Well, we had QUITE a disappointing visit today... :( I went in with hopes of being more dilated/effaced after having lots of contractions from 3-6am this morning. Thinking possibly Labor Day could have a new significance this year!!! Much to my dismay, we heard news we were not prepared for. In the big scheme of things, Colton is okay, but it sure dashed my excitement and caused worry and concern...
The PA came in to listen to the HB, and I was having a major contraction which lasted a few minutes. She measured my belly which was 36cm at 36 weeks (doc didn't tell me measurement last week), and it was only at 31cm!! I was thinking, boy-- he has really dropped!! She felt the outside and said she didn't feel his head down. I said, he's been head down for weeks, I just felt his hiccups yesterday in my pelvis.... So, doc came in and did the internal exam, and he looked perplexed. He said, I don't feel the head. I feel body parts. I was like, WHAT? He said, I think the baby has flipped, he's breech now. I asked if he was sure, and he said, I feel baby bits, not his head. He said, I want to take a look. I thought he meant with a speculum or something, but he said he had the u/s machine set up, and I could get dressed. I was in shock, and Bryan was asking questions like, will he turn down again, can we turn him, or encourage him to turn, etc. Doc said he probably wouldn't turn at this stage (almost 38 weeks) and then started looking at the calendar at dates to schedule a c-section! I was like, WHOA, hang on a minute!! I really don't want a c-section. Bryan and I were both irritated as he just seemed to be set on trying to tell us that was probably what would happen. He said that since it would be an "elective c-section" the hospital won't allow you to schedule until 39 weeks!! So the soonest we could schedule is Sept 15-16. I was like, NO FREAKING WAY. He said if I went into labor or my water broke, to come in right away--not labor at home, then obviously they'd check his position to see if he'd turned... Otherwise they would do a c-section then.
We went to the next room for the u/s and he said that Colton is bottom down, his testicles are facing the cervix, which is apparently what he was feeling. His head is on the right side of my uterus. I'm not sure, since I couldn't see the screen well, if he's facing out or in. When I have contractions, I get two lumps which makes me think it's his back/head, and he's facing in with his legs tucked up and inside of my abdomen/uterus. He tried to get a measurement too, and said he thought that baby is about 7 pounds now, which is surprising since I'm not THAT big and neither Bryan nor I were big babies.
Anyway, I got really discouraged/upset/emotional as one of my biggest fears is having a c-section... for a NUMBER of reasons. The thought alone makes me queasy (as it does Bryan!) and then there's the issue of healing afterward, longer recovery, plus, Bryan is scheduled to go back to work overseas for a short stint in later October! Which means if we had to wait until 9-15, Colton will be only 5 weeks old and I wouldn't even be cleared to DRIVE yet!!!! Not good. We were discouraged that my doc was like-- c-section is it, unless he turns himself. He tried to comfort me but I was in tears... Bryan and I went to lunch, I kept getting all choked up...
We did ask if I had dilated more-- he said still between 2-3. Didn't mention effacement, which I of course, didn't ask.... I was just in shock.
SO, now we are praying, and asking anyone and everyone to pray that Colton will turn on his own and I'll go into labor!! We did a bunch of reading online and I already did 20 minutes of frozen corn at the top of my belly and a warm compress at my pelvis, while being tilted butt up with pillows propped underneath! I will do the downward dog yoga pose later, but couldn't do it now, cuz I thought I'd throw up my lunch! Ugh. It's really hard to breathe with your hiney up in the air and a 9 month preggo belly pressing into your lungs...
I can't imagine going another 2 weeks with 5-8+ contractions every hour every day... I can't imagine it's great for baby either... Please pray for us... My excitement and joy has turned to fear and worry... things like cord prolapse and placental abruption were mentioned if they tried ECV (turning manually in the office/hospital)... We just need God to turn this little guy down and keep him head down!!
I'll keep you posted. Please just pray with us...
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I can't even imagine how disappointed you must be, I know I sure would be! That ticks me off that the dr. was so antsy to schedule a c/s! To say the baby won't flip back to head down is just not true. If he had enough room to flip yesterday, then he has enough room to flip back today. I would seriously research inversions and home remedies and if you feel comfortable going that route, then you tell that doc that's what you want and don't let him scare you out of it, remember that he wants to jump straight to a c/s so he's going to tell you about all the worst case scenarios and use your fear against you.
ReplyDeleteI hope he was gentle when he was feeling those baby parts since they turned out to be the testicles!
Don't take the 7 lbs as a for sure thing, those u/s weight measurements are far from accurate. The entire time they thought I was having a big baby and he was 6lb15oz. Don't let the doc scare you by adding that to his c/s reasoning, I see all the time women getting c/s because the baby is too big and then the baby comes out small.
Just remember hun that hospitals love having reasons to do c/s, so you do the research and demand they go with what you are comfortable with. If you want to try an inversion, then go for it. My friend was prepped with an epidural and ready for a c/s just in case, then they attempted the inversion and it worked and she had him vaginally.
If you do end up needing a c/s, please know that they are not as bad as one might think according to what I've heard from a lot of women. But this is not the goal.
Another thought is to maybe call a midwife/doula and see if they can assist you in getting him turned naturally.
Praying for you! Come on Colton, bum up in the air!