5 1/2 days left. . . - Page 2

[GOPLawyer]

Yes, even a big baby can have underdeveloped lungs. During DD's time in the NICU, I was surprised at how many big babies I saw there that needed help breathing.

If you want to refuse cervical checks...it's much easier to just never take your clothes off. When the nurse/aid gives you a cover....politely decline.

Now, I have not met your OB....she may be the nicest person in the world...but why do you think it doesn't sound like her to break your waters @ 40 weeks if she wants to do a c/s *so* early?

WRT a doula...I would recommend revisiting the issue..*especially* considering there is a chance your DH won't be there. It's not too late at all! Let your DH know that she would not be there to replace him; on the contrary, she's there for him, too. Translated, doula means "slave". That being so, no slave (doula) could ever replace a master (DH). I'm not personally crazy about that train of thought but I've seen it really connect w/ a man's thought process in helping him realize a doula is not there to replace him.

[Mom2M]

I'm so sorry you are going through this! I was extremely lucky to have a supportive OB team.
Don't let them break your water!
I was also GBS+ and everything I have read about GBS + is that they worry when your water breaks. I agree with a pp that they are setting you up for a c section if they do that.
I hope things go well, I'll be watching this and sending you good labor vibes!

BTW, u/s for weight in 2 of my babies were off by about 2 pounds each! DD2 was 9 pounds 6 oz and they said she was 7. DD1 was 6 pounds 1 oz and they were already talking about how she was going to be too big for a VBAC since she was already 7 pounds at 37 weeks!

[buckeyedoc]

Originally Posted by sap2010

I'm trying to remember that the nurse I talked to today (who actually talked about babies she'd seen die during VBACs, etc. ) could have been projecting some of her own feelings (probably was).

According to pretty solid scientific data used, published and presented at the NIH conference this year, the uterine rupture rate in VBAC is about 0.5%, and about 6% of those are catastrophic (stillbirths), so about 1 in 3333 VBAC attempts. According to the data in the new ACOG guidelines, only 1.6% of ruptures resulted in fetal death, so we are talking about 1 in, what, 12500 VBAC attempts? How many fetal deaths could she possibly have seen? That's like a once per career thing.

I think your practice just does not want to bother with VBAC because it is an inconvenience for them, so you are going to have to advocate hard for conservative management (waiting, non-stress testing, not inducing unless there is a real problem). I would be leery of AROM as an induction because it puts you "on the clock" and you are GBS+.

[justKate]

Originally Posted by buckeyedoc

According to pretty solid scientific data used, published and presented at the NIH conference this year, the uterine rupture rate in VBAC is about 0.5%, and about 6% of those are catastrophic (stillbirths), so about 1 in 3333 VBAC attempts. According to the data in the new ACOG guidelines, only 1.6% of ruptures resulted in fetal death, so we are talking about 1 in, what, 12500 VBAC attempts? How many fetal deaths could she possibly have seen? That's like a once per career thing.

I think your practice just does not want to bother with VBAC because it is an inconvenience for them, so you are going to have to advocate hard for conservative management (waiting, non-stress testing, not inducing unless there is a real problem). I would be leery of AROM as an induction because it puts you "on the clock" and you are GBS+.

What does your intuition tell you? It seems like you don't trust your OB at this point. And honestly, I don't either.

[JustJackson]

What about scheduling it for next Tuesday when you Dh will be home? You don't want to be in the hospital or at home without him for the first few days, do you? Then, Hopefully you will go into labor on your own before then.

[cinderella08]

I don't have anything to add as these ladies have said all I would have. Great words of wisdom here! ((hugs)) I'm sorry you are dealing with this stress!

[sap2010]

Originally Posted by buckeyedoc

How many fetal deaths could she possibly have seen? That's like a once per career thing.

She said it was like 5 or 6 within a short period of time before the stricter regulations made things better. It sounds exaggerated to me too.

Originally Posted by buckeyedoc

I think your practice just does not want to bother with VBAC because it is an inconvenience for them, so you are going to have to advocate hard for conservative management (waiting, non-stress testing, not inducing unless there is a real problem). I would be leery of AROM as an induction because it puts you "on the clock" and you are GBS+.

It is so confusing to me because to this point they have seemed so positive and helpful! This nurse is the first "problem person" I've run into. But is she just less good at covering what she really feels? I am very leery of AROM the more I learn. Thank you all for your help. DH is going to my weekly appt tomorrow morning with me to help me sort it all out. He deserves big because of his levelheaded, calm approach to life, even this part of life!

[sap2010]

Originally Posted by JustJackson

What about scheduling it for next Tuesday when you Dh will be home? You don't want to be in the hospital or at home without him for the first few days, do you? Then, Hopefully you will go into labor on your own before then.

