*lelekay*

Re: *lelekay*

• lelekay member

  February 2011

  The inversions were very difficult for me as well.  I gave up on them after about a week.

  Here are my thoughts....

  If you do decide to try the version, the pros/cons are (or at least, were for me) as follows:  Cons - it hurts like you wouldn't believe.  Or at least I didn't!  I heard it hurt, but I really wasn't prepared for it at all.  I was given something in my IV to try to help calm me, but I don't recall it helping at all.  I was yelling and hollering the whole time.  But Pros - (besides the obvious one that it might work and therefore might be worth a try) It is really quite a short experience.  My OB said that they only will try up to three times to turn him, and if it doesn't work after the third try they won't try again.  She also said that all I had to do was say the word, and they'd stop anytime.  Each attempt was only about 2-3 minutes.  I had two docs, one on each side of me, pushing and pulling on my belly.  LIke I said, I was yelling a lot (good thing it was in L&D!).  During the second try I was just about to tell them to stop when they did.  They asked if I though I could handle one more try  At first I thought I couldn't, but then I did it.  So, if you do try it, keep in mind that in total it's about 10 minutes of trying.  Not that bad when you look at it that way!

  As far as a c-section goes:  I had 2 1/2 weeks to process the concept.  The first week I was very angry and scared.  I had never had any kind of surgery before, and was terrified of being cut open.  I was scared of the recovery.  I was angry that I had to deal with this.  I was sad about not getting to experience the whole "movie" part of labor (which I know, most women don't anyway) where you suddenly know that's "it's time," and rush to the hospital.  I was afraid that I was losing a big part of the experience.  By the end of that week (during which we had tried the version), I was in "turn this baby" mode, where I tried anything and everything to get him to turn.  I was convinced I could do it somehow and avoid a c-section.

  By the middle of the second week I was starting to realize that it might not happen - he might not turn.  Then I went into "learn everything about c-sections I can" mode.  I watched videos, I read books, I asked people I knew that had had one.  I was still nervous, but starting to accept it.  And you know what?  I even got to a point where I was trying so hard to focus on the positives of a c-section that I, in a strange way, began to get excited about it.

  The c-section itself sooooo was not bad at all!  I didn't like the spinal block - that was the worst part for me.  But once that was done I was calm and relaxed.  Excited to meet the little guy.  And it happened so quickly!  I got to see him right away (MH held him up for me to see), then after they very quickly weighed, measured, and assessed him, MH got to hold him by my cheek while they stitched me up.  Within 40 minutes I was in recovery holding my son on my chest.  There was no pain at all (due to the spinal block), and I was remarkably calm and collected....more than I thought I'd be!

  Once the block started to wear off, I kept up on my pain meds whether I though I needed them or not, thanks to the advice of others.  Well, it worked quite well, since I had little pain.  I did have pain when I tried to stand, move, walk for the first times, but it got better very quickly.  Honestly, recovery was faster and easier than everyone made it sound like it'd be.  I did stay 4 days in the hospital at my choice (my OB asked if I wanted to go home on Day 3 or stay one more day, I said stay one more day and she said no problem), and I'm glad I did to get the extra rest.  Once I was home, I was fine walking and doing stairs as long as I didn't do it often and I took it really slowly.  Overall, it really wasn't as scary or difficult as I had worked it up in my mind to be.  In a weird way, you could even call it a pleasant experience.  Yes, I'd like to try to give birth vaginally next time, but if I find out I can't I don't think I'll be too disappointed.  My beautiful son is here, safe and healthy, and how he got here is honestly only a distant memory for me.

  Since everyone is different, and everyone'e experience is different (I certainly didn't have a toddler at home, so I can't really weigh in on that), I can't give you too much advice, I don't think.  But I will say this and take it for what it's worth.  If you really want him to turn (as I did at first), go for it.  Do whatever you've got to...try the acupuncture, try to inversions, try it all.  But for me, it was really healthy to reach a point where I said "enough," and let it go.  If you get too overwhelmed with it all, or it's too uncomfortable to continue, then don't.  Let it go.  Ultimately, he's the only one who'll decide if he wants to turn or not.  And if a c-section is in the cards, then so be it.  It's how he was meant to come into this world.  And it'll be fine.  Really, it will.  In six months, heck - in two months, you won't even think about it.  You'll have a beautiful little boy, and it won't matter a bit if his head was in your ribs or your pelvis before he was born, or if he went down the birth canal or not.  Just my two cents.  

  Let me know if you want to talk more at any point! 

  
  

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• lelekay member

  February 2011

  Holy crap that was long!  

  
  

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• MrsZiz member

  February 2011

  lelekay:

   

  But for me, it was really healthy to reach a point where I said "enough," and let it go.  If you get too overwhelmed with it all, or it's too uncomfortable to continue, then don't.  Let it go.  Ultimately, he's the only one who'll decide if he wants to turn or not.  And if a c-section is in the cards, then so be it.  It's how he was meant to come into this world.  And it'll be fine.  Really, it will.  In six months, heck - in two months, you won't even think about it.  You'll have a beautiful little boy, and it won't matter a bit if his head was in your ribs or your pelvis before he was born, or if he went down the birth canal or not.  Just my two cents.  

  Thanks for giving me your opinion and advice on everything. The invertions are SO uncomfortable... it's worth it IF it works but damn it hurts everything, my back, my pelvis, my shoulders!

  At least the version is fast. My OB did say that he did it last week and it was successful. However, there are 5 OB's in my practice, he's the oldest and has been practicing for 22 + yrs so I think if it reaches that point, I'll be asking for him specifically!

  I feel exactly how you were feeling- angry and scared. Like I said, I know people do it every single day. I also realize that having a healthy baby is so much more important than how you give birth, I gave birth to Bella at 35 weeks and 2 days and had to be induced because my water had already broke on it's own... it wasn't my choice. The "induction" pushed me into getting an epidural because the meds they were giving me were making the contractions on top of eachother... everything I learned in the $200 natural childbirth class went straight out of the window! But at that point, I had no time to prepare myself and thought "just get her out safe and healthy and get me out of this alive!"  That said, her birth was out of this world. It was an amazing experience for Ryan and I and we welcomed her into the world in a calm, peaceful manner... no it wasn't natural as planned, no it wasn't full term as planned, but we did the best with what we could and it turned out beautiful.

  This time I feel like I have the opportunity to try to avoid a c-section so I should do what I can to avoid it... I feel sad, angry, disappointed... like I should be doing more. I'm terrified of surgery, I'm terrified of the unknown, I'm terrified of having major surgery then coming home to recover with TWO kids! I'm afraid of feeling trapped in my body during the c-section and knowing that they are slicing me up! I feel sad that this time I wanted to try to do it naturally, I wanted to know the "rush" of going to the hospital and having contractions on my body's time, I wanted to give birth vaginally, I want to hold my son on my belly when he's all slimy and seconds old, just like I did with Bella! I'm afraid of spending extra days in the hospital away from Bella, I'm really sad for that...

   I know in the end it doesn't matter but at the same time, I haven't settled into "this is what it is" yet... I'm hoping that I make it to that point if he doesn't turn. I know I will get myself to that point, it's just not yet... I'm so glad that you mentioned that you felt some excitement about it because that's where I hope to make it if it comes to that. I'm even glad that you said it turned out to be pleasant... I'm sure I'm working it up to be much more than it really is... or at least I hope I am!

  Your last little part says it all... you are right and I know you are! I just have to settle into that if things don't "turn around" for the little man.

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