P2

Well, here we are at 38 weeks pregnant.


I went to my doctor today after several sleepless nights spent feeling every tiny flutter from little P and analyzing which body part I was feeling and if he really was head-down. I was anxious as I sat through the boring parts of the appointment, which was probably why my blood pressure was the highest it has been. Then my amazing doctor came in. As soon as she came in, she said "I've been wondering about you all week," which is kind of amazing to hear from someone who sees about 20 pregnant women a day. She checked me and felt for the head. She said she couldn't feel it, so she went to get the ultrasound machine. It was such a good feeling to have a doctor that was just as anxious as I was to find out my baby's position. I definitely missed out on that with my doctor with Paxton and it makes such a big difference.

She came back with the ultrasound and once again started at the bottom. This time, as the wand slid up my left side, my heart sunk. I knew what it meant. She turned the screen towards me and with a look of disappointment showed me his sweet little head. Still up by my belly button. Still on my left side. She also showed me my placenta, which of course is in the worst possible position to attempt a manual flip of the baby. She said that she had consulted with one of her partners (which again was such a nice thing to hear...she was thinking about my pregnancy and discussing it with another doctor while I wasn't even in the office) and that if my placenta was anterior (which it was), I would be at the highest risk of having a placental abruption if they tried to flip the baby. She said that the fact that he hasn't moved at all, even with the Webster technique and a week passing meant that the cord is very likely wrapped around his neck and he is unable to flip. Before she said it, I knew what it meant.

So now on Thursday, I'm scheduled for a C-section instead of an induction. I am disappointed. However, it is a huge relief to just know what position he is in and that he will likely stay. It is a relief to have a concrete plan in motion. It is a relief that it's just biology causing this situation and not anything I could have done differently. I have to admit, the chiropractor had me feeling a little guilty when he told me that sometimes babies don't flip due to stress or due to imbalance when I walk. I'm glad those doubts were alleviated.

I'm also a little nervous. I was feeling very confident about my induction. I knew exactly what to expect. I knew what the process would be, I knew what everything would feel like and how bad it would hurt and what the recovery would be like. Now I don't know anything.

Now that some time has passed and I have had a few hours to come to grips with what is happening, I'm feeling a little better. No, I don't know what to expect but there might have been surprises with an induction too. There are no guarantees in labor except that the baby has to come out. A year from now it won't matter at all how this baby joined our family, all that will matter is that he's healthy and loved. That's what I'll focus on.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad