Waiting 2 Hours can Prevent a Cesarean?

Julie goes into the hospital with her husband to birth her baby.  Things are going great until she gets “stuck” at 7 cm.  After a little bit the OB comes in and says, “It looks like we are going to need to do a cesarean.”

Sadly most moms in America would just say, “OK.”  They would trust their OB knew what was best.c

Danderyd Hospital
If only those other moms had read this study by UCSF which shows that waiting 2 hours in a “stalled labor” can usually prevent a cesarean.”

Luckily Julie reads the Enjoy Birth Blog and knew about this study.  She and her husband asked some good questions:

  • Am I OK?
  • Is the baby doing OK?
  • What are the risks of a cesarean?
  • What are some other things we can do to help get things moving along?

After a good discussion with the OB they asked for some time to make a decision.  They decided to wait 2 hours and see if any progress was made. Their OB was a little irritated because it was close to dinner time and he wanted to go home (not that he told them that)  His irritation was evident.  “Well, it could be a waste of time.  The baby is doing fine now, but he might not be in an hour.”

Julie stood strong in her desire to wait!  She even referred him to the UCSF study.

They had internet access and were able to Google for some ideas.  They found this post with 8 Natural and Effective Tips for a “Stalled Labor” and tried some of the tips.

2 hours later she had made progress and went onto have her baby vaginally 2 hours after that.

  • Was it hard to ask questions when her OB suggested a cesarean?  No.
  • Was it hard to stand up to her OB when he didn’t want to wait?  Yes.
  • Is she glad she did?  YES!
(OK, I admit, Julie is a fictional character.  But she could be you!  So educate yourself and know your options, especially that waiting 2 hours if a mom has a stalled labor can prevent a cesarean!)

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9 thoughts on “Waiting 2 Hours can Prevent a Cesarean?”

  1. Wonderful post! I was stalled at 6 cm for over 6 hrs at my home birth when we decided to transfer. The OB immediately said c-section, but we (me, husband, midwife and awesome labor nurse) asked the questions about me and baby being okay and managed to put off surgery for almost 12 hrs. I finally get to 10 cm and pushed for 3 hrs.

    Now, I did end up consenting to the c-section and it turned out my baby had a nuchal foot (foot firmly planted by her head) so that was what we needed. Regardless, I was happy to put off the c-section and at least allow my cervix to fully dialate. I think it will make a difference in my next birth.

  2. Wonderful, thank you for sharing your story with us. Sorry about the mean nurse though. I am glad your OB was patient, so important to be patient with birth!

  3. Thanks for sharing your experience. Indeed waiting during this birth will help for your next birth. I am glad that you had a supportive care provider and that while you ended up needing a cesarean, that you have such a good outlook on your experience!

  4. My hospital labor (for my 5th) was stalled at 7 cm for almost 7 hours. Very thankfully, my OB was patient. The only pushy person was my nurse, who said, about an hour before my baby was born, “If you would have let your OB break your water, you’d be nursing your baby right now. Twice.” The only thing that was encouraging to me about that was that the nurse was pro-breastfeeding. After a “slow” labor, once I went into transition, my baby was born in 9 minutes and three pushes, and was 100% healthy. I have my own blog (click on my name, of course), but you can also read the whole story on the Mother’s Advocate Blog: http://mothersadvocate.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/the-birth-of-baby-fiala/

  5. Great post! I’m going to link this. I have heard so many times, “Well, I just stopped dialiting, so I needed the c-section.” While I’m sure some may have ended up being necessary, it seems that a little patience could have gone a long way for many mothers and babies.

  6. Pingback: Failure to Progress or Failure to Be Patient? « the birth bug

  7. Rebeccah Rothwell

    Waiting 2 hours could also be bad news for your baby. I waited through days of pre-labour and pain and hours in the hospital to be told I needed a C-section. I was told too late… my daughter came out not breathing and nearly died. She had two clear bruises either side of her head where she had tried to get out. She spent her first days in the ICU… the doctors were almost too late and I know more people here in Spain where the doctors were too late. Hanging on may not necessarily be the best option for your case.

  8. I am so sorry for the loss of your baby girl. Indeed there are times when waiting is NOT a good idea.

    The only time it is a good idea is if Mom is OK AND Baby is OK. If not, then action should be taken sooner.

    Hugs,
    Sheridan

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