretched above my head and rotating my hips. Don't know why, but it felt necessary. A very fast second stage, too.
Don't worry- it'll be fine. Just be prepared for the midwife to ask to help with the shoulders, if the hand is up.


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## JanetF (Oct 31, 2004)

I have a friend who's had 2 babies with a nuchal hand. First one in a birth centre - baby crowning, MW freaks, Ob rushes in cuts her vagina open 4 times cutting the baby as well, rips the baby out gives my friend a 4th degree tear which is repaired under GA and she doesn't meet her baby for 24 hours in which time the baby is given x-rays and antibs without consent. Took her 2 years to recover physically and lots of counselling as well. Second baby born at home in water, not even a graze, larger baby and another nuchal hand. Makes you think, doesn't it?!

Just adding, a woman in my birth group has had 3 babies.
1
#1: 34cm head, episiotomy, pushing up hill, big tear.
#2: 37cm head born upright no tear.
#3: Nuchal arm with hand on top of head so all up 43cm - no tear! Last one born at home in water


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## MamaTaraX (Oct 5, 2004)

Two nuchal hand babies, no tears









Namaste, Tara


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

Thanks mamas.

My last birth went so very fast at the end, ds basically roared out without me pushing so I'm not worried about pushing the baby out or the baby getting out but I'd prefer not to tear.







I guess if I can handle a 7.5lb baby roaring out without me pushing then I should be able to handle another baby even with a nuchal hand.









I'm betting on another smallish baby and baby is fully engaged... yesterday at 39+2 I was measuring a whopping 35cm.


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## emma00 (Jan 14, 2003)

As best as I understand it nuchal hand just refers to baby being born with his/her hand at the head - is this right?

My last baby (born at home with a midwife) was born with his hand up at his head. During pushing - which lasted maybe 5 minutes - my midwife just asked me to stop pushing for a few seconds while she gently eased his hand out and then I pushed the rest of him out pretty much instantaneously. I had absolutely NO tears. In fact my perineum was in such good shape that I didn't even experience any stinging, discomfort etc. as I did with my 2nd birth also with no tears. I was side-lying - which I have to say was bloody uncomfortable - but she was trying to slow me down a bit. I had no idea that having the hand beside the head made it more likely to tear.


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

My ds had a nuchal hand was born in 3 pushes, I had two minor labial tears and a slightly deeper tear inside my vagina (perineum remained intact). For this birth, I plan to deliver on the bed instead of in the tub and ask my mw to be very proactive about preventing tears. But other than that, I'm not panicking. The tearing took several months to heal completely, but I wasn't feeling much like sex anyhow.


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

My dd had a nuchal hand. She also had a 14.75" head. I had a minor tear that may not have been there if not for the valsalva pushing. It took 1hour, 10 min to push her out. Not too bad for a first baby.


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