I am 40w4d pregnant and am planning a hospital VBAC (due to insurance and personal reasons). My daughter was born at 38w due to breech presentation and low fluid levels (about 4 cm).
I have been pleased with my OB so far, and I really don't feel like she's treating me any differently than she would be a "normal" patient. Her office protocol is to do twice-weekly NSTs after 41 weeks and an ultrasound for a fluid check, and she'll "let" me go a few days past 42 weeks before getting too antsy to get the baby out. My NSTs are scheduled for 41w3d and 41w5d. So I know I have time, but I am afraid something won't go well with next week's tests and they'll pressure me to get baby out.
We had an "issue" last week where baby failed an NST and then BPP, and I was sent to the hospital, basically for a c-section. But once I got there (in the evening, when baby is usually active), baby looked great and passed the NST and two BPPs (with scores of 6/8 and then 8/8). So I was discharged around 2 a.m. But because these NSTs next week will again be during the day, when baby isn't usually active, I'm afraid of the same type of results. My doctor knows this and recognizes baby might not be too active, but I'm not sure what that will mean when/if it comes down to it.
I was checked today, and I'm 2 cm and 75 percent effaced. I've been having nightly contractions for three weeks, but they always peter out when I go to bed. For three nights in a row I had what I would describe as prodromal labor (more intense and frequent than they had been, unlike anything I'd ever felt) for about five hours each time, but I didn't have any last night. I've been having a few random contractions throughout the day today.
I've been drinking RRLT for weeks now, and I've been inserting EPO vaginally at bedtime for about a week and a half. I'm doing Hypnobabies, and I recently bought the "Come out, baby!" track, but it hasn't done the trick yet. I've been pumping every other day. At my doula's recommendation, I am seeing an acupuncturist tomorrow to try to get these contractions to stick around and turn into the real deal.
I'm not concerned with the fact that I'm past my due date; I know babies don't always come by then. What's getting me discouraged is that all these contractions and the prodromal labor never lead anywhere or turn into the real deal. Every day when they start up, I try not to get my hopes up but do, and then they peter out, which leaves me really disappointed. I'm also concerned that we'll have a repeat of last week's "issue" when I go in for my NST on Monday (provided baby hasn't come by then), and that my doctor will freak and want to send me in for a section. That's why I'm really wanting to work on these natural induction methods now before I get to the point of having twice weekly NSTs and a fluid check (and of course that worries me, since I had low fluid with DD and my fluid was about 8 last week at the BPP).
My doctor wanted me to schedule a section date "just in case," but I told her I wasn't ready to do that. She was actually pretty cool with that, which surprised me. She said we'll just keep watching baby then and see what happens. I'm not willing, and I wouldn't let her cut me open without at least trying some sort of minimally invasive induction method (foley catheter to 3 cm if I'm not already there and then break my waters -- or something similar) first, and I'd have to be past 42 weeks to even do that.
This waiting game is so hard. I guess I don't know what I'm looking for here. I just wanted to share my story and hopefully hear some words of inspiration ... or something like that.
I have been pleased with my OB so far, and I really don't feel like she's treating me any differently than she would be a "normal" patient. Her office protocol is to do twice-weekly NSTs after 41 weeks and an ultrasound for a fluid check, and she'll "let" me go a few days past 42 weeks before getting too antsy to get the baby out. My NSTs are scheduled for 41w3d and 41w5d. So I know I have time, but I am afraid something won't go well with next week's tests and they'll pressure me to get baby out.
We had an "issue" last week where baby failed an NST and then BPP, and I was sent to the hospital, basically for a c-section. But once I got there (in the evening, when baby is usually active), baby looked great and passed the NST and two BPPs (with scores of 6/8 and then 8/8). So I was discharged around 2 a.m. But because these NSTs next week will again be during the day, when baby isn't usually active, I'm afraid of the same type of results. My doctor knows this and recognizes baby might not be too active, but I'm not sure what that will mean when/if it comes down to it.
I was checked today, and I'm 2 cm and 75 percent effaced. I've been having nightly contractions for three weeks, but they always peter out when I go to bed. For three nights in a row I had what I would describe as prodromal labor (more intense and frequent than they had been, unlike anything I'd ever felt) for about five hours each time, but I didn't have any last night. I've been having a few random contractions throughout the day today.
I've been drinking RRLT for weeks now, and I've been inserting EPO vaginally at bedtime for about a week and a half. I'm doing Hypnobabies, and I recently bought the "Come out, baby!" track, but it hasn't done the trick yet. I've been pumping every other day. At my doula's recommendation, I am seeing an acupuncturist tomorrow to try to get these contractions to stick around and turn into the real deal.
I'm not concerned with the fact that I'm past my due date; I know babies don't always come by then. What's getting me discouraged is that all these contractions and the prodromal labor never lead anywhere or turn into the real deal. Every day when they start up, I try not to get my hopes up but do, and then they peter out, which leaves me really disappointed. I'm also concerned that we'll have a repeat of last week's "issue" when I go in for my NST on Monday (provided baby hasn't come by then), and that my doctor will freak and want to send me in for a section. That's why I'm really wanting to work on these natural induction methods now before I get to the point of having twice weekly NSTs and a fluid check (and of course that worries me, since I had low fluid with DD and my fluid was about 8 last week at the BPP).
My doctor wanted me to schedule a section date "just in case," but I told her I wasn't ready to do that. She was actually pretty cool with that, which surprised me. She said we'll just keep watching baby then and see what happens. I'm not willing, and I wouldn't let her cut me open without at least trying some sort of minimally invasive induction method (foley catheter to 3 cm if I'm not already there and then break my waters -- or something similar) first, and I'd have to be past 42 weeks to even do that.
This waiting game is so hard. I guess I don't know what I'm looking for here. I just wanted to share my story and hopefully hear some words of inspiration ... or something like that.
and keep hydrated 