The blessed man has worked it out so he will be home this whole month. No more stressing about scheduling! We may be late in the game educating ourselves about more natural childbirth, but he deserves big kudos for not being afraid to embrace it and really go the extra mile to do what it takes.

[Quaniliaz]

Originally Posted by sap2010

She said it was like 5 or 6 within a short period of time before the stricter regulations made things better.

Or it was before the regulations that got rid of cytotec for vbac inductions. Yikes.

[courtenay_e]

If you want to stay with this provider, and not just show up in very late active labor at the hospital and get whoever you get, as it might be a better outcome, I would suggest you consider using your right as a consumer and saying "No thank you." when it comes to 1) vaginal exams 2)induction of any type and 3) a scheduled cesarean. You have the right to informed consent, which means that you have a right to EDUCATE yourself about the pros and cons of every procedure and to REFUSE any procedure with which you are not completely comfortable. I cannot say for sure what I would do, because I am not in your position, but I can say that I would probably just be quiet and say no thank you to exams, and when ERCS day comes, not show up. When they call to see where you are, I would say no thank you, that you'll wait till the baby chooses their birth day. If they get upset, that's too bad. You might have a more tense environment when you show up in labor, but staying home till you're ready to have a baby means less exposure to ticked off providers...OR, as I mentioned, just waiting till you go into labor and showing up and using whomever is on call might be just as "risky" as using the OB you're with right now--and you might even get somebody better! Then again you might want to check out other docs and see if anybody will take you this late. The tribal area may be able to share VBAC friendly docs with you who will actually support VBAC, as would your local ICAN. (if you haven't already gone those routes). Good luck with all of your choices and your self advocacy you have in store. It can be difficult, but very empowering, too, to step up and let them know that you KNOW you have choices and that you are going to exercise the right to make those informed choices. If you haven't already read it, "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" by Henci Goer would be a good place to start in educating yourself as far as the basic interventions go.

[Belia]

Originally Posted by sap2010

My doctor won't be a part of any pit induction with a VBAC. It seems like the main reason for going on my due date is that it is a Tuesday and she only does c/secs on Tuesdays.

What the what?!? The fact that she is pushing for a c/s on 8/10 due to her schedule, not because of any inherent need that is pressing in your particular case with this particular pregnancy, is a red flag for me.

I wish you peace with this decision, mama! It is so stressful, isn't it? I mean, it is so easy for us out here in cyberspace to give all of this advice when its not our labor or our baby on the line. Hang in there.

[courtenay_e]

And if you're worried about fluid levels, make sure you're hydrating yourself very well. Electrolites are important...coconut water (mango flavor!)or the knudson farm brand "natural" version of gatorade are both pretty good. Also, doing things like making sure you're getting enough protein and taking nettles to protect your kidneys are also good ways to support fluid levels.

[sap2010]

Originally Posted by courtenay_e

And if you're worried about fluid levels, make sure you're hydrating yourself very well. Electrolites are important...coconut water (mango flavor!)or the knudson farm brand "natural" version of gatorade are both pretty good. Also, doing things like making sure you're getting enough protein and taking nettles to protect your kidneys are also good ways to support fluid levels.

Thank you so much for all the advice. Can you talk more about the nettles for kidneys? It's a supplement. . . ? I'm blessed to be in a cooler summer climate, but am trying to pay close attention to hydration!

[sap2010]

Originally Posted by courtenay_e

I can say that I would probably just be quiet and say no thank you to exams, and when ERCS day comes, not show up. When they call to see where you are, I would say no thank you, that you'll wait till the baby chooses their birth day. If they get upset, that's too bad. You might have a more tense environment when you show up in labor, but staying home till you're ready to have a baby means less exposure to ticked off providers...OR, as I mentioned, just waiting till you go into labor and showing up and using whomever is on call might be just as "risky" as using the OB you're with right now--and you might even get somebody better!

I think I'm dealing with some fear about this, b/c I tried to be in control and "all-natural" with my first birth. Against extended family pressure I went with a MW and not an OB. I let the group of MW's guide me, learning about less (or no!) internal exams and nutrition and "non-interventionism" and waiting for the baby and agreeing all the way, BUT I just let them lead me and didn't really take the opportunity to research and come to convictions on my own, for myself. So, at the end, when I had to go to the hospital and was strapped up to everything and couldn't get into the positions I'd practiced, I felt so TRAPPED. Then, when baby was in such distress, I felt (still feel) quite guilty for waiting so long. I just wasn't sure what else to do b/c the MW's were about 1.5 hours away from my house, and I went to see them each week I was overdue, but I just waited. And I think I waited too long. So that decayed my trust in my own instincts. I feel very insecure about what is the best thing to do, even though I know what I want, so that makes me want someone else to tell me what to do. And now I don't know that my OB is actually looking out for my best interest. . .
PLUS, I am so huge that emotionally I feel DONE being pregnant. I keep telling myself that probably every woman feels like this at the end (although I didn't with my first baby. I felt SUPER and light and lighthearted right up to the minute they said, "You need to be induced now.") and that I need to pull myself together so I can be strong about what sticking up for what is best for the baby. I just wish I was totally sure about what is best for her!!! (I probably sound totally doubleminded. . . )

