What if the baby's shoulder gets stuck during labor? Let's talk about the McRoberts Maneuver

If you are preparing for childbirth, sometimes you feel a little scared, don't you? Will everything be okay, and will the baby be in trouble? Although childbirth is a very natural and beautiful experience, sometimes unexpected problems can arise. But don't worry, the doctors and medical staff are trained to deal with any such situation. Today, we are talking about a special and very effective method used to protect the baby at such times.

Simply put, what is the McRoberts Maneuver?

Imagine, when the baby is about to be born, after the baby's head comes out, one or both of the shoulders get stuck inside the mother's pelvis. Like getting stuck in a door frame. Because of this, the baby can't come out completely. This is a bit of an emergency. That's when doctors use this technique called the McRoberts Maneuver .

Simply put, this involves the doctor or one of the trained medical staff there bending the mother's legs at the knees and pressing her thighs firmly against her stomach. To be precise, the knees are bent until they are almost at the armpits.

This causes the pelvis to rotate slightly, changing its shape slightly, allowing the baby's shoulders to move out of the way. This is a simple action from the outside, but it is a very important process that helps the baby emerge from the inside.

When is this method used?

This McRoberts maneuver is used in a condition called Shoulder Dystocia . This is a bit of a medical term, but in simple terms, it's the baby's shoulder getting stuck that I mentioned earlier.

What is Shoulder Dystocia?

In a normal birth, once the baby's head comes out of the vagina, the shoulders come out easily with the next contraction. However, in Shoulder Dystocia, one of the baby's shoulders (usually the front shoulder) gets stuck behind the pubic symphysis, which is located at the front of the mother's pelvis. This prevents the rest of the baby's body from coming out.

Who is at higher risk for Shoulder Dystocia?

Although this condition can happen to anyone, some people are at a higher risk. But remember, having these risk factors doesn't mean you will definitely get it. Also, this condition can happen to someone without any of these risk factors.

How successful is this McRoberts method?

Now you might be wondering if this is the only way to do it. If you do the McRoberts maneuver alone, it has a success rate of about 42% . That's a good percentage.

However, to make this even more effective, doctors use another method along with it. It's called suprapubic pressure . That is, applying gentle pressure with your hand just above the pubic bone, just below the abdomen. It's like pushing on a stuck shoulder and releasing it.

When this McRoberts maneuver and Suprapubic pressure are done together, the success rate increases to 90% . That's a great success rate, isn't it? So this is a very effective treatment for Shoulder Dystocia.

How exactly does this process happen?

This happens very quickly and is planned. Usually, in a situation like this, there are several people around you, including doctors and nurses.

Step 1: Identify the situation

First, the doctor needs to confirm that this is a Shoulder Dystocia condition. How do you know that?

• If the baby's head has come out, but the rest of the body is stuck inside the vagina.
• If the baby's head comes out and the body doesn't come out after more than a minute.

Step 2: Bringing McRoberts into position

Once the position is confirmed, two of the medical staff will take your legs, bend them at the knees, and press them as tightly as possible to your stomach. At the same time, they will slightly move your hips apart (hip abduction). This position will widen the space between your pelvic bones by about 2 centimeters. It will also flatten the back of your pelvis (sacrum) a little, making it easier for the baby's shoulders to come out.

Step 3: Applying Suprapubic Pressure (if necessary)

If the baby's shoulder still doesn't release after the McRoberts position, another doctor or nurse will use their hand or a cupped hand to apply pressure to your lower abdomen, just above the pubic bone, down and to the side. This will help to push the stuck shoulder free. This is often done during a contraction.

What are the advantages of this method?

There are many benefits to a successful McRoberts maneuver.

• Being able to continue with normal childbirth: This reduces the need for an emergency cesarean section (C-section).
• Preventing potential harm to the baby: If the shoulder is too large and stuck, the baby can develop serious complications such as broken bones in the arm, nerve damage, or lack of oxygen (asphyxia). This method eliminates that risk.
• Reduced need for episiotomy: Sometimes an episiotomy is needed. If this method is successful, that need may also be reduced.
• Simple and Fast: This is a simple and very effective method that can be done outdoors, and is the first method used in cases of Shoulder Dystocia.

Can complications occur?

When performed correctly by trained doctors, major complications are rare. Most importantly, current guidelines state that the baby's head should never be pulled or the neck twisted . Doctors know that doing so can damage the baby's neck or spine. That's why they take great care in this regard.

Very rarely, this procedure can cause pelvic separation or neuropathy in the mother's legs. However, these are very rare and often temporary.

What happens after this method is successful?

After a successful McRoberts maneuver, your baby will be born safely vaginally. When this technique is performed correctly, along with suprapubic pressure, the chances of a normal delivery are very high.

This process can be a bit uncomfortable for the mother. But the most important thing at that moment is the baby's safety, so it's important to listen to what the medical staff says and stay calm. In the end, it's worth it to hold a healthy baby.