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There are accepted medical protocols for dealing with a shoulder dystocia birthing emergency.  An experienced practitioner should know these protocols and should be able to prevent brachial plexus injuries.

Options include:

• Repositioning the mother, one of the most common methods, is called the McRobert’s Maneuver, which involves removing the mother’s legs from the stirrups and flexing her knees back against her abdomen.
• Specific pressure over the mother’s pubic area (suprapubic pressure, not fundal pressure)
• Reaching in and repositioning the baby
• Rotating the fetus's upper shoulder downward and the lower shoulder upward, called a Wood's or “Corkscrew” maneuver.
• Supporting the baby’s head and applying traction. This requires a high degree of experience, sensitivity, and moderation because too much traction can torque the head and injure the nerves in the baby’s neck.
• In extreme cases, the protocol may include breaking the baby's clavicle bone or the mother’s pelvic bone.
• Caesarian section (C-section)

An experienced and conscientious practitioner, who is familiar with Shoulder Dystocia and how to work with it, should be able to prevent brachial plexus injuries to your baby.

If your baby was injured during the birthing process, you may want to explore our Do I Have A Claim? page for more information.

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