How to Prevent Birth Injuries: What Nurses Wish More Parents Knew

As a nurse and medical professional, it is my job to protect and provide safe care to all of my patients. I have attended some of the most beautiful deliveries and seen hundreds of babies take their first breaths.

Sometimes those first breaths are cries as the infant exits the womb with a room full of smiling faces in celebration. Other times, those first independent breaths come after an extended time, when the baby is surrounded by nurses doing everything they can to help heal the baby from distress.

Preventable birth injuries are the hardest to wrap your head around because no baby should encounter harm at the hands of those you entrusted to keep them safe.

Because many can be prevented, I want to share a few things that I wish more parents understood that could help prevent future injuries from occurring before, during, or after birth.

C-Sections Are Not Bad

I know that most pregnant women have an ideal image in their heads of having a vaginal birth. They imagine feeling the labor contractions, pushing, and then finally meeting their baby as the doctor guides the baby out and places them skin to skin.

While I understand that vaginal births are a goal, I want parents to understand that it is not bad to agree to a C-section when a vaginal birth, or continuing labor, can harm the infant. C-sections save lives.

Here are some signs a C-section may be needed for a safe delivery:

• Labor not progressing or stalled, whether the baby is not descending lower in the birth canal or there is no cervical softening or increased dilation
• Breech (baby is feet-first) or in another unusual position
• Mother with certain health conditions or infections, such as HIV
• Repeated or prolonged drops in the baby’s heart rate
• Vaginal bleeding, indicating a problem with the uterus or placenta
• Very large baby

I have witnessed firsthand the harm that can occur to a baby when C-sections are delayed and then an emergency occurs. In some cases, this may be considered medical malpractice.

If your doctor recommends a C-section, pause and ask more questions. Why are they suggesting this? What are the risks if I try for a vaginal delivery first?

Is there a risk for a birth injury if I refuse? Will a C-section reduce the risk of injury to my baby?

Know the Warning Signs

It is important to know what signs to look out for in pregnancy and delivery that could mean your baby is experiencing distress or an emergency is happening. Catching these warning signs can lead to getting your infant checked out by a doctor quickly and potentially saving them from prolonged distress.

If there is prolonged distress to your infant, it can mean that your baby is going a long time with decreased blood flow, decreased oxygen, or exposure to an infection, which all put the baby at risk for injury.

Some warning signs to be aware of during pregnancy and labor include:

• Abnormal water breaking (prematurely before 37 weeks or seeing a greenish brown color in fluid instead of clear)
• Blurred vision or seeing spots, dizziness, severe swelling, or constant headache (signs of a high-risk blood pressure condition)
• Fever (temperature greater than 100.4° F) or other signs of infection
• Infant heart rate has prolonged, repetitive, or severe drops (you may have a nurse coming in to turn your body often or place an oxygen mask on you)
• Not feeling your baby move or feeling less kicks (decreased fetal movement)
• Sudden or severe abdominal pain
• Vaginal bleeding
• Water has been broken for a prolonged period of time (prolonged rupture of membranes longer than 18 hours)

Medical professionals have been trained to spot these warning signs and act quickly to protect the health of the mother and baby. When they fail to do so, their medical negligence can lead to preventable birth injuries.

Know the Risks

When formatting your birth plan before delivery, make sure you review the benefits versus risks of interventions that could be used during the birth. If you have the option, picking a doctor you know and trust is important in this process.

Here are some other things to consider:

• Delivery assistance tools: You may state that you do not want delivery assistance tools used unless absolutely necessary. These tools, forceps or vacuum extractors, can put the infant at an increased risk for physical injury. Most of these injuries can be mild, such as swelling or minor bleeding under the scalp.
• Risk evaluation: If your baby is stuck during birth, the heart rate is dropping, and there is a risk for decreased oxygen to the baby, this birth injury can be much more severe. In this case, the risk of brain injury from low oxygen outweighs the risk of a physical injury to the scalp, and you would consent to the doctor using these tools.
• Other risk factors: Another example of knowing your risks would be if you have a large baby or your water has been broken for a prolonged period of time. If the doctor suggests a C-section, you should ask about the risks of attempting a vaginal delivery.
• What to ask: Is there any increased risk for infection for my baby if we try for a vaginal delivery after my water has been broken for 24 hours? How high is that risk? Is there a risk for an emergent C-section if my baby is too large to fit through the pelvic bone? How high is the risk for low oxygen or distress to my baby?

It is important that you ask questions when a procedure or intervention is needed. Your situation and labor are unique to you, but it is always important to know what type of birth injury could occur.

Trust Your Gut

If you feel like your doctor is panicking or not making wise decisions, request another doctor. If you feel like your doctor is being too aggressive, speak up. No one should be put in a situation where they have to monitor their doctor, who is there to keep them and their baby safe, but unfortunately and sadly, sometimes you do.

As a nurse myself, I know I am here to advocate for my patients’ needs, wants, and their safety. Do not be afraid to speak up about a concern. It could mean the prevention of a birth injury to your baby.

Get Help for a Preventable Birth Injury

Even with the best preparation, sometimes preventable birth injuries still happen. When they do, families are left feeling heartbroken, confused, and searching for answers.

If you believe your child’s birth injury could have been prevented, you don’t have to face this alone. The Birth Injury Justice Center has registered nurses like me, who can help you get to the bottom of what happened.

Compensation from a birth injury lawsuit may be available for families with a child who suffered a preventable birth injury. Every baby deserves a safe start in life — and every parent deserves the truth about what happened.

Call (800) 914-1562 right now or fill out our contact form to connect with a labor and delivery nurse and get the help you deserve.