Mothering Forum banner

Get me off the intervention train (novel-length)

488 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  cottonwood
(New to this board)...

I am in over my head. If I do not take some action I will be induced at 38 weeks, with IV antibiotics, and a low-blood sugar baby who is given sugar water.

Here's the background....

My fourth son is due August 21.

Ds #1: homebirth, 11.5 pounds, true shoulder dystocia, a midwife trained by Ina May herself. The moments that we couldn't get baby out, and then the minutes that they couldn't get him breathing, kinda scarred me. Especially since my awesome midwife barely got there in time! (apparently because her latest boyfriend was sleeping over) My whole labor lasted only 6 hours, and when I called her, again and again, she was sure I had plenty of time (I didn't sound freaked out enough for a first time mom)...she sent her helpers who were not capable of handling the dystocia. So I guess, while continuing to advocate for women's rights to birth how they choose, I got a little scared to do it again myself.

Ds #2: Had gestational diabetes. had to move to a different state at 37 weeks. Found a 'medwife' CNM with a hospital birth center. She was sure baby was even bigger than ds#1, talked me into induction at 38.5 weeks. Jonas was so snurgly and gurgly, I really don't think his lungs were quite ready even tho he was 10.5 pounds. CNM emphasized how I should be so thankful to not have a c-sec for such a big baby, especially after the first birth.

Ds #3: saw an OB who doesn't believe in c-sections just for large babies, especially when I proved I can do it vaginally. But still, induction at 39 weeks. (with IV ABX because I had GBS) This baby was scrubbed within an inch of his life immediately after birth, placed in a mandatory baby warmer, and left there while his blood sugar dropped and dropped. I was so doped up from the epidural, and 14 hours of pit labor, that the most I could muster was to insist that he get the sugar water with a syringe instead of a bottle. Dh could no longer keep his eyes open at this point, and wasn't able to help. I actually let a labor nurse leave the room with that baby, because I wasn't strong enough to keep him with me. I liked and trusted the nurse, but that was soooo against my personal beliefs and I didn't feel I had a choice.

NOW>>>>>>

30 weeks pg. with ds#4. Already he is enormous. From experience, I figure he's at least 5 pounds by now, if not bigger. I had high blood pressure (145/95) for a week or so in the 7th month, but its totally resolved now. Back down to 174/74 or so.

I flunked the initial GTT screen. Actually I scored 130, which doc said was borderline. I'm scheduled for the 3-hour tour tomorrow but I do not want to go. I know I'm high risk (significantly overweight, Native American, previous big babies and GD)....but how can it be right to stuff me full of sugar, on an empty stomach, and draw off a pint of blood over 3 hours? Wouldn't it be more logical to stick to my high-protein diet, no sugars, etc. without going thru the test?

I'm gonna flunk that test. I know it. And if I do, not only will I have an induction again, my baby will also be high-risk and whisked off to some nursery for his own good.

No. NO. NO. NO. no.

I was looking over my list of stuff for baby Toby's birth: no ABX, no PKU, no Vit K, no eyedrops, no bath, no warmer, no circ, no vax, no sugar water.

Yeah, right.

Somebody tell me that not all midwives are highly trained flakes. Somebody tell me that if I can push out 10.5 pound babies with an epidural, flat on my back, with ease, than I can trust my body to have big babies. Somebody tell me not to go for that stupid, stupid test in the morning.

Help me, please!
See less See more
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
So don't go for the test. Talk to your care provider about alternate methods of testing if they HAVE to test (I've seen mamas here talk about testing their blood after eating, or at certain times - I don't exactly remember, but you could search).

Or if you DO go, there's certainly no guarantee that you will fail the 3-hr test. I see posts all the time from mamas who failed the one-hour and passed the 3-hr with flying colors.

Even if you DO fail the 3-hr, that doesn't mean you HAVE to be induced. Who says? Your care provider? Are they going to come to your house and drag you in for the induction?

And even if you DO agree to the induction, why would your baby automatically be whisked off the nursery? Just b/c you had GD? Sorry, that's not a good enough reason for me, personally. They'd better show me some evidence that MY baby is not doing well (aside from a high birth weight), and if that evidence IS there, I'll be the first one hollering for care for the babe.

See, the intervention train can stop whenever YOU decide. You're the brakeman. Hit the brakes, mama!

Kinsey
See less See more
Kinsey, thanks for the reply!

Actually, I'm feeling much calmer now, and more clear-headed. Posting my whole story/frustration really helped. Maybe what I really need is therapy!

I've been searching these boards about big babies, gestational diabetes, and so on.

I think, I'm suddenly over my big-baby fear. Its been haunting me for almost 8 years, but some posts of Pamamidwife's just kinda exorcised it! She's been catching 13 pounders with no problems. I have never, ever met anybody, until these mothering boards, who had babies near the size of mine. Probably because I've never met a homebirthing mama IRL, and anybody who was going to have a big baby was induced at 38 weeks.

I am beginning to be much more afraid of a hospital birth, than I am of having a 12 pounder.

What I'm thinking, is, I'll take the stupid test. I want numbers, so I can decide if I'm comfortable with the advice I get, based on MY results.

I believe, unless I have severe GD (which I doubt)...I'll get myself a glucometer and monitor my own sugar. And I'll find a midwife. I know there are now many in my area.

I'm grateful for the info on this site, and a place to vent and ask questions!

I may need to keep talking, now and then, to handle the birth-fear demons. But I feel I'm reclaiming my rights and responsibilities as a pregnant woman.
See less See more
Oh my gosh! If I were a midwife I would have no problem taking you on, with absolute confidence that you could do it. A 10.5 lb. baby with an epidural and on your back? Aw shucks. Your body is MADE for birthing!

Re: GD, have you done a search on the board for that too? Lots of good info around here.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top