June '14 L&D Questions Thread

katekat8721

Similar to the newbie/pregnancy question thread, feel free to post all your labor and delivery questions here!

lest12

Can I start? I have a question that no one will have the answer to! If the baby is head down, say, @ 32w6d, what is the likelihood that he'd go brach or sideways at this point? I'm being overly anxious and worrying for no reason, right?

jshrop

FTM and nooooo experience but what I read (and what my midwife told me) once they're in position they like to stay in position. But I dunno, I'll ask specifically tomorrow.

lellymine

jshrop said:

FTM and nooooo experience but what I read (and what my midwife told me) once they're in position they like to stay in position. But I dunno, I'll ask specifically tomorrow.

Another FTM but my OB said the same thing too.

puttyeast

@lest12‌ FTM here but I just asked my chiropractor about this today (she specializes in working with pregnant women and is Webster's trained). She said it is unlikely that baby will flip at this point. The reason a baby would flip would be because there is something wrong with mom's pelvis alignment.

lest12

Thanks guys! Just wondering. I'm feeling all sorts of weird movements in there, so I didn't know what he's up to...

lest12

CDK211 said:

lest12 said:

Can I start? I have a question that no one will have the answer to! If the baby is head down, say, @ 32w6d, what is the likelihood that he'd go brach or sideways at this point? I'm being overly anxious and worrying for no reason, right?

My guy just flipped head up tonight I'm special or something :-/. My daughter flipped back and forth until about 37-38 weeks, I guess this guy is going to do the same thing. I think typically they stay in position, though.

Tell him to go right back to where he was!

Ashes92813

@lest12, no idea but good question.

Has anyone had experience having their "cervix ripened" before being induced?

katekat8721

CDK211 said:

lest12 said:

Can I start? I have a question that no one will have the answer to! If the baby is head down, say, @ 32w6d, what is the likelihood that he'd go brach or sideways at this point? I'm being overly anxious and worrying for no reason, right?

My guy just flipped head up tonight I'm special or something :-/. My daughter flipped back and forth until about 37-38 weeks, I guess this guy is going to do the same thing. I think typically they stay in position, though.

Flip back little dude!

My girls are still flipping. On Friday Scarlett was vertex, as of today she's transverse. Sigh. Punks.

cMichelle0423

@Ashes92813‌ what do you mean by ripened? Lol I've heard the term but now I'm too lazy to search for its meaning.

lest12

cMichelle0423 said:

@Ashes92813‌ what do you mean by ripened? Lol I've heard the term but now I'm too lazy to search for its meaning.

Not going to lie, the term makes me nervous, lol.

katekat8721

Ashes92813 said:

@lest12, no idea but good question. Has anyone had experience having their "cervix ripened" before being induced?

Is that the cervadil or whatever the put on the cervix to soften it and help it dilate?

Ashes92813

@lest12, @cMichelle0423‌,@katekat8721, @emilyh107‌, yes!!! It's Cervadil. I couldn't remember the name. It's supposed to help "ripen" my cervix to prep it for delivery. My cervix is not ripe at all at the moment... I can't type this without a little smirk/giggle because the wording of it is so bizarre.

They'll give it to me the evening of the 13th and then give me Pitocin on the 14th in the morning...so looks like little peanut will be arriving on the 14th.

It sounds well, mildly unpleasant...

katekat8721

@ashes92813 wait the evening of THIS 13th day of THIS month?! lol!

Ashes92813

@katekat8721‌, why yes! This month. Next Tuesday, me and Mr. Cervadil have a hot date to ripen my cervix. It's my 34 week mark and they won't let me go past it with severe Preclampsia.

Ashes92813

@emilyh107‌. Ahhh that's right. It's like a tampon... I'm glad it wasn't so bad for you!

katekat8721

Ashes92813 said:

@katekat8721‌, why yes! This month. Next Tuesday, me and Mr. Cervadil have a hot date to ripen my cervix. It's my 34 week mark and they won't let me go past it with severe Preclampsia.

Ahh wow! That is so exciting!! It still amazes me that we're all going to have babies here (really) soon lol!

katekat8721

emilyh107 said:

@katekat8721‌ I was going through the 4/28 random thread and noticed you had a question about contacts during c-section. Didnt see anyone else answer, but they made me take them out. I forgot about wearing glasses though.. They wheeled me back to the OR so quickly and I never got the time to ask.

