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April 2015 Moms
sks306
member
Options
*UPDATE* Overdue and getting more confused everyday...
sks306
member
I am not totally sure if I am looking for support, sympathy, encouragement, or what, so bear with me. All I know is that I am hoping someone has maybe been in a my shoes.
I am a first time mom and as of today I am 40 weeks and 1 day (I know, barely right at the end). My doctor told me at 38 weeks 4 days that my ultrasound was estimating my baby boy at 9 lbs 10 oz already. She immediately started talking about a C-section, and it was very scary and overwhelming because that was never part of my plan. After a few phone conversations, she somewhat corrected herself and said we had other options, but that the C-section was their recommendation based upon his size. She said that I was not a candidate at the time for induction because I needed to carry a Bishops score of 8 or higher to induce before 41 weeks - I was only at a 3. Along with all of this, she did continue to say that the estimate could be off by a pound or more, but that she has seen the estimates be pretty accurate. At my appointment last Wednesday, at 39 weeks and 4 days, we decided to try a cervical ripening because I had not dilated at all and was at 50% effacement for like 3 weeks, with the baby still up way too high - my Bishops score was still a 3.
I went in for the ripening on Friday, at 39 weeks and 6 days. When the nurse checked me before the procedure, I was dilated to 1cm and 70% effaced, with my Bishops score now at a 6. I was so excited, and the nurse was SUPER encouraging. She was very supportive of this happening naturally, which is what I had planned, and was talking about how tiny baby steps like dilating to one and effacing 20% more in two days were actually huge milestones. At the end of the procedure, I was still at 1 cm, but I had effaced to 80%, and she was talking like my score was now at a 7 or 8. I was thrilled, to put it lightly. Everyone in L&D was expecting me to be in Friday night based upon the strong contractions I was having. I have not felt as positive about how this was going to end up as I was when I left. That nurse was so encouraging to me, and it was really pushing me forward.
Last night, I ended up going in because I was having super strong contractions about 3 minutes apart for hours, and it felt like this was actually happening. Well, when I got to the hospital, of course the contractions had slowed and eased up. When the nurse checked me, she told me I was still at 1 cm, but she said I was only 70% effaced, not 80%. She began telling me that in a first time mom, the baby descends into the pelvis first, then the cervix effaces, then it dilates. Well at this point, my son is still not down in my pelvis, and she seemed really confused why I have effaced at all because of that. So, as a result, I left the hospital at 1 am this morning more confused than ever.
I feel like my body is not doing what it is supposed to, which I am sure seems like an exaggeration to many of you, but I am just getting confused. I don't really know what to believe because my Dr, is very discouraging that my son will come out with anything except a C-section. The one nurse believed that this could totally happen the way that nature intended. But then the other nurse treated me like more and more interventions are going to be required, but that my body isn't doing the correct things and so it was just confusing. Through all of this confusion, we have tried many things on our own for the last couple weeks with no real progress from any of them.
I have another appointment with my Dr tomorrow to check the progress from the cervical ripening, but I don't really know what to think going into it. I have many options, but it seems like the path I should chose keeps changing. I have had many people say to me that things could change so fast, but everything just seems counteractive to that theory.
Has anyone else had so much confusion right at the end? Has anyone else been in this position with now being overdue and their child still not descended into the pelvis? I know there have been many in the same dilated and effaced boat as I am, but the pelvis issue feels different.
Thanks for reading through this long drawn out post...
Re: *UPDATE* Overdue and getting more confused everyday...
Hilariously, I just opened my fortune cookie after eating some Chinese food....It says:
"Your efforts are budding - results will appear soon."
That all said
1. Ask you doctor if they are willing to try induction first. And if not, the exact reason why.
2. Be ready for induction to be more painful and/or need more interventions than if you went on your own. If you were already planning on pain management meds this isn't a big deal...but if you also wanted to try ' Med free just know induction meds can make labors more intense.
3. If you are induced...ESP if your water is broken, you are basically on a timer...and if by the end of that timeframe you still aren't holding your baby, a c-section is basically inevitable.
4. Even if baby is 9+ lbs, that doesn't mean you won't be able to easily vaginally deliver them. For all you know, you were designed to deliver larger babes. Your 'shape' down there and babies head size etc matter far more than actual weight.
Due to number 3 especially, I think your doctor is actually doing their best to honor your wishes and is hoping either you body kicks into gear on its own-which btw can still happen even if right now it looks unlikely to you....babies can drop and labor can start on a dime-or you doctor was trying to give your body more time to make induction methods more likely to succeed. So talk to your doctor, see what options you have and while I hope it all goes 'as planned' remember there are no awards handed out after delivery for ' best vaginal delivery' ' best c-section' or even ' going Med free' etc. Baby will come out and your Med team will do their best to support your wishes while kepping you and little one as safe as possible
There hasn't been much progress resulting from the cervical ripening. There has been some, but not as much as we all wanted. But, my Dr. is willing to go the induction route this weekend if things do not happen naturally before hand. Luckily large babies have easily been born in my family, so I think that makes them more open to the idea. There is always the possibility of a C-Section at the end of everything, but this is more towards the plan we desire. Plus, we discussed that if the induction does not appear to be working after so much time, we can go the C-Section route without it being an "emergent" situation.
So now, it is just a waiting game. I really thank you guys for the support. I think part of my problem is that I am stressing too much about making the wrong choice. Now that we have a plan, I can just relax and take things as they come. You guys are so awesome!
Thank you again for everyone offering advice and encouragement! On the 25th, I went into the hospital at 1am to start an induction. Without boring you with all of the details, after 36 hours, 12 of which were active labor, and 2 pushing sessions totaling 4 hours, my 10lb 4oz son was born vaginally. Up until the very end, my doctor and I both were not sure he was going to come out on his own. I really have to credit my wonderful husband and a cheering crowd of nurses (which included nurses staying past the end of their shift), with me being able to push him out.
I really do appreciate everyone's help and advice here because it made me more optimistic going into the situation.