CN for potentially triggering content. Sharing with permission from a GentleBirth Mom. Although our focus at GentleBirth is intentionally positive this is important information to be shared for any parents attending a hospital where this procedure is routinely done on admission.

“I recently. I had my second baby in NMH weeks ago. For my first I had back labor and it was very fast (waters released spontaneously at 38+2, contractions started immediately, very intense and baby in my arms 3 hrs later).

This labor was all in my back too. I arrived at hospital in established labour but waters intact. I was meant to be with community midwives but ended up brought to other part of hospital by mistake and due to labour progressing quickly and hospital being busy had to stay put for a while.

The midwife insisted on ARM on admittance or else I'd need to lie on my back on the bed to be monitored for 30 min.

I couldn't bear the thoughts of that with the pressure in my back so reluctantly agreed to ARM. Once she did though it all went a bit pear shaped. The waters released easily and with them baby came too. I instantly went to 10cm and midwife said she had to kind of hold baby to slow delivery and avoid cord coming first etc.

My baby's heart rate dropped very suddenly and dramatically and what had been up to then a very manageable and controlled labour turned into a major rush, pediatrician called and me being told to push to get baby out NOW.

My body definitely wasn't ready to deliver and I had no urge to push but I did as I was told and baby was delivered in minutes and thankfully perfectly fine and healthy. Despite feeling like I'd done untold damage I didn't need stitches or anything either so in many ways it was a positive delivery.

I just can't seem to shake the disappointment in having the experience taken from me.

As I say I was managing really well and felt really strong and in control up to that point. Then it felt like at the last stages i was put on my back and baby ripped from me, leaving me feeling totally deflated. I'm now, 5 weeks later just trying to sort out in my head what exactly did happen.

I just want to make peace with this delivery and if we were to have another baby down the line ideally I'd have a natural, undisturbed, upright delivery and at home, if possible.

Learn About Cord Prolapse

When the cord comes first it is an obstetric emergency and your baby has only minutes to be born as the oxygen has been significantly reduced due to the baby’s head cutting off the blood flow through the cord to your baby.

How is this emergency managed?

If your baby hasn’t descended far enough to be born an emergency cesarean will be required - potentially with a general anesthetic. It is a rare event but research suggests that around 50% of these emergencies are caused by medical intervention so to answer the question posed in the title your risk may be significantly reduced by avoiding this procedure without a compelling medical reason. While the operating room is being prepared your careprovider has to keep her hand in your vagina holding the baby’s head off the cord as you’re being rushed to the operating room.

If ARM (artificial rupture of membranes) is suggested to you in labor. Use the BRAIN framework to help you make a decision.

Note that routinely breaking the waters is not recommended for healthy well mothers to ‘check’ on baby during labor. It is an outdated procedure still commonly used at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin but without any explanation of the potential risks. The least invasive way to check on your baby is to listen in to your baby’s heart rate. Talk to your careprovider about when they would recommend this care option. It is usually part of an induction of labor to bring the baby’s head further down onto the cervix to progress dilation.