My baby was due Aug. 27 by LMP dates and Sept. 1 by an early ultrasound (at around 6 weeks). My midwife has known these dates since I hired her back in January. Well, today is Sept. 5 and babe is still not here. My midwife said with an ultrasound date of Sept. 1, she wouldn't start worrying until Sept. 14 EXCEPT she has booked a trip out of the country leaving Sept. 8! We have only one other midwife in the city, she was trained and practiced in the UK but has not practiced for 7 years (is getting back into it now) and has never been at a homebirth (I guess in the UK she did hospital births) and she is also leaving on a trip on Sept. 10! (thus not exactly a prime candidate for the 8th/9th).
My midwife is attending a conference out of country, so I realize she had to leave, but she is actually visiting a friend for the first week, so in theory, she could have booked her trip closer to the conference date and not during a time when she had a client due...I didn't find out she was leaving on Sept. 8 until last week (knew she was leaving in September but never thought she'd book something so close to my due date).
So, my options (if babe doesn't show up in the next 3 days) are have an unassisted birth (with about 2.5 days to learn everything I need to know about it in case babe comes on the 8th) or go the hospital. Neither option I ever expected to happen. I had a hospital birth with my first (but had midwives for doula support) because I didn't have the money for a homebirth. This time round, we had the money and even bought a new house for the birth (so this is a pricey homebirth!
). I am so NOT prepared to go the hospital and last time the hospital slowed my labour drastically.
My midwife has suggested stripping my membranes but it is not something I want done since if she wasn't leaving, it wouldn't need to be done! Also, she checked my cervix and I am not dilated yet so she said stripping would be difficult and painful at this point anyway. She also recommended some of the "natural" induction methods (sex, nipple stimulation, homeopathy, spicy food, etc.). I've been doing a few of those anyway but am annoyed that I should even have to look into these things at this point.
Help!
My midwife is attending a conference out of country, so I realize she had to leave, but she is actually visiting a friend for the first week, so in theory, she could have booked her trip closer to the conference date and not during a time when she had a client due...I didn't find out she was leaving on Sept. 8 until last week (knew she was leaving in September but never thought she'd book something so close to my due date).
So, my options (if babe doesn't show up in the next 3 days) are have an unassisted birth (with about 2.5 days to learn everything I need to know about it in case babe comes on the 8th) or go the hospital. Neither option I ever expected to happen. I had a hospital birth with my first (but had midwives for doula support) because I didn't have the money for a homebirth. This time round, we had the money and even bought a new house for the birth (so this is a pricey homebirth!
). I am so NOT prepared to go the hospital and last time the hospital slowed my labour drastically.My midwife has suggested stripping my membranes but it is not something I want done since if she wasn't leaving, it wouldn't need to be done! Also, she checked my cervix and I am not dilated yet so she said stripping would be difficult and painful at this point anyway. She also recommended some of the "natural" induction methods (sex, nipple stimulation, homeopathy, spicy food, etc.). I've been doing a few of those anyway but am annoyed that I should even have to look into these things at this point.
Help!
:
She did tell me that she had a conference to go to in September, but she never said she possibly wouldn't be around for my birth and I should have a back-up plan. The stupid thing is, she isn't my "ultimate" choice for a midwife and if I had known she might not be around, I likely would have planned for a UC from the beginning.
ok not a complete accident 
) had a UC with my ds, and we did not need anything besides towels, a bowl for the placenta, and diapers/blanket for the baby. We did have our midwife show up half hour after he was born (nursing happily with the placenta in a bowl next to him), but really she was not needed at all. Read up on the UC board if that helps you feel more comfortable. I read there some before I gave birth, but honestly my instincts just took over when it actually happened. Trust that your body was made to do this!
, pinked up right away
: , ask for a peri bottle, try again... nothing. Mw #2 leaves to get something from my birth supplies in the guest room. I keep trying and start to feel warm and "out of it". I tell dh that I'm feeling warm and to get the mw. Dh says she's not in the room (duh). I say that I'm feeling warm, I know it's a bad thing (happened a couple of times when I gave blood without a full tummy) and to get the mw. Mw #1 and #2 come in and lay me on the floor, put a cool cloth on my head, give me some gatorade, and I think put a couple of golden seal up my yoni
: . I lay down in bed and I am A-OK
