Massive newborn head lump from vacuum

[Where there's hope]

My newborn has a very large lump on the top right side of his head after the vaccum was needed during my emergency CS (in my ob's words, "he was a bit stuck"). We were originally told this is fluid under the scalp and it would disappear in five days. 12 days on, no change. He looks incredibly lop-sided. We are seeing the paediatrician next week, but I was wondering if this happened to anyone else out there in BB land, how long it lasted, and if it left a depression in the scalp when the swelling finally disappeared?

Hope I have posted this in the right place...

WTH

[Alan]

You should notice it starting to go down in the next day or so. It would be a good idea to point it out to you paed when you go next week

[Where there's hope]

Thanks for your speedy reply, Alan. Do you know if this is a cephalohematoma? I am not sure what is mean't by "fluid". Is it blood, or something else?

Thanks again
WTH

[skybie]

probably totally unrelated but DD2 was born with a massive bruise across the top of her head from being born posterior, 2 weeks later there was still a large bluey/purple lump that didnt want to budge, anyway turns out its a strawberry birth mark and not a bruise at all, it was just coincidence that it was in the same spot at her bruising

[Alan]

Without being able to examine it I cannot say for sure what it is however I would suspect that it is a bruise caused by the vacuum (cephalohematoma). A bruise is caused by small blood vessels in the shin and underlying tissues being damaged and thus releasing blood into the tissues. I would expect to see some improvement by now or within the next day or so in this type of injury. I would suspect that when they said fluid they meant blood. Perhaps they think that if they said it was blood it would sound more scary than if they said fluid.

[Hollo]

dd1 had this after a vaginal vacuum extraction. poor little darlings, it must be really sore i always though. i was told it was a hematoma (bruise). there was also a little scab in the middle of hers from where they put in the monitoring device. i cant remember exactly how long it lasted but i do remember it was there for a fair while after they said it would go away. oh, and not there was not depression after it finally went away.

[MrsB26]

my ds had the same thing from the vacuum. It was there for a few weeks from what i remember but it cleared to be perfectly normal.

[Where there's hope]

Alan - thank you for your clear explanation. Things are much easier when given a direct answer, like your's. I like to know what I am (or am not) dealing with.

MrsB26, Hollo and Skybie - I appreciate your reading about your experiences. You have taken a load of our minds.

Thanks again
WTH

[satya]

I can't remember exactly how long my son's took to go down but it was still very noticeable when we left hospital after a 5 night stay. I think it was less than it was but maybe up to another week before it was fully gone.

By the way, congratulations on the birth of your lil man.

[danniellabella]

I think my daughters took about 2 weeks to go down fully. Can't remember exactly though

[black_rose]

DD had a similar thing on her head from being engaged for two weeks while I was on bed rest with constant contractions to stop her being born at 35 weeks . It was huge but there is no sign of anything anymore.