Strongly Considering a UC in June '11 Tribe...support only please! - Page 8

[jshannyn519]

Originally Posted by tracymom1 

Jenni, you have probably already said this somewhere so sorry for asking - are you going to continue your prenatal care with the midwives and then 'oops' or do you plan on discontinuing care at some point? Just curious!
 

I'm planning on continuing my prenatal care with the midwives and then oopsing at home. I'll follow up in office with them a week or two after baby is born, and then get baby in to see our awesome pediatrician a week or two after birth as well. A big reason I'm doing shadow care with the MWs is in the event that I need further testing on something, they can get it done for me. Were I to need anything and not have a prenatal care provider it would just be a huge hassle and I don't feel like dealing with that. I did decide that I won't be doing the every other week appointments after 28 weeks. I know they'll want me to, but I don't have the desire or the time to go that frequently. I may go more often once I'm out of school for the semester in May, but they'll just have to deal with me not being there on their schedule. I won't be doing the GTT either. I think I may do a 3D sono because I still can't wrap my head around the fact that there is a boy in here and not a girl. I feel like I really need to see his face clearly and his boy parts in order to fully reconcile everything. I'm having kind of a hard time connecting with him for some reason, and that bothers me. :(

Tumble Bumbles, I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with falsified records! It's TOTALLY illegal for them to do that, which I'm sure you know. I can't even believe that they would write stuff in there that never happened. I would edit them too, like Tracy suggested. I swear, we are told in nursing school constantly to only put true information in the record and to be really super careful about the way we word things because it can come back to bite us later if we're not truthful and accurate. I just don't understand why they would think it's okay to lie like that.

[Tumble Bumbles]

Tracy, I'm so happy your meeting with the midwife went well! It's so nice to feel like you have someone 'on your side' and not have to deal with any stress in that area. Way to go :)

Thanks for your support mamas. I'm sending them a certified letter tomorrow detailing the inaccuracy and requesting they amend my record. Whether they do or not is up to them (it's somewhat of a she said/she said situation) but at least I can keep a copy in my records of my objection to the inaccurate information and my attempt to get it amended. I probably wouldn't care if it were something insignificant but they said they told me of the "danger" of UC and no way did that convo happen. If I happened to need a transfer or God forbid something bad happened, it would appear as though I was warned of "danger" and chose to do something "dangerous". I can't feel okay with that, especially since it's not true. 

[jshannyn519]

Well after my MW appt today I am more sure than ever that I'll be UCing at home. Actually, I'll be UBACing at home. :)  And now I'm seriously considering ending my shadow care with the MW group and doing UP as well. I know how to do all the same stuff they're doing. All I ever do in clinicals is take vital signs and I could be dead and get an accurate blood pressure. I can sure pee in a cup at home and dip it. I've got about 4 of those flexible measuring tapes for sewing that I can use to measure my fundal height. And I have my very own doppler to measure baby's HR with. Oh, and I have a scale too. I even have the paperwork to document prenatal care on!

I have a buttload of midwifery, nursing, pharmacology, and breastfeeding textbooks for reference. I also have a ton of just birth and pregnancy and newborn books for reference. Plus all of my nursing school faculty, friends who are doulas, midwives, and CBEs, all of you, and the internet. What else could I possibly need?

The only thing I can't do that the MWs can is lecture myself about how I'm "high risk" and instill fear and distrust of my body in myself.

I should go into business for myself as a DEM, because dang it I'm gooooood! LOL

[Tumble Bumbles]

Welcome to the 'dark side' Jenni

Seriously though, you sound like you have a ton of experience already and will do super awesome if you choose UP along with your UC... and I can't imagine how stressful or discouraging it is to hear the label of 'high risk'. I think that does a number on people personally and I totally agree with you about how damaging labels and lectures and such can be. I'm still in a funk over my own midwife (well, former) calling UC "dangerous" and claiming it was communicated to me. I mean, I get that's the "party line" and all, but c'mon now... so much for 'trusting women's bodies'.

[Tumble Bumbles]

How's everyone doing?

I sent a certified letter to my former midwife requesting that they change my patient record to remove the false information they put in it. I'm not confident they will actually change it but I am keeping a copy of the letter/receipt from post office with the copy of my file. In the event of a transfer or something (God forbid) going wrong,  it's really important to me that my objection to having had a conversation where someone told me that unassisted birth was dangerous was noted. Especially since it never happened! They were all smiles and "support". I get that people have to cover their butts but not at my expense, ya' know?

Otherwise, I'm doing fantastic! Feeling great, getting way more confident, doing a lot more reading, praying, feeling very positive about everything!

I still haven't gotten any supplies but I figure hitting the 30 week mark in a couple weeks here will kick me out of procrastination

Hope everyone is doing great!

[tracymom1]

I just ordered what I think will be most, if not all, of our supplies. I went with Cascade Healthcare products since I liked the selection. I spent about $100 on everything so not too bad! I still need to check my pool and see how that held up but other than that I think we are good to go. Pretty exciting!!

