14/12/2025
IF MCROBERT’S MANEUVER FAILS… THEN WHAT?
Someone asked,
"If McRoberts maneuver doesn’t work during a shoulder dystocia, what’s the next step?"
If McRoberts (the first go-to move where we flex the mother's legs tightly to her belly) doesn’t free the baby, there are other techniques we use immediately, like:
Suprap***c pressure: pressing just above the p***c bone to help move the baby’s shoulder.
Woods screw maneuver: gently rotating the baby to free the stuck shoulder.
Rubin maneuver: pushing the baby’s shoulder inward to make it smaller and easier to deliver.
Gaskin maneuver: turning the mother to all fours (hands and knees) to create more space.
In very rare cases, advanced moves like Zavanelli maneuver (pushing the baby back in for a C-section) are considered but that's extremely rare and a last resort.
The goal is simple: Act fast, stay calm, save the baby and the mother.
Birth is unpredictable sometimes, but skilled midwives know multiple ways to respond when things get tricky.
©️ Student Nurses & Midwives - Health Care Champions
