Four Common Birth Injuries New Moms Need to Be Prepared For
Giving birth is a miracle, but it isn’t one that doesn’t come with its own set of complications. Humans have gotten very good at giving birth without harm to the mother or baby, but that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to have a good experience every time. Sometimes the birthing process can be very, very hard. Mothers still die in the United States during labor. Babies are still injured in the process.
What Needs To Change?
There is a lot that needs to be done to improve pregnancy, labor, and childcare in the country. Until those systemic changes are put into place, however, it’s up to families to prepare and be aware. Knowing what birth injuries can happen, for example, is an essential step. First, so that you can get the treatment you or your baby needs, and also so that you can get compensation. Compensation may sound callous. After all, why are you thinking about money when your baby or yourself has been harmed? You’ll need money – and often a lot of it – to comfortably care for yourself or your baby after the incident. This is especially true when the injury results in a lifelong condition like Cerebral Palsy.
A birth asphyxia claim works to give you the financial compensation you need to get the assistive tools you need, the therapists you’ll want, and it will also pay for any physical changes you need to make to your home. It also works to highlight issues in the way a hospital runs so that the issue can be addressed and ideally never has to happen to another person.
There are many complications that can occur during birth, with these top injuries a must to be aware of before you go into the labor ward:
- Asphyxia
A lack of oxygen during the birthing process can result in asphyxia, which, in turn, can result in Cerebral Palsy. This is avoidable. The key is to watch the fetus during labor for any distress and to take quick action if there’s an issue. In many cases, this is handled by taking the mother in for an emergency C-section.
- Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s Palsy is another condition that can occur during birth. It happens when excessive force is used during labor, and that force damages the brachial plexus. The result is a lack of sensation and movement in the upper arms, which can be challenging for babies and their parents to accommodate.
- Fractures
Babies and mothers alike can break bones during delivery. While these fractures typically heal just fine on their own, they can result in complications if you aren’t carefully monitored and the facture isn’t caught.
- Subgalea Hemorrhage
Bleeding between the scalp and skull can occur during birth. This can lead to death if it isn’t caught immediately and treated, so if you feel like you or your baby isn’t being seen or they aren’t listening to you about a concern you have, then yes, you have a very clear case for negligence.