What if the baby's shoulder gets stuck during childbirth? Let's learn everything about the Gaskin Maneuver!

You have arrived at the most important day of your life. The day when the little baby you have been waiting for for months will come into this world. Doctors and nurses are all around you in the delivery room helping you. With every pain, you gain more and more strength. Little by little, the baby's head comes out. Everyone's face is smiling... But suddenly, instead of that happiness, a little panic sets in. The doctor's facial expression changes. Even though the baby's head comes out, the rest of the body doesn't come out. It's like it's stuck somewhere. It's at times like this that doctors think of a condition called Shoulder Dystocia . This is truly an emergency. But don't worry, because your medical team is well trained to deal with such a situation. Today we are going to talk about a special method they use at such times. It's called the Gaskin Maneuver .

First of all, what is Shoulder Dystocia?

This name may sound scary to you, but it's important to understand it simply. Shoulder Dystocia is when one or both of the baby's shoulders get stuck in the mother's pelvic bone after the baby's head comes out of the vagina during childbirth.

Imagine trying to get a large chair out of a small doorway. Even though one part of the chair comes out, the widest part gets stuck in the doorway. The baby's shoulders are the widest part of the body. When these shoulders get stuck under the pubic bone in the front of the mother's pelvis, the baby can't go any lower.

Why is this an emergency?

• The baby may not get enough oxygen: After the baby's head comes out, the umbilical cord can get stuck between the mother's pelvic bone and the baby's body. This can cut off the baby's blood and oxygen supply.
• The baby may be injured: Because the shoulder is stuck, there is a risk of damage to the nerves in the neck and shoulder. Sometimes, even fractures of the arm may occur.
• The mother can also experience complications: things like excessive bleeding after delivery.

So what is this Gaskin Maneuver?

Simply put, the Gaskin Maneuver is a special position that is used to free the baby from being trapped when a shoulder dystocia occurs. This position is called the "all-fours position." This means that the mother is on her hands and knees.

This method was introduced by an American midwife named Ina May Gaskin. That's why it got its name. Sometimes doctors also call it the "all fours" method.

The main goal of this method is to provide maximum space for the mother's pelvis. When the mother is on all fours, the diameter of the pelvis naturally increases slightly. It's like opening the door we mentioned earlier a little wider. This extra space is often enough to free the baby's shoulder from being stuck.

How to perform the Gaskin Maneuver?

Typically, during a vaginal birth, the mother lies on the bed with her legs folded to the sides. Once Shoulder Dystocia is diagnosed, the medical team will get to work very quickly. If they decide to use the Gaskin Method, these steps can be followed.

Let's look at this in this way to make it easier to understand.

The important thing is that all of this is decided by your doctor and medical team. Sometimes they may feel that a different method is more appropriate and safer than the Gaskin method at that time. So they may try those methods first.

What are the advantages of this method?

The biggest advantage of the Gaskin Maneuver is that, if successful, it frees the baby's shoulder and allows the delivery to continue. In addition, there are several other advantages.

• Low-risk method: This only involves changing the mother's position. There is no additional pressure on the mother's abdomen or any attempt to pull the baby out. Therefore, it is considered a relatively safe, low-risk method for both the mother and the baby.
• Try before resorting to more complex procedures: Since Shoulder Dystocia is an emergency, sometimes an emergency C-section may be necessary. Or more complex procedures, such as a symphysiotomy, may be needed. If a simple procedure like the Gaskin Maneuver is successful, then there is no need for such major interventions.
• Being a natural process: In this, we take help from the mother's own body mechanism and gravity. Therefore, this is a very natural method.

Are there any risks or complications?

The biggest risk with the Gaskin Maneuver is that it may not work at that time .

Since this is an emergency, time is of the essence. If this method is not successful in freeing the baby's shoulder after trying it, the medical team will need to move on to the next method quickly, without wasting valuable time.

Doctors have a set of procedures that they follow in a timely manner in such cases. The Gaskin method is just one of those procedures. If it doesn't work, they immediately switch to the next safest and most appropriate method. So you don't need to worry about it.

What can a mother do at a time like this?

It's normal for a mother to feel scared and anxious when something like this happens, but there are some very important things you can do at that time.

• Try to stay calm: I know this is easier said than done. But by trying to stay as calm as possible and breathing deeply, your body's muscles will relax, making it easier for the doctors to do their job.
• Listen to what the doctor or nurse tells you to change positions, push, or stop pushing, follow their instructions exactly. They know what to do.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions (later): You won't have time to ask questions at that point. But after everything is over, talk to your doctor about any questions or concerns you have. Ask questions like what happened, why it happened, and whether it could happen again with your next baby.

In conclusion, the Gaskin Maneuver is a valuable and safe technique for managing emergencies that may arise during labor. Your medical team is there to protect you and your baby, so the best thing you can do is trust them and support them.