Wednesday, July 4, 2012

I guess I'm ready

Yesterday I had my 39 week appointment. Remember last week when I was 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced? Well, I'm still 3 cm dilated and now 75% effaced, butttttttttttt baby is breech :(

I was really surprised by this. I don't know if at my 38 week appointment if he was head down or not; the doctor didn't say one way or the other. I'm thankful that the doctor that saw me yesterday was the doctor that has been in on all of our centering classes, so we know him and he knows us and we've talked a lot. He knows we were planning on a natural birth. But now that the baby is breech (I'm not sure what kind of breech, actually, if it's a Frank breech, complete breech or what...I was too surprised to ask what kind of breech it is).

So we started talking about our next options. If my water breaks and he's still in the breech position, I'd have to have an emergency c-section. That is very very very low on my 'ideal pregnancy wish list.' I can choose to have an ECV to have the doctor try to manually move him into the right birthing position, but that has risks too. They try three times to change his positioning, monitoring him after each try to see if he's in any type of distress. If he is, it's c-section time. If he's not, and they're successful in changing his position, I will have to be induced right away so he doesn't have the opportunity to move into a non-birth friendly position. Thankfully I have enough amniotic fluid in me that he's movable. This is the route we're going and I'm realllllly hoping and praying he moves into the right position. If he does, I will just have to get pitocin to be induced, and there's still a possibility that I can proceed with my natural birth plan.

I'm supposed to go to the hospital this afternoon to get bloodwork done and do a c-section prep in case the ECV doesn't work tomorrow. I don't have an appointment for the ECV tomorrow; I just have to call very very early in the morning to see if there are other emergencies going on (if there are, I'd wait at home instead of hanging around the hospital), or if I can get in right away to try for the ECV. Unless there's a miracle and he turns himself on his own sometime today, then I'll be having him tomorrow. My doctor will be the one performing the ECV and/or c-section.

I know the ultimate goal is for a healthy baby, healthy birth and healthy mom, no matter which way he makes his appearance.

I think that I'll always wonder what if....what if I didn't do the ECV, would he flip on his own? What if I don't do the ECV and don't have an elective c-section, would my water break and I'd have to have an emergency c-section? What if I do the ECV and chose not to get induced (although I'm not sure they even allow that), would he stay in the correct position and I'd let my water break when it was ready? There are so many possible what if's and it's hard to say what is the best route.

If you're the praying type, please say prayers for a healthy delivery, no matter which way it happens.

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