Oh thank you! I'm hoping I can just keep them in and no one will notice, lol.

Ashes92813

@katekat8721‌, I know, it's surreal! I'm a little nervous but excited to get this party started. My due date was 6/24. So she'll be a little preemie princess, but we've got a great NICU and after 3 weeks in the hospital, I've met almost every nurse, doctor and specialist here

shellbell813

@Ashes92813‌ at my birth class she made it sound like they did this to try and facilitate a more natural birth, so that less induction is necessary (I don't know if that even makes sense, but that's what I understood). No idea about whether it's painful or not though.

katekat8721

Ashes92813 said:

@katekat8721‌, I know, it's surreal! I'm a little nervous but excited to get this party started. My due date was 6/24. So she'll be a little preemie princess, but we've got a great NICU and after 3 weeks in the hospital, I've met almost every nurse, doctor and specialist here

That is awesome! No stress, just go in, pop out zee babeh and then hang out with her in NICU with the nice nurses until she's big and strong

chickpea912

Ashes92813 said:

@lest12, no idea but good question. Has anyone had experience having their "cervix ripened" before being induced?

@Ashes92813 I went in on a Sunday evening, they put in cervadil, and my water broke the next morning.  Then they started pitocin. 

Ashes92813

This is why I love TB. Thank for the responses I'm glad the ripening is more of an aid that anything. I feel more at ease.

@danielle4348‌, lol I've heard Pitocin is a dirty whore. So is Magnesium apparently too!

@katekat8721‌, lol I'm hoping she will just pop out! She's definitely an active little girl

@chickpea912‌, that sounds easy enough. Did your water break naturally?

@shellbell813‌, thank you that sounds good to me!

chickpea912

@Ashes92813 It did.  I believe I got up to go to the bathroom and then whoosh!

Oh, and ditto the dirty whore-ness of Pit and mag

mattanda2011

I was supposed to be induced with DD, when I showed up to the hospital I was contracting mildly so they decided to start with cervadil (the other one used is called cytotec) but only a half dose.
That ended up being enough to get everything going completely and I had DD within the next 7 hours.
It is totally possible for your body to get completely going just off the ripening stuff.

laramt

I went in for my 35 weeks appt today and doc said she thinks baby is posterior. And mentioned the likelihood of a c-section bc my pelvic bone is narrow. I feel a little defeated. I really was striving for a natural birth. This is my first, and now I feel a little anxious. It doesn't help that bambino is measuring 3 weeks ahead. So, I guess my question is...have any mommas had much success with posterior baby flipping? I know joules mentioned spinning babies so I've been researching a little tonight.

ncbelle

For all those with induction questions…there's really excellent evidenced based information on induction here:  https://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ClickedLink=1072&ck=10650&area=27 

@laramt‌ - I would like to smack your doc for you  First, totally possible your baby will still turn anterior - most babies do either before or during labor!  And even if baby doesn't, totally possible to deliver "sunny side up".

It's very rare for a woman to grow a baby she can't physically birth (unless GD is involved) - just doesn't make evolutionary sense!  BUT position in birth is HUGE!  Flat on your back (the position encouraged by most OBs) is the worst - that makes your pelvis more narrow.  Squatting or being on hands and knees opens things way up.  Choosing to skip the epidural makes those positions much more possible.

I would talk to your provider now about using those alternate positions - if she's not open to that, that's a big red flag and honestly I'd switch providers (it's never too late!), particularly if natural birth is important to you.  Spinning Babies is a helpful resource for sure.

And on the size estimate…what's she basing that on?  Ultrasounds are very inaccurate at this stage and sadly most providers have lost the ability to estimate size by feel.  Fundal height is certainly no indication (case in point, I always measure "behind" by a week or two and my last baby was 10 pounds).  It's also worth noting that even the ACOG doesn't recommend induction or c-section based on baby's size alone.

nunzchucks

@Ashes92813‌ Are you at Hillcrest?

babygabe614

This thread is fantastic!

I have a question about doctor-patient interaction. My practice has 5 OBs, and whoever is on call when I go into the hospital is who will deliver. I have spoken with my favorite OB about some reservations I have about one of the doctors, and she kind of gave me the "inside scoop" on how to avoid him, if possible (which days he is typically on call, etc). I am totally comfortable with the rest of the docs but obviously will be a little anxious if I end up with the one I don't mesh well with on d-day. If anyone had to deal with a doctor that they just didn't see eye to eye with, how did you handle it, and did it actually have any effect on your L&D experience or were you too involved with what was going on to really be bothered by them? I have a typed birth plan and have discussed this at length with my DH about how he needs to be my advocate but I am still worrying about it. 

Mom&nurse

lest12 said:

Can I start? I have a question that no one will have the answer to!

If the baby is head down, say, @ 32w6d, what is the likelihood that he'd go brach or sideways at this point?

I'm being overly anxious and worrying for no reason, right?

I asked my nurse this same question last night because I wanted to know. As a FTM... If u are, it is very very unlikely. Multiple pregnancies can cause baby to flip flip even when in labor. However she said they usually find themselves head down when it's time to go!!

Hope that helps. Said if FTM is breech by 36 its likely to stay that way if no interventions and it doesn't matter with STM cuz they flip often during labor too.

Mom&nurse

laramt said:

I went in for my 35 weeks appt today and doc said she thinks baby is posterior. And mentioned the likelihood of a c-section bc my pelvic bone is narrow. I feel a little defeated. I really was striving for a natural birth. This is my first, and now I feel a little anxious. It doesn't help that bambino is measuring 3 weeks ahead. So, I guess my question is...have any mommas had much success with posterior baby flipping? I know joules mentioned spinning babies so I've been researching a little tonight.

Baby can flip flop all the time. I get daily ultrasounds and her head is usually down and face down however she has been to side and sunny side up too. Then flips the next day. They deliver vaginal sunny side up babies all the time.

It must have been hard to hear. FTM but I would recommend going in with an open mind. Keep to your non medicated birth if u can. But keep in mind that if you do have a sunny side up baby you will have more back pain( so I'm told) and with the pelvis thing. Just keep it in mind too. You may need positioning help or meds to relax muscles to let LO move down.

Your not a failure either way. In my opinion, a healthy baby is what we all want and how we get it out may vary.

I've had many friends that were dead set on a Birth plan and struggled postpartum that they had failed for taking meds or needing a c section.

Hoping and praying for the best for you.

MrsP419

laramt said:

I went in for my 35 weeks appt today and doc said she thinks baby is posterior. And mentioned the likelihood of a c-section bc my pelvic bone is narrow. I feel a little defeated. I really was striving for a natural birth. This is my first, and now I feel a little anxious. It doesn't help that bambino is measuring 3 weeks ahead. So, I guess my question is...have any mommas had much success with posterior baby flipping? I know joules mentioned spinning babies so I've been researching a little tonight.

laramt, my DS was posterior at 38 weeks.  I went to the chiropractor and got adjusted, DS turned, and I went into labor the next day (I don't think the chiro put me in labor- I think once DS turned things were just ready).  No back labor!  That said, I have never heard of needing a C-section because of a face-up baby; it is not like a breech baby.

tbmadeamistake

ugabamafans said:

babygabe614 said:

This thread is fantastic!

I have a question about doctor-patient interaction. My practice has 5 OBs, and whoever is on call when I go into the hospital is who will deliver. I have spoken with my favorite OB about some reservations I have about one of the doctors, and she kind of gave me the "inside scoop" on how to avoid him, if possible (which days he is typically on call, etc). I am totally comfortable with the rest of the docs but obviously will be a little anxious if I end up with the one I don't mesh well with on d-day. If anyone had to deal with a doctor that they just didn't see eye to eye with, how did you handle it, and did it actually have any effect on your L&D experience or were you too involved with what was going on to really be bothered by them? I have a typed birth plan and have discussed this at length with my DH about how he needs to be my advocate but I am still worrying about it. 

@babygabe614 - I wouldn't sweat it too much.  From my experience, my OB wasn't in the room that much.  You have a nurse who is by your side, and then the doctor will check on out every few hours and come in for delivery.  I wouldn't stress to much over it.

Wss. Exactly this. Plus, I ended up with a midwife I had meshed really well with in the practice, and she was totally not the same in the delivery room. I was there 22 hours, she checked on me three times and then was there for the second half of my pushing and the delivery. I wouldn't sweat it.

Ashes92813

Hey! I'm close. I'm at Fairview. Are you going to Hillcrest? (Some of my doctors work there too).

LilNunz1 said:

@Ashes92813‌ Are you at Hillcrest?

laramt

Thanks so much ladies! You guys are amazing. I LOVE my OB. I know she was called for a delivery as my appt started, so I don't know if that's why she was spurting out shitty information. My mum was in the room and was pissed that all this was thrown at me as she knew I would worry. Luckily, my ob is very open to natural delivery and she definitely does not want me to have a c section. I ordered a book on amazon called "no more back labor" or something like that. It's supposed to help with posterior babies. I have been looking at spinning babies, and I even found a Webster certified chiro where I live. This was all done while I was suffering with the lovely pregnancy insomnia that we all get at 3am in the morning! Thanks again, ladies!x

Savvy122

babygabe614 said:

This thread is fantastic!

I have a question about doctor-patient interaction. My practice has 5 OBs, and whoever is on call when I go into the hospital is who will deliver. I have spoken with my favorite OB about some reservations I have about one of the doctors, and she kind of gave me the "inside scoop" on how to avoid him, if possible (which days he is typically on call, etc). I am totally comfortable with the rest of the docs but obviously will be a little anxious if I end up with the one I don't mesh well with on d-day. If anyone had to deal with a doctor that they just didn't see eye to eye with, how did you handle it, and did it actually have any effect on your L&D experience or were you too involved with what was going on to really be bothered by them? I have a typed birth plan and have discussed this at length with my DH about how he needs to be my advocate but I am still worrying about it. 

@babygabe614

The OB on call when I went into labor was the one doctor in my practice that I didn't love... but he ended up being amazing during my (very difficult) labor and subsequent c-section.  Don't sweat it!  You'll be so focused on what's going on that hopefully your non "meshing" won't make a difference.  Just make sure to keep DH informed as to your wants/needs so he can advocate for you if necessary.  It's likely that you won't see the doc for much other than delivery anyway.  Mine was in and out all day.

babygabe614

@ugabamafans and @Lilygrace48 Thanks for your responses! I hadn't even considered the fact that what an OB is like in office may not equate to what they're like in the delivery room, so either way I could end up with an awesome experience or a not-so-awesome one. Ultimately, I have no worries about the competency of ANY of the doctors in my practice which is the most important thing, it's more of a style/bedside manner difference and just typical FTM fears regarding that. You guys made me take a step back and look at what's important, and I feel much better about this all now, so THANK YOU!

Mia081081

@babygabe614 - I know this has been answered, but there is 1 OB who I really dislike. My water broke, so I didn't have the choice to wait very long before heading to hospital, and of course he was on call. He still wasn't awesome during delivery - asking me questions while I was having unmedicated contractions. Thank goodness I'm one of those people who become "internal" during birth and I just basically ignored him completely. I did have the med-free labor I wanted and he was only in the room like 10 minutes total because I pushed for 4 minutes. After that, he stitched me up, but I didn't care at that point.

It's funny, I had a feeling last pregnancy that he would be the one to deliver me. This time, I have the feeling it will be my fav OB. Fingers crossed it's her!!

babygabe614

@Savvy122 Thank you! I think part of being an FTM is that I didn't really have any concept of how much the OB will actually be present during labor. Sounds like I will be spending the most time with the nurses anyway, so you are right... I really shouldn't sweat it!

flojo973

@babygabe614 - I'm in the same situation.  My practice is 6 docs and there is one that I don't really care for.  I wound up in L&D this past Sunday (long story) and of course the on-call doc was the one I don't like.  But I have to say she was really great while I was there.  I definitely think there can be a difference between how doctors are in the office and how they are in the hospital.  And I had an awesome nurse who was by my side way more than the doctor.  So I would try not to worry about it!  

Mia081081

Did anyone do the 6 dates per day thing suggested in this study? I didn't last time, but plan to this time. Already eating lots of Larabars and dates with cream cheese (yum). These raw brownies are also the most delicious thing ever, but they keep me up if i have them at night. Too much caffeine in the cacao powder maybe?

Anyway, just looking to see if anyone had done it and how your labor went.