You know, I should be elated that I've made it to 37 weeks + 3 days, but these constant sonograms are really making me uncomfortable.
Some background: My DS came at 35 weeks + 4 or 5 days. I just spontaneously went into labor. I was GBS+ and had to take clindomyacin (spelling?) and was told I was dehydrated so I was stuck to the IV. Many things happened during that labor that were for me traumatic. DS was 5lb 6oz, 17 1/2 inches and I was told he was taken to the NICU because in my hospital babies must be over 5lb 9oz to avoid it. Because of the antibiotics I contracted c. difficile, which is life threatning and took months for me to heal and multiple hospital stays and I lost all milk supply causing a chain reaction of being unable to bf my ds. Not fun, and I REFUSE to do it again, to the point where I've even refused the GBS test this time.
So on to the sonograms... Because I went so early with no indication last time my mw sent me for a sono with cervical check starting at 33 weeks, and has had me on bedrest since. Cervical check showed nothing out of the ordinary, but I was told my fluid level was mildly low, no big deal. I keep having to go in every Monday to monitor the mildly low amniotic fluid, but I'm told its no big deal. Last week I didn't get a chance to eat before my 8am sono and the baby was sleeping. I'm usually not even up and eating breakfast until 10am, so really baby and I were just pooped. They get all up in a tizzy and insist I go on the monitor. Of course, baby and everything is fine, but this "non-stress" test was incredibly stressful for me, and my DH. I asked them to check the weight of the baby, but they told me that since they checked last week they're not going to do it today (this was last week) because they only do it every three weeks to get a somewhat accurate weight, otherwise it could look off when its really not because the average of 2 weights will come out different and less accurate than the average of 3 weeks worth of weights.
I went to my mw on Tuesday and she says everything is fine, but I should stay on a decreased bedrest plan because of the amniotic fluid level. I can DTD and go to the park or a movie, but not to the mall for 5 hours and don't chase around the baby, whatevertheheckthatmeans. I decided to ask her when the hospital would consider me full-term so I have the most chance of avoiding all the extra monitoring and ivs as last time. She says "Oh you'll never be considered low risk because of the (insert highly technical jargon for low amniotic fluid.)" I'm all flabberghasted because she hasn't thought to mention this to me in the past 4 weeks and she knows how nervous I've been. So I ask what that means for labor and she says that it "won't be any worse than last time" to which I reply "but I hated last time and I was hoping to avoid all the ivs and being in effect stuck to the bed." She says they'll have to do some extra monitoring to make sure baby handles the contractions well, and all the while I'm thinking, thanks for the heads up lady and btw I think all this is just normal for me and get off my bum. So she says that we can try some DTD and Evening primrose oil once I hit 37 weeks and we can STRIP MY MEMBRANES next week (tomorrow.) Told her I'm not going to agree to that until at least 38 weeks because I think that the low amniotic fluid is just NORMAL for me being a 4'10 woman and on the petite side. The amniotic fluid check is for the average person, and with my normal height and weight I'm far below the national average to begin with.
Anyhoo, fast forward to today for sonogram number 7859 3/4.... They do the test, and then they make me speak to the specialist Dr. Apparently they've done a weight check and lo and behold baby has fallen off the growth chart at 5lb 6 oz. Ummmm, weren't you supposed to do the weight check if I make it to next week I ask? He says, well the technition did it today. I say, but the technicion I had last week said if it was done sooner than 3 weeks the weight could look off, but really not be. He says yes that's possible, but I still have the low amniotic fluid. I say okay, but I'm not the average height and weight and ask him if its decreased since last week. He says I Dunno, and I tell him to check. Apparently I'm actually HIGHER than last week. He discounts this by saying its only 7mm higher than last time, but I say isn't that only a few mm off from being normal to begin with and of course he has no smart comeback. Anyway, he goes on to say that he's willing to work with me (whatever Dr. Whotheheckareyou) and that if we go by the book a woman at my stage with these results would be induced, but I can see my mw tomorrow and let her decide when she wants to bring me back for the next sonogram which may be as soon as Friday. Unless I can go into labor and save them all the trouble he says.
So grrr. I leave, but now I'm feeling all nervous and annoyed. I'm so tired of going to the sonograms. Every one brings me closer and closer to the time when they insist I'm induced. The more I go the more they decide is wrong with me. I don't want to be medically induced because I know that once you start down the IV road you're stuck, and for me that could mean MONTHS of recuperation like last time. Maybe I'm hypersensitive to it, but I just feel like crying. So now I don't know what to do. I don't think I'm going to let my mw strip my membranes until next week. I'd also like to try other natural induction methods like castor oil before allowing induction. Plus I do NOT want a nicu baby. I don't know if I should agree to go to a sono on Friday, because it still won't be accurate as far as weight is concerned. I don't know that the next time I go they won't decide something ELSE is wrong. I feel upset & scared, and so mad that I just can't be happy I've made it this far. I just don't know what to do at this point to have the healthiest baby and labor I can. So, advice, support, omgplease...