I got my new BP cuff today and for the first time in my life, my blood pressure was actually on the high side. I am having a very stressful day (week, well - really, month) so I am sure that is playing into it. I should go lie down on my left side and relax for a bit and retake it but the kiddos will be up from their nap any minute so I think I will just wait until later tonight. I haven't been able to hear the heartbeat with my fetoscope yet, but I have only tried twice so I guess I should get on that!

[Tumble Bumbles]

Can't beat everything for under $100 Tracy, way to go! I think that's around what we're spending -- the birth pool and connections alone will probably be around $50-60 of that. I'm sort of torn on the birth pool, I realllly don't want the hassle and am trying to convince myself my bathtub will do fine (good enough for Ricki Lake jk lol) but I know how much it helped last time so...

On the bp, yeah stress is a biggie -- my numbers have been awesome but only because I refuse to take them when I'm stressed  because I can practically feel it rising when I'm having an especially difficult day with dd or something. I find a reasonably hot magnesium bath does wonders for that. Try to get some rest in, difficult for mamas to do,  but you deserve it :)

I've heard hearing hb with fetoscopes can be an art. I'm sure you'll hear it soon!

[Mamatoabunch]

I am doing well. I have decided there is just one baby for sure, I think boy. I took the kids to the zoo today. I had energy and it wasn't too hard, but I definately feel more tired doing stuff. I went through all my baby and birth stuff this week. I don't need anything for the birth, except a bottle of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and probably a new bottle of hibiclens. I don't really need much for baby, boy or girl, but I have some wish list stuff. I started the amazon registry. I had a little cry last night about how no one really acknowledges a pregnancy when you are on your 11th, not my friends, but dh's family for sure. It just feels kind of lonely. Dh and I went away this week for our anniversary and had a wonderful time in Santa Fe. I have some awesome big girls that watched everyone. 

[Tumble Bumbles]

Your trip sounds nice Annabelle! I can't wait until we can get away at some point. It's great to have trustworthy teens you can trust to hold down the fort for you! It's nice to nourish the man/woman side of things rather than just being in mama/papa mode all the time.

Do you do the hibiclens protocol in every pregnancy or just if you feel a need?  My gbs status was unknown last time (declined test) and I didn't do anything. My midwife treated on symptoms/risk factors if I recall.  This time I'm starting in later pregnancy with garlic/vit C etc, but am not sure about hibiclens, I need to read up more about that.

Aww, I think every new life should be acknowledged and celebrated, whether it's your first or 11th! It's such a miracle

[Mamatoabunch]

Originally Posted by Tumble Bumbles 

Your trip sounds nice Annabelle! I can't wait until we can get away at some point. It's great to have trustworthy teens you can trust to hold down the fort for you! It's nice to nourish the man/woman side of things rather than just being in mama/papa mode all the time.

Do you do the hibiclens protocol in every pregnancy or just if you feel a need?  My gbs status was unknown last time (declined test) and I didn't do anything. My midwife treated on symptoms/risk factors if I recall.  This time I'm starting in later pregnancy with garlic/vit C etc, but am not sure about hibiclens, I need to read up more about that.

Aww, I think every new life should be acknowledged and celebrated, whether it's your first or 11th! It's such a miracle

I only did hibiclens my last pregnancy. I think my water broke, but I am not sure. I would usually only consider it I think if waters were broken, especially if waters have broken before labor which has happened 5 pregnancies. Although I did test positive, in my urine, UTI, w/ my second. I have since not been tested and just assumed I was GBS+ or could be at the time of birth. I have done herbals and garlic from 34 weeks since my third pregnancy. I had only heard of hibiclens my last pregnancy, so did that as well. 

I just read this, it is a mess of a response, LOL. I hope it is clear!
 

[sharita]

bumping to bring up cytotec again.  With my last homebirth (with a DEM) I had a significant bleed after my placenta failed to fully detatch.  It just came all the way out (along with my cervix to the vaginal opening as I also suffered a uterine prolapse, though that may be because of the placenta dragging it out or baby)  it just hung there by a small piece at the opening haning out for 10 mins before we got it to detach.  After moving to the bed, I started feeling like I had to be sick.  I was told I got reallly pale.  I didnt feel anything out of the usual besides the nausea.  Figured it was an after birth thing.  Next thing I knew I felt a large hot gush.  I told the midwife and she check and looked concerned, felt my uterus and it wall all on the right side.  Don't think it was clamping down as good as it should have.  When she pressed down to try manual massage, another large gush.  She called ffor her assistant to get her bag and I got a shot of pit.  After some amount of time (dunno I was on a birthing high and still felt okay) I got another.  I could tell things were serious but she never panicked and I just never felt like I needed to I just thought positive affirming things and nursed my baby and trusted my body. 

She ended up having to give me the cytotec suppository.  I remember it working like a charm.  I never had a single side effect that I noticed besides painful afterbirth contractions.  I have those reguardless being a grand multipara.  She let a few hours later when all was well and left me with one of the pills.  I never had need of it though or had heavy bleeding after that.  I did however bleed for a full 8 weeks though, ugh!!!! 

