I may be able to have a water birth!

[bananabee]

I finally saw my OB again and we talked about birthing options. I've been dead-set on having a c-sec because of my recent back surgery, but my neurosurgeon says I should be healed up enough and he doesn't think I have any reason to avoid a vaginal birth.

So...there's a midwife in my OB's practice that my OB is encouraging me to see. She has experience w/water births, they have the tub already, and they are working on getting it approved legally. My OB also wants to be there if I have a water birth because she wants to learn how to do them herself. I love her!

I told my OB I don't want an epidural (which she said may be impossible anyway due to my scar tissue), and I'd like to do either the water birth or the c-section. I'm worried that anything in between would not work well with my body. I just have this feeling that I wouldn't be able to relax and that I'd never dilate.

I'll see the midwife this Friday. In the meantime, the c-sec is tentatively scheduled for June 11th, just 2 days before my due date.

The downside is now all this counting down to 39 wks has changed to 40 wks, and I'm already wishing she was here. Guess I should have taken the childbirth class too. But it's kinda late as I really can hardly get around now.

My OB is guessing I'm going to have a nearly 8lb baby. I have a hunch she's right.

[neldabean]

That is so awesome!!! I had a waterbirth with my last baby, it was amazing! I really hope they get the tub approved!

[monarch27]

Yay! That would be great, a lot easier recovery. You've been contracting a lot and dilated some already right? So you know your body can do the work!

Good luck momma! You are so close!

[bananabee]

Originally Posted by monarch27

Yay! That would be great, a lot easier recovery. You've been contracting a lot and dilated some already right? So you know your body can do the work!

Good luck momma! You are so close!

I was 80% effaced last Wed in the hospital, but not dilated at all. Is that odd? My OB said it was odd. We didn't check today because she agreed it didn't really matter - it's more for fun to see if things are changing down there.

Yeah, I do know I can have miserably painful contractions. LOL It's funny, too, because Karina has been head-down for weeks now, and I have secretly felt like she is determined to come naturally. A water birth would be amazing, and it's what I've truly wanted all this time. Please pray that it will get approved in time!!

[is it puppies?]

good luck getting your water birth!

[*mama moose*]

oh mama that would be so awesome for you!!!! I really hope it works out!!
and the effacing thing isn't really that odd, it's actually pretty common, a lot of women need to fully efface before they can dilate. Your body is doing work though, I truly believe you can birth this baby naturally!

[bananabee]

Originally Posted by *mama moose*

oh mama that would be so awesome for you!!!! I really hope it works out!!
and the effacing thing isn't really that odd, it's actually pretty common, a lot of women need to fully efface before they can dilate. Your body is doing work though, I truly believe you can birth this baby naturally!

Thanks for your confidence, Mama Moose. If I was 80% last week, wonder if I'm already 100% now? Karina will come sooner rather than later. That would be so nice.

So...what does one wear in a waterbirth in a hospital? I'm so modest, I can't imagine being totally naked. My SIL is my doula. That might be kinda weird. I have a maternity swimsuit top...but do things get stained in the tub?

[Burnindinner]

Wow, that is amazing. Your OB is a jewel!

Hm, I am not very modest, so I am not much help there. I only plan to wear a bra because I don't want my boobs flopping around.

[at_the_hip]

When you are in laborland, modesty tends to be the last thing you worry about. In fact, you may find clothes intolerable!

[crbyard]

That is the most wonderful, late in the game surprise. I really hope that you get the birth you are wishing for. To be able to avoid MORE surgery this year will be a blessing. On the effacing question, I was 90% effaced with my first for three weeks without being dilated. It sucked, because my OB got my hopes up that that meant that I would go into labor soon. I ended up being 9 days overdue! Just relax and the babe will come when he/she is ready.

[bananabee]

Thanks for all your input and sharing in my potential excitement.

Hmm I think I have an old red bikini hiding around here somewhere. I bet that would do. I don't think I could relax into laborland with people around if I'm totally naked. I have the ability to be extremely uptight.

Please, God, don't let this baby be late! I'm hardly able to move around at this point, I'm so very very swollen. Hmm. Then again, if baby is late, that gives us more time to get approval for a water birth. Hmm. Well, it is in God's hands. I'm sure, after all I've been through, that He knows what He's doing.

