Are you being induced, having a c-section, or planning to deliver when baby decides?
I'm a VBAC. That means, no induction, pretty much. If I get to 42 weeks... I honestly don't know WHAT I will do at that point, whether I will try natural induction methods, try a gentle Pitocin induction, or just have a c-section. I don't think I'm all that comfortable going past 42 weeks.
But I have a feeling baby will come on April 11th, which is one day before my official due date.
Will you get an epidural or are you planning on a natural birth?
I seriously don't want another epidural. When I do get to the hospital, I'll need to consult with the anesthesiologist about my previous experience, just in case there's a need for anesthesia... last time, I did get an epidural (after 18 hours of pitocin-induced labor) and had to get it TWICE because it didn't work the first time. Then, when I had the section, they tested me out for numbness in all the right places, and everything checked out perfectly... and then I started experiencing excruciating pain sometime after they retracted the first layer. The attending anesthesiologist just shrugged and said, "Well, if I turn up the epidural any higher, I run the risk of paralyzing your lungs. Want me to turn on the radio?"
Are you planning anything outside the norm? (ie, a water birth, hypnobirthing, etc.)
The hospital doesn't allow water birth, but does have two rooms with tubs, and my OB says that if I call him early in labor he can probably make sure one is available for me. According to our doula, they try to save those rooms for women who request them and are planning natural deliveries. Our doula is a hypnotist too, so we definitely plan to use that for pain mitigation. One thing that is "out of the norm" is that my doctor doesn't require ANY of his patients to get continuous EFM... yeah, not *so* out there, except for VBACs that's pretty unusual. ;-) They do have a telemmetry unit, which he says he doesn't usually bother with because it's pretty uncomfortable, but based on my experience last time (where I don't even REMEMBER what the belts felt like... I just remember unplugging the cords every time I went to the bathroom), I want to try it out.
I'm a VBAC. That means, no induction, pretty much. If I get to 42 weeks... I honestly don't know WHAT I will do at that point, whether I will try natural induction methods, try a gentle Pitocin induction, or just have a c-section. I don't think I'm all that comfortable going past 42 weeks.
But I have a feeling baby will come on April 11th, which is one day before my official due date.
Will you get an epidural or are you planning on a natural birth?
I seriously don't want another epidural. When I do get to the hospital, I'll need to consult with the anesthesiologist about my previous experience, just in case there's a need for anesthesia... last time, I did get an epidural (after 18 hours of pitocin-induced labor) and had to get it TWICE because it didn't work the first time. Then, when I had the section, they tested me out for numbness in all the right places, and everything checked out perfectly... and then I started experiencing excruciating pain sometime after they retracted the first layer. The attending anesthesiologist just shrugged and said, "Well, if I turn up the epidural any higher, I run the risk of paralyzing your lungs. Want me to turn on the radio?"
Are you planning anything outside the norm? (ie, a water birth, hypnobirthing, etc.)
The hospital doesn't allow water birth, but does have two rooms with tubs, and my OB says that if I call him early in labor he can probably make sure one is available for me. According to our doula, they try to save those rooms for women who request them and are planning natural deliveries. Our doula is a hypnotist too, so we definitely plan to use that for pain mitigation. One thing that is "out of the norm" is that my doctor doesn't require ANY of his patients to get continuous EFM... yeah, not *so* out there, except for VBACs that's pretty unusual. ;-) They do have a telemmetry unit, which he says he doesn't usually bother with because it's pretty uncomfortable, but based on my experience last time (where I don't even REMEMBER what the belts felt like... I just remember unplugging the cords every time I went to the bathroom), I want to try it out.
