I had shoulder distocia with my daughter. Olivia was only 7lb2oz, so I am pretty sure that the reason she got so stuck was because of position. I had been standing all labour (7 hours) and then all of a sudden I was 9cm dilated and everyone had a panic and got me on the bed in a reclining position and basically she got stuck becasue I was in the wrong position.
My OB (in Darwin), when I got pg again, straight way said that for my second birth that he would closely monitor the size of the baby and we would most likely go for an induction as that way the labour could be managed and if #2 got stuck again we would all be prepared. He indicated that my pelvis was small (even though I have wide hips? Go figure?)
Anyway, then I moved when I was 6 months pg, to Adelaide and the Darwin OB had to "handover" my care to a new OB in Adelaide. My old OB was old and experienced and felt that in the hands of a young OB a CS would be "safest". But I REALLY DIDN'T want a CS because of the recovery. (Imagine.........major abdominal surgery and its recovery with an 18 month old toddler and a newborn? Nightmare!!)
SO, when my new OB saw me, I was lucky that he was happy to take on my thoughts and really considered what I wanted. He did offer me a CS. And he also sent me for a guesstimate scan to try & see how big the baby # 2 was.......everyone kept telling me he was HUGE. I ate like a pig through my pregnancy but I still lost weight, and so I was all baby IYKWIM?
Anyway, the scan predicted an 11lber!!!!!
I was still adamant that I did not want a CS, and that I would prefer to be induced with my OB there so that if Charlie did get stuck, we could manage it together. And my OB agreed to this no problem.
As it was, I was induced with the drip (cytocin?SP?), my waters broke straight away, I went to 7 cm dialted in the first hour, then went into transition and vomited everything up, then started to push whilst still on the birthing/fit ball. My OB tried to get me on the bed (more convenient for him) but I screamed the hospital down to object to this, and got into the shower instead! After about 20 mins in the shower (I was pushing, but standing up) the midwife gently moved me into the main room of the delivery suite, told me to stand on a mat, she held one hand, Andrew (DH) held the other (I nearly broke both their hands!) & I carried on standing. For the last few pushes I went into a legs bent position, but not full on squatting, IYKWIM? And Charlie was delivered. Honestly, I found, in that position that it was "easy"! He slid out like a bar of soap! No tearing at all. He was 6lb 13oz, so a little bit smaller than Olivia.
My recovery was almost instant. I did lay on the bed to have my OB deliver the placenta at the same time as putting Charlie to the boob. That was at 5pm, and by 7pm I was outside taking a walk round the grounds making phone calls!!!
I am convinced that the speed and the position made it all possible. I had no drugs or anything........not becasue I have anything against them at all, but I didn't know how long my labour would be, so I kept thinking "I'll save the gas for when it gets REALLY bad", & didn't end up having time!
Induction worked really well for me. Because of Olivia, I wanted to be really organised and have her well fixed up with babysitters etc, so having an appointment for an induction made it possible for us to arrange all her care with my SIL, which took a load of my mind and made me relax more.
I think that if you talk to your OB and discuss that you really want to go for a vaginal delivery, he should defiantely support you.
Shoulder distocia is, in my experience, all about position, and confidence!
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