Ice to reduce a swollen ant lip?

Dayray, RN · Nov 4, 2005

I read that book too. I'm not sure if it would work I mean wouldn't it just melt?

The reason I didn't look further into the idea is because to me a swollen ant lip means the baby isn't descending. It's a symptom of a problem and not a problem it's self. If you can get the baby to turn they will descend, stop bumping into the cervix, put pressure on the lip and it will go away, then you can have a baby.

Now a persistent lip that is not swollen is an entirely different thing. That to me says that the baby is just angled a little funny but deliverable if you can get the lip to go away by getting pressure on the lip threw position changes or if you can reduce it.

Of course there are exceptions and variables to both these scenarios.

So a way of getting rid of a persistent lip might help but a persistent lip is much different from a swollen one and I don't really want to treat the swelling but the underlying problem.

Also ill just add "burrrrrrrr" that sure would be cold.

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 4, 2005

I own the book and I think it's excellent. But I would not try this because I agree w/dayray. You are treating a SYMPTOM, not a problem. Usually there are underlying reasons for persistent Ant Lips or cervices that swell. I can't believe this is really going to be helpful in the majority of cases. AND I would be careful to have ice NOT touching the fetal head. Maybe I am wrong, but this sounds very ineffective in the long run.

babyktchr, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2005

Funny this has come up...had a midwife at work try the "Cervical melting" thing....she put ice in a glove and pushed it right up there. What I heard was (cause I wasn't working that night) was everyone asking if she removed the glove before going to the OR???

Editorial Team / Admin · Nov 6, 2005

Funny this has come up...had a midwife at work try the "Cervical melting" thing....she put ice in a glove and pushed it right up there. What I heard was (cause I wasn't working that night) was everyone asking if she removed the glove before going to the OR???

Hi, babyktchr,

That is an incorrect approach to the utilization of this technique.

The hand is gloved as usual and then a very small portion of crushed ice is placed in the index finger of another glove. This glove is donned and the examining hand inserted into the lady parts with the gloved/iced finger touching the ant lip. When the ice begins to become uncomfortable to the examiner, it is time to withdraw the hand. Normally this small amount of ice melts before the discomfort really begins. Thus, it is normally not as uncomfortable for the woman and not an issue with the fetal head.

But, even though I have utilized this in past deliveries, unless the cause of the edematous lip is treated/abated, this method fails.

midwife2b · Nov 13, 2005

Hi, babyktchr,
That is an incorrect approach to the utilization of this technique.
The hand is gloved as usual and then a very small portion of crushed ice is placed in the index finger of another glove. This glove is donned and the examining hand inserted into the lady parts with the gloved/iced finger touching the ant lip. When the ice begins to become uncomfortable to the examiner, it is time to withdraw the hand. Normally this small amount of ice melts before the discomfort really begins. Thus, it is normally not as uncomfortable for the woman and not an issue with the fetal head.
But, even though I have utilized this in past deliveries, unless the cause of the edematous lip is treated/abated, this method fails.

I wholeheartedly agree!!!