Ep. 347: Understanding Shoulder Dystocia: Navigating the Risks and Maneuvers with Marisa Huebsch

In this episode of The Birth Lounge podcast, host HeHe is joined by guest Marisa Huebsch to discuss the topic of shoulder dystocia, a rare but serious obstetrical emergency. HeHe and Marisa, a certified nurse midwife, explain what shoulder dystocia is, its causes, and how it can be resolved through various maneuvers. She emphasizes the importance of patient autonomy and informed decision-making during childbirth, particularly in high-stress situations like shoulder dystocia. They also delve into the risks of shoulder dystocia for both mothers and babies, including potential injuries and the importance of postpartum debriefing. The episode aims to demystify this complication, providing listeners with practical advice on staying in control and advocating for themselves during labor and delivery.

00:00 Introduction and Hospital Choices

01:38 Understanding Shoulder Dystocia

03:26 Preventing and Managing Shoulder Dystocia

03:42 Guest Introduction: Marisa Huebsch

06:21 Personal Experiences with Shoulder Dystocia

08:57 Detailed Maneuvers for Shoulder Dystocia

20:15 Induction and Shoulder Dystocia

25:48 Patient Autonomy and Birth Choices

42:46 Addressing Provider Self-Reflection and Bias

44:55 Handling Trauma and Patient Care

47:46 Navigating Patient Autonomy and Informed Consent

49:18 The Role of Providers in Birth Experiences

01:02:55 Managing Shoulder Dystocia Risks and Outcomes

01:15:15 Empowering Patients Through Education and Support

01:18:32 Final Thoughts and Resources

From Marisa:

I was a Labor and delivery nurse for 6 years, worked in 3 different facilities including high risk units and low risk units. I was also a nurse home visitor with Nurse Family Partnership where I worked with low income first time moms and babies throughout pregnancy and through the child's first 2 years. I am now a hospital based CNM in a high volume practice who collaboratively cares for low and high risk patients with a robust midwife team. My practice philosophy is all about empowering patients to be informed about their care, normalizing physiologic birth, and providing the midwifery care model to high risk patients. I have two children, one born in a hospital and one born at home (unusually LONG multip labor , educated by The Birth Lounge)

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