My OB is the greatest - I totally sensed it when I was in the hospital the first time and asked her to be my OB even though she's out of network for me. The more we talk, the more I love her. Although one thing she said took me by surprise today. I asked if we could wait to cut the cord until after it stopped pulsing, and she said a big study done when she was interning or something showed that caused anemia. She says for people who want that, she likes to cut just as the pulse is weakening. Interesting. I told her I'd be fine with that, then. At least it's not right away.

So...please keep praying/crossing your fingers/etc that I will be able to have a water birth. That would be such a dream come true.

[Tiffanoodle]

That sounds really great! I'm glad you have an OB that is so supportive. It sounds like your body is doing a great job preparing for the birth.

[monarch27]

Bananabee.... are you still having non stop BH? I've been having them every 10 -15 minutes since I woke up yesterday and it is SO annoying! I had a negative ffn on Sunday so I know that she can't come till end of next week at the earliest. Just irritating and unnerving. If your still having them really often how many days has it been like that? It doesn't seem to matter if I'm plenty hydrated or what I'm doing, they vary in intensity but sometimes they really hurt. GRRRRRR!

[UberMama]

Originally Posted by monarch27

Bananabee.... are you still having non stop BH? I've been having them every 10 -15 minutes since I woke up yesterday and it is SO annoying! I had a negative ffn on Sunday so I know that she can't come till end of next week at the earliest. Just irritating and unnerving. If your still having them really often how many days has it been like that? It doesn't seem to matter if I'm plenty hydrated or what I'm doing, they vary in intensity but sometimes they really hurt. GRRRRRR!

Slightly OT but this sounds like maybe prodromal labor? I've been experiencing it for 2 weeks or so now.

[bananabee]

Monarch27, I am still having contractions, but now they're more like every half-hour, I think. I don't pay a lot of attention to the clock. I know I really should, but for some reason I have been really laid back about the whole pregnancy thing and I just can't bring myself to be hyper-vigilant at this point. I figure when real labor happens, I'll know for sure.

Curious - what is an FFN?

ETA: I take that back. This morning they're about every ten mins, and I keep getting punched in the cervix, or she is grinding her head down there or something. It hurts and makes me jump every time!

[Mommabean]

Sweet so happy for you!!!



and on the cord issue I just read this article yesterday http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37342877...and_parenting/

Which basically states that waiting DOES help with certain medical issues and it NAMES anemia as one of them.

[bananabee]

Originally Posted by Mommabean

Sweet so happy for you!!!



and on the cord issue I just read this article yesterday http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37342877...and_parenting/

Which basically states that waiting DOES help with certain medical issues and it NAMES anemia as one of them.

Thanks, Mommabean! I see that you're still waiting on your new little girl - hope she comes very soon!

[monarch27]

Bananabee- the ffn test is wear they swab your cervical fluid to check if basically the "glue" that sits between the uterus and the bag of waters has begun to deteriorate. If it's negative it is extremely accurate to say you will not deliver within the next 7-10 days. They usually only do the test at 34 weeks or less if your having pre-term labor symptoms. The only thing it can't predict is if you will rupture your membranes early.

Ubermama- I've never experienced that before but that may very well be whats happening. This baby starting dropping at 33 weeks, dropped more last Sunday and this morning feels even lower! I've also been losing my mucus plug for weeks. I've been having the braxton hicks a lot since I started losing the mucus plug but this week its gotten so much worse. On Tuesday I get my first cervical check and I'm so curious to know if these have progressed me at all!

[bananabee]

Well, it looks like the waterbirth isn't going to happen after all. I saw the midwife today - she was great - but she explained that the meeting for approval of the tub is June 15th, and even if I haven't had my baby yet, they won't be able to order the supplies and train the staff until after that, and the tub wouldn't be ready until some time in July. I definitely don't want to still be pregnant at that point!! Nevertheless, I'm still going to pray that somehow it will be able to happen.

For now, I'm planning to stick w/my OB, who says she will do anything I want, and have my doula/SIL there to help me labor naturally. At least I can labor in the shower at the hospital. Other news - they had an anesthesiologist look at my charts, and they said an epidural or spinal would still be an option and that my back surgery wouldn't interfere with that. Still waiting on GBS test results. I'll see my OB again Tues.

Still having pretty frequent contractions, but they are less painful lately. Also, had a lot of watermelon yesterday, and lounged in bed all day. Today my left leg looks a LOT less swollen and doesn't hurt nearly as much!! Feels so much better. I lost over 3 lbs in water weight. Now that I can bend my knee again, I might just attempt to shave my legs.