Left appointment crying ;)

RandiDeeAnn · December 2011

Because my phone didn't work to record the heartbeat for DH. Oh well. So emotions were high, just because. OB didn't sit quite right with me again, so I decided to call the doula service for my area. (That BTW serves this hospital and the only other in the area that will give TOL after a section). This doula warned me about the current doc, but I went anyway. He just keeps referencing that a good candidate has had a previous vaginal delivery and goes into labor on her own (before 40 weeks on his watch).

So I was asking questions about L&D at the hospital. I asked what the procedures are. He said for VBAC, continuous fetal monitoring until the water breaks. Then you can have the scalp thing and move just about however you want. I asked if I could move with the continuous outer and he kind of paused. I was flat on my back with DD and the nurses jumped my case if they had to adjust the monitors if I turned thew wrong way. This doc said I could lay on the couch in the room or walk around the room if I could still be monitored.

He also keeps saying that if there's no progress at 36 weeks--hard and closed, 37--hard and closed, 38, 39--hard and closed. That's not good. 36 weeks? Really? Anyway, I called the doula to set up an interview and she said we could talk about doctors. I feel better because she knows the doctors, and I'm glad DH finally started coming around about hiring someone.

chicsub · December 2011

A doula is a great idea, especially in your case! And I didn't get my first internal until my 40w appointment and only b/c I felt like I was having contractions the night before (after having them for a couple weeks) and wanted a membrane sweep to help things along at that point. So I would decline internals at all cost, they will just mess with your head and give your doc ammo if you stay with him.

I had CFM this time and it wasn't bad at all, but I also had telemetry. Actually it wasn't picking up my contractions (they even swapped out monitors and batteries I think) so luckily my doula took charge and tracked contractions on her iPad via Contraction Master and they were fine with that.

nosoup4u · December 2011

Yeah, calling the doulas sounds like a great idea! I would have some reservations about that doctor, his idea of how far you should be progressed sounds really, really rigid (I didn't go into labor until 41 weeks or later with either of my kids - and would have been royally screwed if that guy had been my OB!). And I'd also request not having internal monitoring only bc of VBAC status - telemetry is a good option, like chicsub said. I had it for my first labor, and it didn't bother me - and I even labored in a tub with it.

Good luck!