I totally agree with what everyone else said. I know it can be diifficult to find a new provider this late in the pregnancy, but it's certainly not unheard of. Remember: your OB doesn't actually care nearly as much as you think he/she does, that you stay with him or her. We as women often feel guilty, like we need to make excuses or we will be letting our doctors down if we leave. Remember: your OB attends many births each week. Yours is just another. But for YOU, this is the only time you will get to give birth to your first child. The experience matters tremendously more to you than it does to your OB.
So absolutely, check into switching providers -- I mean really CHECK -- not just with your friends' doctors, but with EVERYONE. I would start by contacting your local ICAN chapter leader and/or posting on their mailing list - they can probably help you identify some natural birth-friendly practitioners in the area who others have had good experiences with.
Ok if you CANNOT find another provider I suggest (1) a doula (absolutely 100% yes yes yes do this -- if not an official doula than a close friend or relative who has had a natural birth herself and can give you some continuous labor support. Actually, I'd suggest this either way), (2) labor at home as long as possible (this too). If you do show up at the hospital thinking you might be in labor and they say "well, you're 1/2/3/4 cm so we can probably admit you" I would turn right around and say, "never mind - we'll go walk around the parking lot/go have a cup of coffee / go home for a few hours and come back later.
As for coping techniques, check The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin (can probably get from your library). For me, what worked was having a "toolbox" of things, and using whatever worked best at the time. You can prepare all you want with hypnobabies, bradley method, etc, but at the end of the day it's nice to have a few things to choose from and not be reliant on only one technique -- different things may work for you at different stages of your labor.
I suppose the last strategy (which is somewhat of a gamble) would be to take the on-call doctor at the hospital. Who knows? You may find that this person is much more supportive of your birth wishes than your own OB!
In the mean time, less intervention at this point is better. No need for a late-term ultrasound between now and the birth unless there's good reason to suspect that baby is breech. If you get to 41 weeks you can always ask for a non-stress test, versus inducing. I think it's reasonable to get membrane sweeps starting around 39 weeks or so, since that can reduce the chances of you going too far past 41 weeks. But I know many mothers who would opt not to have them and that's fine too.
So absolutely, check into switching providers -- I mean really CHECK -- not just with your friends' doctors, but with EVERYONE. I would start by contacting your local ICAN chapter leader and/or posting on their mailing list - they can probably help you identify some natural birth-friendly practitioners in the area who others have had good experiences with.
Ok if you CANNOT find another provider I suggest (1) a doula (absolutely 100% yes yes yes do this -- if not an official doula than a close friend or relative who has had a natural birth herself and can give you some continuous labor support. Actually, I'd suggest this either way), (2) labor at home as long as possible (this too). If you do show up at the hospital thinking you might be in labor and they say "well, you're 1/2/3/4 cm so we can probably admit you" I would turn right around and say, "never mind - we'll go walk around the parking lot/go have a cup of coffee / go home for a few hours and come back later.
As for coping techniques, check The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin (can probably get from your library). For me, what worked was having a "toolbox" of things, and using whatever worked best at the time. You can prepare all you want with hypnobabies, bradley method, etc, but at the end of the day it's nice to have a few things to choose from and not be reliant on only one technique -- different things may work for you at different stages of your labor.
I suppose the last strategy (which is somewhat of a gamble) would be to take the on-call doctor at the hospital. Who knows? You may find that this person is much more supportive of your birth wishes than your own OB!
In the mean time, less intervention at this point is better. No need for a late-term ultrasound between now and the birth unless there's good reason to suspect that baby is breech. If you get to 41 weeks you can always ask for a non-stress test, versus inducing. I think it's reasonable to get membrane sweeps starting around 39 weeks or so, since that can reduce the chances of you going too far past 41 weeks. But I know many mothers who would opt not to have them and that's fine too.
