Home Page Forums MAMPS 2022 General Questions Lack of Engagement or Suspended Fetus Reply To: Lack of Engagement or Suspended Fetus

  • Debra Betts

    Instructor
    May 2, 2022 at 4:36 pm

    Thank you Carmen for details. Engagement of the baby can be part of the pre birth assessment- however it needs to considered that for a mum having a subsequent baby – engagement can occur as labour commences – however for first time mums the baby is expected to engage several weeks prior to labour commencing – when this does not occur I do use acupuncture points ( and give them acupressure homework) to encourage the baby to move into the best position- but I do not like using GB 20 as am not wanting the baby to just move down but move into a nice anterior position. So it is usually more about BL 60 and SP 6 and ensuring the lower back is relaxed, (cupping etc ) and ensuring the mum has information re the types of sitting positions involving knees lower then hips ( spinning babies advice etc )

    For me the acupressure homework is a very important part of birth prep and it does not sound as if this women was using this ?

    <font face=”inherit”>Having said that not all babies can move and early midwifery feedback (from those doing my acupuncture courses) was that when the babies did not move down for these first time mums with acupuncture , there were often distressed babies during labour – maybe its because the </font>acupuncture<font face=”inherit”> /acupressure does stimulate the baby to move – and if it cannot there may be some underlying issues – think about an athlete preparing at the starting line for a running race and if they cannot get themselves in position ( either physical barriers in the way or they are not in peak physical form ) more likely not to preform well once the race gets underway . </font>

    I can’t say that i have seen lack of engagement as a presenting issue in those babies that are needing to be induced due to poor fetal growth but others may have noticed this ?

    <font face=”inherit”>As far as I know from the historical texts ( which were written by male </font>acupuncturists<font face=”inherit”> ) there was not always a good understanding of the </font>baby’s<font face=”inherit”> </font>position<font face=”inherit”> and labour – they spoke of it as being the midwives ( or women </font>assisting<font face=”inherit”> birth ) fault if the baby was not in a good </font>position<font face=”inherit”> – due to </font><font face=”inherit”> </font>instructing<font face=”inherit”> the women to </font>assume<font face=”inherit”> the birthing </font>position<font face=”inherit”> too soon. As they appeared to think the baby did not assume the correct position</font><font face=”inherit”> </font>until l<font face=”inherit”> the women went into birthing </font>position. Palpation of the baby for position pre or early labour does not appear in the texts I have seen – although there is a lot of advice about getting a good midwife – so it may well have been that these women had the skills <font face=”inherit”> </font>

    <font face=”inherit”>From the translated texts I have that </font>reference<font face=”inherit”> </font>suspended<font face=”inherit”> baby – it is </font>referring<font face=”inherit”> to rib pain – rather than encouraging engagement for efficient labour – for example in </font><font face=”inherit”> </font><i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>The
    Golden Mirror of Orthodox Medicine 1616-1911

    <font face=”inherit” style=””>I don’t have these books with me at the moment but maybe </font>someone<font face=”inherit” style=””> else has the direct quotes?</font>

    From my perceptive during a labour a baby not being in a optimal position may be many reasons but sometimes may not have been something we could have effected due to physical aspects beyond our control –

    However I am relying on midwifery feedback so look forward to others comments 🙂