We were planning a homebirth with a MW. One day at 30 weeks, I could not get our daughter to move for almost 24 hours. I called the MW and she sent me in for an ultrasound. The tech could not get the baby to move either, but she was breathing and heart rate was great. However, they noticed that my placenta was already a grade III, which I suppose is not normal for a 30 week pregnancy. After talking with MW, we decide to go to an OB for a biophysical profile, NST, and consultation. OB gets us in the next day with the understanding that we had to transfer care to her. No biggie because we knew we could choose to transfer back to MW if everything ended up being okay.
That's the back story.
Fast forward to today...38 weeks, 1 day. We have been seeing the OB every Monday for ultrasound monitioring of the baby, amniotic fluid, growth, and placental grade. In addition, we have been having weekly NST. Everything has been picture perfect, with the exception of marginally low fluid about three weeks ago (it was great the next week). OB initially said it was her impression that, due to the grade of the placenta at 30 weeks, that we would come in some day with off levels and an induction would be necessary....she said she doubted we would make it to 37 weeks. Until last week, my placenta stayed exactly as it was at 30 weeks...no futher break down.
But here we are and she says we are boringly normal...that can't be a bad thing, huh? My placenta aged a bit more last week and had more calcifications that the previous week. However, OB said my placenta is now where she would expect a placenta to be at this stage in pregnancy. OB is saying that she would not feel comfortable with this pregnancy going past 40 weeks because of the placenta issues, the natural progression of placental breakdown, and my placenta being prematurely aged. BUT, I don't think it is prematurely aged now. At 30 weeks, yes. At 37 weeks, she said it looked about like what a 37 weeks placenta should look like.
Last Monday, she started talking about induction prior to the due date. The EDD is January 3rd. She said it was up to us, but asked if we wanted to go ahead and schedule in case I did not go into labor without the induction. She asked if we wanted to schedule for the weekend after Christmas because if it was only the matter of a few days, did we want a tax break? She wasn't saying to induce only for tax reasons, but just that if she wanted to induce by the 3rd, did we want to do it a few days earlier. No biggie to her.
I expressed concern because I am not effaced or dialated at all. I told her that without any effacement or dialation, I was afraid I would not respond to pitocin and end up with a section.
Then, she offered this: Do a two step induction. Come in this week for an induction with cervidil to try to get me to dialate. If I dialate, great, we have a baby. If I do not dialate, they remove the cervidil and I return a week later to try again with pitocin. What do you think about this plan?
I need to talk to her more about why she does not want me to go past 40 weeks. I really, really do not want to be induced. But I am also now scared that something will happen to this baby.
Does anyone have any suggestions for compromise with the OB. She is really open to listening to my feedback. Could I ask for daily NST after 40 weeks? Are there other things that can be done to make sure our daughter is safe, while buying her a little more time?
What does everyone think?
That's the back story.
Fast forward to today...38 weeks, 1 day. We have been seeing the OB every Monday for ultrasound monitioring of the baby, amniotic fluid, growth, and placental grade. In addition, we have been having weekly NST. Everything has been picture perfect, with the exception of marginally low fluid about three weeks ago (it was great the next week). OB initially said it was her impression that, due to the grade of the placenta at 30 weeks, that we would come in some day with off levels and an induction would be necessary....she said she doubted we would make it to 37 weeks. Until last week, my placenta stayed exactly as it was at 30 weeks...no futher break down.
But here we are and she says we are boringly normal...that can't be a bad thing, huh? My placenta aged a bit more last week and had more calcifications that the previous week. However, OB said my placenta is now where she would expect a placenta to be at this stage in pregnancy. OB is saying that she would not feel comfortable with this pregnancy going past 40 weeks because of the placenta issues, the natural progression of placental breakdown, and my placenta being prematurely aged. BUT, I don't think it is prematurely aged now. At 30 weeks, yes. At 37 weeks, she said it looked about like what a 37 weeks placenta should look like.
Last Monday, she started talking about induction prior to the due date. The EDD is January 3rd. She said it was up to us, but asked if we wanted to go ahead and schedule in case I did not go into labor without the induction. She asked if we wanted to schedule for the weekend after Christmas because if it was only the matter of a few days, did we want a tax break? She wasn't saying to induce only for tax reasons, but just that if she wanted to induce by the 3rd, did we want to do it a few days earlier. No biggie to her.
I expressed concern because I am not effaced or dialated at all. I told her that without any effacement or dialation, I was afraid I would not respond to pitocin and end up with a section.
Then, she offered this: Do a two step induction. Come in this week for an induction with cervidil to try to get me to dialate. If I dialate, great, we have a baby. If I do not dialate, they remove the cervidil and I return a week later to try again with pitocin. What do you think about this plan?
I need to talk to her more about why she does not want me to go past 40 weeks. I really, really do not want to be induced. But I am also now scared that something will happen to this baby.
Does anyone have any suggestions for compromise with the OB. She is really open to listening to my feedback. Could I ask for daily NST after 40 weeks? Are there other things that can be done to make sure our daughter is safe, while buying her a little more time?
What does everyone think?
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