Darren & I saw the midwives yesterday for my 37 week checkup. I was given a copy of my prenatal medical records & instructed to keep it on my persons at all times. I tested negative for Group B Strep, & that was my only win for the day. The baby is still breech & settling into my pelvis. I've been scheduled for an in-hospital version for next Wednesday. I'm to drink a ton of water over the next few days to build up my amniotic fluid. I'm not to eat or drink after midnight on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I'll be given an IV with fluids & a smooth muscle relaxer. Then the doctor will attempt to manually turn the baby. I have a lot of anxiety about this procedure.
If the version is unsuccessful then I will be scheduled for a c-section for the following week. I'm even more anxious about that procedure.
Packing my hospital bag was a lot more fun. I'm not having fun anymore. I'm ready for this to all be over & behind me.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
37 weeks
Well another great shower has come & gone. We had an amazing time in Baltimore with our family & long time family friends celebrating our soon to be born baby girl. This shower also took place during one of the three triple crown races, this time the Preakness, where it turned out to be Lookin At Lucky's big day for the win. So we will not be naming our baby girl after Super Saver or Lookin At Lucky. However it's been fun to tie in the horse races to the backdrop of each shower event. And as I am now full term...Maybe it will be my little thoroughbred who will win big on June 5th. It could happen. Here are a few photos from the Baltimore Baby Shower. Thanks to my aunt & her family for hosting a lovely party.
On to the current issues. So our little baby girl still has not turned. I've done everything holistically possible so far. She's not moving. So now we discuss the in hospital version. I'm disappointed about the prospect of this manual maneuver. Word on the street is that it's rather uncomfortable for mom & can take anywhere from 5-30min to successfully turn the baby. They usually stop after 30min even if the baby has not turned. The other concern is that this maneuver will cause the baby to go into distress, which could result in an emergency c-section. The other issue is that if she has not turned by 39 weeks, either on her own or by force, I will be scheduled for a c-section. It always goes without saying that mom & dad want a healthy baby born, first & foremost. However, we take issue with people who say don't worry about it. That's just insane to me. While a c-section is common practice in the US, anyone in a sound frame of mind ought to consider the draw backs of any surgery "big" or "small". And oh-by-the-way, abdominal surgery isn't considered a walk in the park. Not to mention that this is as far from my envisioned birth experience. So there is reason to allow me to grieve for the potential loss of that experience, all while preparing for what may come, and all that will be required in a cesarean postpartum recovery. A c-section does have very immediate & long term lifelong consequences. So today I'm sad & disappointed.
On to the current issues. So our little baby girl still has not turned. I've done everything holistically possible so far. She's not moving. So now we discuss the in hospital version. I'm disappointed about the prospect of this manual maneuver. Word on the street is that it's rather uncomfortable for mom & can take anywhere from 5-30min to successfully turn the baby. They usually stop after 30min even if the baby has not turned. The other concern is that this maneuver will cause the baby to go into distress, which could result in an emergency c-section. The other issue is that if she has not turned by 39 weeks, either on her own or by force, I will be scheduled for a c-section. It always goes without saying that mom & dad want a healthy baby born, first & foremost. However, we take issue with people who say don't worry about it. That's just insane to me. While a c-section is common practice in the US, anyone in a sound frame of mind ought to consider the draw backs of any surgery "big" or "small". And oh-by-the-way, abdominal surgery isn't considered a walk in the park. Not to mention that this is as far from my envisioned birth experience. So there is reason to allow me to grieve for the potential loss of that experience, all while preparing for what may come, and all that will be required in a cesarean postpartum recovery. A c-section does have very immediate & long term lifelong consequences. So today I'm sad & disappointed.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
She's a brick...House
Yep that's right, I'm huge. Confirmed by the fact that I now have significant trouble parallel parking & that my friends keep telling me so (& telling me stories of them telling other people that I am huge). So I'm huge! My lower back & right oblique is killing me & I now have trouble getting a deep breath. I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant & quite frankly I feel it. The baby girl is still moving & shaking. She's in no rush to get herself into position. This puts my midwives into a tizzy. They are eager to schedule me for an inversion, however I've decided against this plan. I think the baby is just not quite ready yet. She'll have her whole life to be bossed around, for now she can decide when it's time to get ready & when it's time to be born. I feel a lot better having made this decision. The in hospital inversion seemed so dooms-day to me. It will be a challenge next week getting the midwives to back off & accept my choice to allow the baby to find her way down on her own terms. But as her mom, I'm prepared to fight on her behalf for what I feel in my gut to be what's best for her.
So now that you've been updated on that turn of events I will share with you the photos from my most fabulous Brooklyn Baby Shower. My friends did the most amazing job creating a day packed with fun, creativity & some gift giving. Many many thanks for all who participated in Baby Girl's Showering of Love & Affection!
Thanks to Matt & Amy for sharing their pics with me. And Thanks to Megan & Luke for opening their home. And to Megan & Heather for showering us with love love love.
So now that you've been updated on that turn of events I will share with you the photos from my most fabulous Brooklyn Baby Shower. My friends did the most amazing job creating a day packed with fun, creativity & some gift giving. Many many thanks for all who participated in Baby Girl's Showering of Love & Affection!
Thanks to Matt & Amy for sharing their pics with me. And Thanks to Megan & Luke for opening their home. And to Megan & Heather for showering us with love love love.
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