I am just wondering where in the world anyone has ever managed to procure a cytotec pill since it is used for abortions I know its very strictly regulated.  Even to use it for abortion it has to be taken right in front of the nurse in clinic.  If just anyone could get it, couldnt some selfish not-ready-to-be-daddy who just thought you were to be a one night stand get it and slip it to ya like a date rape drug (sorry I watch too much tv, that happened in an episode of veronica mars, lol)

I know my DEM got ahold of it and doesnt have a special medical license so I wonder how she did it.  If I asked her, I would have to tell her all about my possible UC plans and not sure If I wanna do that just yet as I am still just "considering" a UC.

I know there are lots of herbs such as Hem Hault, placenta out, and many single herb tinctures that are helpful in pp bleeds but if like last time, the pit didnt even work, I may need something stronger.  I also know just because I suffered it last time, it was one of those freak things that isnt nessesarily likely to happen again (though I do have yet another anterior placenta) so I may need nothing at all.  Just is nice to be prepared.  Id hate to have to transfer for something I could have taken care of at home if I had the right stuff.

[Tumble Bumbles]

Thanks for sharing your experience sharita -- to my knowledge cytotec is also used as an ulcer or antacid medication (I can't recall). I understand one can get it online through European pharmacies without a prescription as it's pretty widely used in Europe for pph as well as other uses,  though I haven't investigated it thoroughly yet.

[tracymom1]

I have found a couple of pharmacies that indeed sell the generic form of cytotec online without a script. It is expensive and the lowest quantity I can find is 40 pills, 200mcg each. I believe the dose for pp bleed is 800-1000mcg rectally - so 40 pills would be a whole lot. If anyone knows somewhere that sells less or wants to 'split' an order send me a PM! I will link you to the sites I found.

Sharita, thanks for the info and thank goodness you had the right treatment on hand!

[Tumble Bumbles]

Tracy, I may be pm'ing you about that

Q for everyone: what is everyone doing about the newborn testing/PKU, if anything? That would be the only newborn 'thing' we would do -- and also is anyone doing a newborn exam/look-over in the first week or so of birth? I'm sort of ambivalent about both but on the other hand I think they can be important for making sure everything is cool as well as "proving" we aren't neglectful parents.

Any thoughts?

[SGVaughn]

that thing that I told you tumble...they can take forever to ship....Id get on it soon!

[tracymom1]

I will do the PKU test about a week after the birth. My doctor is extremely laid back and home birth friendly so I will call him when the baby arrives - he doesn't really want us to rush in there unless there is a problem. He likes to do a look-over and make sure breastfeeding is going well at about 1 week which is just fine with me. He is such a great practitioner that going to see him is a pleasure and I look forward to our visits (crazy, I know!!!). I also like to go that first week or two because it makes it easier when applying for the birth certificate. I can just get a copy of the visit notes and have the doctor write a statement and include them in the packet and that seems to satisfy the powers that be.

Oh, and Tumble Bumbles, I say get the birth pool and accessories - really all you need is a fishy pool. If you decide not to use it you can always return it, right? I was on the fence about it last time too but I very, very much enjoyed laboring in the 'big' pool (as opposed to my bathtub). I think it's nice to have if you end up wanting it.

[Mamatoabunch]

Originally Posted by Tumble Bumbles 

Tracy, I may be pm'ing you about that

Q for everyone: what is everyone doing about the newborn testing/PKU, if anything? That would be the only newborn 'thing' we would do -- and also is anyone doing a newborn exam/look-over in the first week or so of birth? I'm sort of ambivalent about both but on the other hand I think they can be important for making sure everything is cool as well as "proving" we aren't neglectful parents.

Any thoughts?

I have not done the PKU w/ my last 6. I have not done a ped visit after birth since our third, first HB.

[Mamatoabunch]

Thank you for sharing Sharita. Your experience has cemented for me why having cytotec on hand JIC is important, despite much negative opinions surrounding having it on hand by many UCer's. It isn't easily acquired and most people have no idea of it use in abortions, although I have read info online by some people, pro abortion, discussing it. Its use for PPH, an abortionate, and as labor induction is generally considered off label use, as it primary use is for ulcers.

[Mamatoabunch]

Originally Posted by tracymom1 



Oh, and Tumble Bumbles, I say get the birth pool and accessories - really all you need is a fishy pool. If you decide not to use it you can always return it, right? I was on the fence about it last time too but I very, very much enjoyed laboring in the 'big' pool (as opposed to my bathtub). I think it's nice to have if you end up wanting it.




 

For me, no way will I labor and birth w/o my kiddie pool!

[Mamatoabunch]

Originally Posted by tracymom1 



I got my new BP cuff today and for the first time in my life, my blood pressure was actually on the high side. I am having a very stressful day (week, well - really, month) so I am sure that is playing into it. I should go lie down on my left side and relax for a bit and retake it but the kiddos will be up from their nap any minute so I think I will just wait until later tonight. I haven't been able to hear the heartbeat with my fetoscope yet, but I have only tried twice so I guess I should get on that!

Taking dandelion and calcium/magnesium can help if you indeed are having bp issues.