[Quaniliaz]

Gail Tully of Spinning Babies just wrote an article about induction: http://spinningbabies.com/techniques...et-labor-going

[MissE]

Originally Posted by sap2010

I have been lurking around and am getting to the point where I need someone to talk to. . . so here goes my first post!
In 2007 I was 15 days overdue with my first child, trying for an all-natural MW clinic birth. State law where we lived required a Biophysical Profile at that point post term, so I went to the hospital and they said I had low amniotic fluid and that I was to march upstairs to be induced. Instead, I marched into the parking lot and called my MW who asked me to come her her clinic. There, a non-stress test showed no problems with baby, and I was doing fine physically (emotionally not so much by this point), so she stripped my membranes and we waited a while. I had my first few contrac's (had none before that, not even BH with this baby) and then when nothing really developed, she by law had to send me over to the hospital. They started pit about 8pm that night and I lasted all of about 8 hours with those strong pitocin contrac's and finally begged for an epidural so I could sleep. (My MW recommended it too, b/c of how tired I was.) (My, how far I had come, from a drug-free, peaceful MW birth to being in the hospital, hooked up to all kinds of things, now with pit and an epidural!) I labored with the epidural all night, and by 10am the next day I was only at 8cm and stalled. (Thank you, all you chemical and emotional stressors!). Around 11am my fever spiked quite high and my baby's heart rate went to almost 200 and stayed there, and the OB on call recommended a c/sec. I looked at my exhausted midwife, and she soberly nodded her head and said she thought it was time to "call it." So... my first child was born.
Now I am expecting my second, and have had a picture perfect pregnancy (much like my first). We have been committed to trying for a VBAC, but there are a few things about our current (different) state's law that surprised me. First of all, MW's may not deliver VBACs here. Additionally, no one is allowed to induce in any way with VBAC's b/c of the increased risk of rupture that is supposed to go along with the strong contrac's of induction. Also, my OB told me she does not want me to "go late" because of how much the womb environment degraded post term with my first baby. So. . . they have scheduled a c/sec for Aug 10 (my EDD).
I am so incredibly stressed out with the pressure of having to go into labor before Aug 10! I actually AM having lots of lovely BH contrac's (much different from my first birth experience), some of them quite strong. My husband and I are "enjoying" each other as much as possible to try to encourage things to get started. . . I'm taking 1,000 mg EPO every evening and inserting the same amount vaginally on the nights we aren't having sex. Nipple stimulation seems to do nothing for me. I am going to my chiro as much as I can afford (1-2x/week).
Any advice on what else to do? Maybe a VBAC isn't in the cards for me, but I am loathe to give up on it yet!! What about castor oil? Is it going to make the "dangerously strong" contrac's that aren't safe for a BAC? Is it going to make me so miserable that I will hate life???
I appreciate any thoughts/advice!!

OMG Mama...I had serious flashbacks reading your post. My first one was born after induction and stalled labor via c/s.

My second born (DD) her due date was AUGUST 10, 2008 and I had a c/s date set for August 11th...on August 9th, 2008 I cancelled the c/s by telling my OB that I just didn't feel comfortable about it. I did the same things you did, relations, EPO, walking etc.

I, however, got induced with a little bit of pit and by AROM on August 15, 2008 and fourty minutes later DD was born, vaginally.

I haven't read all the other posts but I guess they are full of "don't go to the hospital" etc. and if you really don't feel comfortable, talk to your doctor. Most of the times they are willing to work with you and your wishes, they just try to push their authority on you.

Good luck.

[courtenay_e]

Nettles are really good for your body in general, pregnant bodies in particular, and in more specific particulars, tend to be extra supportive of kidney function. It's one of those things that could help and unless you have a rare allergy, certainly can't hurt.

[courtenay_e]

Seriously, if you are more comfortable going in and doing what your care provider is suggesting, you should do so. You are paying them a lot of money for the responsibility of your care. That said, if you have misgivings, there are plenty of sources of information, and you have every right (and actually the responsibility) to exercise due diligence when it comes to choosing to avoid or accept procedures. If you end up agreeing after reading and thinking, or choosing to decline, either way, you will find that you are more satisfied with the outcome if you have done the research and have taken an active part in the decision making process.