#302 | Facing PTSD with Shoulder Dystocia at Home Birth

In this episode, Allison Angelini shares the profound and challenging story of her second pregnancy and birth. From the start, Allison had a premonition that her birth might not go as planned. Compounding her worries, she experienced a traumatic event while camping with her toddler, which left her grappling with PTSD and anxiety throughout her pregnancy.

Despite her fears, Allison pursued a home birth. Her labor was long and intense, complicated by an anterior cervical lip and an instinctive sense that something was off. After her baby’s head was born, his shoulders became stuck—a shoulder dystocia. He entered the world pale, limp, and not breathing. However, his umbilical cord remained intact and pulsing at a strong 150 bpm, allowing him to recover after eight tense minutes in his mother’s arms, still connected to his placenta.

In reflecting on her experience, Allison wonders if her mental state influenced her labor progression and contributed to the shoulder dystocia of her 9 lb. 13 oz. baby. Despite this difficult birth, she later went on to have a smooth home birth with her third child, who weighed almost exactly the same as her second.

Tune in to hear Allison’s honest and introspective journey as she wrestles with the question: Did my PTSD cause a shoulder dystocia?

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