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So I have an OB that I'm established with just in case I need a transfer. She agreed to this relationship if I would do a 12 week, 20 week, and full term ultrasound... which I am fine with. So I went in for my 37 week ultrasound today and everything looks great. I wasn't really worried, though... and the ultrasound merely confirmed everything that my MW has been able to tell through palpations (including weight).<br>
But it was an opportunity for me to ask what to expect from her if I did transfer. Basically, she said that they would do everything they could to prevent a c/s (yay!). If I transferred they would probably do a spinal block because by that point, I would probably need it. They won't insist on internal fetal monitoring as long as they can get a good reading from external fetal monitoring. She makes a point not to do episiotomies (another yay!) and has only done 2 during her entire practice.<br>
I asked about how her hospital typically handles neonatal routines. She said that there is rooming in and the baby never has to leave me unless we choose circumcision (which we're not doing). She also said that he is my baby and they will do or not do whatever I want (unless there is an obvious medical need)<br><br>
So all of this I'm fine with. I mean we are talking a situation of transfer, which isn't going to happen unless something isn't going well and it's necessary.<br><br>
There were a couple of things though that I feel kind of iffy about. First, if I get to 40 weeks and haven't had the baby yet, she wants me to come in for a visit. She said she'd want to see me twice during week 40. And if I go past 41 weeks, she said she'd want to see me every day or every other day. These visits would be for either NSTs or Biophysical profiles. She did say that she wouldn't insist on induction unless one of the tests showed that my baby was in distress or that there was some problem going on. I guess the part that I'm iffy about is seeing me twice during week 40. I mean, I konw that on average first time pregnancies go over 40 weeks. And it isn't really something that I want to stress about. Her point was that at 40 weeks the risk for something bad happening starts to increase greatly. I don't know, I guess that basically now I feel like there's this pressure for me to go into labor before or on my due date just to avoid all these extra appointments. She actually had me set up an appointment for my original due date (which is only 2 days after the due date estimated by the 20 week ultrasound).<br><br>
The other thing that I'm feeling iffy about is that she wants me to go into the hospital before my due date and sign up for the spinal. What she told me is that if I came into the hospital and really needed a spinal, they would give me one. But if I came in and only wanted one, but it wasn't medically necessary, then they wouldn't give me one. But she really stressed that it would be a good idea to go in and sign up so that I could watch the video and learn all about the risks and benefits so that if I decided I wanted one, that option would be available. Ummmmmm... here's how I feel about that... I'm not one of those women who's going to "try for a natural childbirth" I'm going to "have a natural childbirth." I think that women who say they're going to try NCB, but sign up for the anesthesia "just in case," are highly unlikely to actually go through with it because they know they have an easy out. Granted, I'm going to be at home, unless something goes wrong... but still, I don't want to have it in the back of my head that it's there just in case the pain gets too bad.<br><br>
So I don't know. I mean, I'm grateful that I have an OB who knows my history that I can turn to in case of transfer. And I don't want to risk losing that b/c I don't want to go to the hospital just to end up with someone who has no clue who I am or what I want. But I also don't know that I feel comfortable with starting NSTs just because it's my due date and I haven't delivered yet. And I also don't see why it's necessary for me to sign up for anesthesia ahead of time.<br><br>
I'm going to talk to my MW and my doula about it before I make any decisions.<br><br>
What do you all think?
But it was an opportunity for me to ask what to expect from her if I did transfer. Basically, she said that they would do everything they could to prevent a c/s (yay!). If I transferred they would probably do a spinal block because by that point, I would probably need it. They won't insist on internal fetal monitoring as long as they can get a good reading from external fetal monitoring. She makes a point not to do episiotomies (another yay!) and has only done 2 during her entire practice.<br>
I asked about how her hospital typically handles neonatal routines. She said that there is rooming in and the baby never has to leave me unless we choose circumcision (which we're not doing). She also said that he is my baby and they will do or not do whatever I want (unless there is an obvious medical need)<br><br>
So all of this I'm fine with. I mean we are talking a situation of transfer, which isn't going to happen unless something isn't going well and it's necessary.<br><br>
There were a couple of things though that I feel kind of iffy about. First, if I get to 40 weeks and haven't had the baby yet, she wants me to come in for a visit. She said she'd want to see me twice during week 40. And if I go past 41 weeks, she said she'd want to see me every day or every other day. These visits would be for either NSTs or Biophysical profiles. She did say that she wouldn't insist on induction unless one of the tests showed that my baby was in distress or that there was some problem going on. I guess the part that I'm iffy about is seeing me twice during week 40. I mean, I konw that on average first time pregnancies go over 40 weeks. And it isn't really something that I want to stress about. Her point was that at 40 weeks the risk for something bad happening starts to increase greatly. I don't know, I guess that basically now I feel like there's this pressure for me to go into labor before or on my due date just to avoid all these extra appointments. She actually had me set up an appointment for my original due date (which is only 2 days after the due date estimated by the 20 week ultrasound).<br><br>
The other thing that I'm feeling iffy about is that she wants me to go into the hospital before my due date and sign up for the spinal. What she told me is that if I came into the hospital and really needed a spinal, they would give me one. But if I came in and only wanted one, but it wasn't medically necessary, then they wouldn't give me one. But she really stressed that it would be a good idea to go in and sign up so that I could watch the video and learn all about the risks and benefits so that if I decided I wanted one, that option would be available. Ummmmmm... here's how I feel about that... I'm not one of those women who's going to "try for a natural childbirth" I'm going to "have a natural childbirth." I think that women who say they're going to try NCB, but sign up for the anesthesia "just in case," are highly unlikely to actually go through with it because they know they have an easy out. Granted, I'm going to be at home, unless something goes wrong... but still, I don't want to have it in the back of my head that it's there just in case the pain gets too bad.<br><br>
So I don't know. I mean, I'm grateful that I have an OB who knows my history that I can turn to in case of transfer. And I don't want to risk losing that b/c I don't want to go to the hospital just to end up with someone who has no clue who I am or what I want. But I also don't know that I feel comfortable with starting NSTs just because it's my due date and I haven't delivered yet. And I also don't see why it's necessary for me to sign up for anesthesia ahead of time.<br><br>
I'm going to talk to my MW and my doula about it before I make any decisions.<br><br>
What do you all think?