Some background: My DS came at 35 weeks + 4 or 5 days. I just spontaneously went into labor. I was GBS+ and had to take clindomyacin (spelling?) and was told I was dehydrated so I was stuck to the IV. Many things happened during that labor that were for me traumatic. DS was 5lb 6oz, 17 1/2 inches and I was told he was taken to the NICU because in my hospital babies must be over 5lb 9oz to avoid it. Because of the antibiotics I contracted c. difficile, which is life threatning and took months for me to heal and multiple hospital stays and I lost all milk supply causing a chain reaction of being unable to bf my ds. Not fun, and I REFUSE to do it again, to the point where I've even refused the GBS test this time.
So on to the sonograms... Because I went so early with no indication last time my mw sent me for a sono with cervical check starting at 33 weeks, and has had me on bedrest since. Cervical check showed nothing out of the ordinary, but I was told my fluid level was mildly low, no big deal. I keep having to go in every Monday to monitor the mildly low amniotic fluid, but I'm told its no big deal. Last week I didn't get a chance to eat before my 8am sono and the baby was sleeping. I'm usually not even up and eating breakfast until 10am, so really baby and I were just pooped. They get all up in a tizzy and insist I go on the monitor. Of course, baby and everything is fine, but this "non-stress" test was incredibly stressful for me, and my DH. I asked them to check the weight of the baby, but they told me that since they checked last week they're not going to do it today (this was last week) because they only do it every three weeks to get a somewhat accurate weight, otherwise it could look off when its really not because the average of 2 weights will come out different and less accurate than the average of 3 weeks worth of weights.
I went to my mw on Tuesday and she says everything is fine, but I should stay on a decreased bedrest plan because of the amniotic fluid level. I can DTD and go to the park or a movie, but not to the mall for 5 hours and don't chase around the baby, whatevertheheckthatmeans. I decided to ask her when the hospital would consider me full-term so I have the most chance of avoiding all the extra monitoring and ivs as last time. She says "Oh you'll never be considered low risk because of the (insert highly technical jargon for low amniotic fluid.)" I'm all flabberghasted because she hasn't thought to mention this to me in the past 4 weeks and she knows how nervous I've been. So I ask what that means for labor and she says that it "won't be any worse than last time" to which I reply "but I hated last time and I was hoping to avoid all the ivs and being in effect stuck to the bed." She says they'll have to do some extra monitoring to make sure baby handles the contractions well, and all the while I'm thinking, thanks for the heads up lady and btw I think all this is just normal for me and get off my bum. So she says that we can try some DTD and Evening primrose oil once I hit 37 weeks and we can STRIP MY MEMBRANES next week (tomorrow.) Told her I'm not going to agree to that until at least 38 weeks because I think that the low amniotic fluid is just NORMAL for me being a 4'10 woman and on the petite side. The amniotic fluid check is for the average person, and with my normal height and weight I'm far below the national average to begin with.
Anyhoo, fast forward to today for sonogram number 7859 3/4.... They do the test, and then they make me speak to the specialist Dr. Apparently they've done a weight check and lo and behold baby has fallen off the growth chart at 5lb 6 oz. Ummmm, weren't you supposed to do the weight check if I make it to next week I ask? He says, well the technition did it today. I say, but the technicion I had last week said if it was done sooner than 3 weeks the weight could look off, but really not be. He says yes that's possible, but I still have the low amniotic fluid. I say okay, but I'm not the average height and weight and ask him if its decreased since last week. He says I Dunno, and I tell him to check. Apparently I'm actually HIGHER than last week. He discounts this by saying its only 7mm higher than last time, but I say isn't that only a few mm off from being normal to begin with and of course he has no smart comeback. Anyway, he goes on to say that he's willing to work with me (whatever Dr. Whotheheckareyou) and that if we go by the book a woman at my stage with these results would be induced, but I can see my mw tomorrow and let her decide when she wants to bring me back for the next sonogram which may be as soon as Friday. Unless I can go into labor and save them all the trouble he says.
So grrr. I leave, but now I'm feeling all nervous and annoyed. I'm so tired of going to the sonograms. Every one brings me closer and closer to the time when they insist I'm induced. The more I go the more they decide is wrong with me. I don't want to be medically induced because I know that once you start down the IV road you're stuck, and for me that could mean MONTHS of recuperation like last time. Maybe I'm hypersensitive to it, but I just feel like crying. So now I don't know what to do. I don't think I'm going to let my mw strip my membranes until next week. I'd also like to try other natural induction methods like castor oil before allowing induction. Plus I do NOT want a nicu baby. I don't know if I should agree to go to a sono on Friday, because it still won't be accurate as far as weight is concerned. I don't know that the next time I go they won't decide something ELSE is wrong. I feel upset & scared, and so mad that I just can't be happy I've made it this far. I just don't know what to do at this point to have the healthiest baby and labor I can. So, advice, support, omgplease...
