VBAC with an Android Pelvis?
“Help me! I’m recently diagnosed with an android pelvis and have had 2 cesareans. Now I’m desperate for a VBAC for this third baby,” was the comment on pelvic shape elsewhere in this blog.
My response? Women with Android shaped pelvises, heart shaped or triangular shaped brims, and smaller outlets can give birth vaginally, too. Here’s some tips to help labor go to your advantage.
Work on optimal fetal positioning now via balancing your pelvis and esp releasing ligaments nad muscles to your sacrum and near it, hamstrings, piriformis, psoas, etc. Go for the full Left Occiput Anterior fetal position. This is the best fetal position for an android inlet. An occiput Posterior baby may not engage and if does, may not fit the outlet later.
Before Labor at 38 weeks or in early labor, if you haven’t been able to: Help your baby engage before labor starts, in the LOA position, that’s really important to you. Learn how to engage baby in labor if you need to yet have that happen. Do that before “inducing” or worrying about labor progress in any other way. Engagement first.
Active Labor: Lunge at 4-5 cm facing forward with your leg diagonally to the side on a stool or chair, after the sidelying release, of course.
Second state: And be upright or leaning forward during pushing. Expect to take some time pushing and don’t try to hurry it up at the beginning of pushing but let the strength of 2nd stage build before you exert yourself too much.