But those are all minor passing discomforts.
On Tuesday I noticed what seemed clearly to be the baby's head, up under my ribs. I could dig my fingers in and get a handful of firm round head. I'm at 36 weeks. Wasn't it getting a tad late to be lingering around up there? Shouldn't she be settling down now, beginning her southward migration? But I'm not a medical professional; maybe I had mistaken a hard ass for a hard head? For the moment, I persuaded myself that all was well and slept easy that night.
Yesterday afternoon I had my weekly check-up with the midwives. Mary saw me, did a quick ultrasound, and confirmed my fears. Baby is breech. My smooth ride and presumed birth plan have been shaken up. It's surprising how an unexpected revelation can awaken a chain reaction of suddenly fearful possibilities.
Breech is a complication and not exactly ideal. But it's easy to circumvent the dangers and difficulties of a breech birth with a C-section, a rather common surgical procedure. At my hospital, this is standard procedure for breech babies. The patient doesn't have a choice. Liability and insurance are probably a major factor in this policy. Furthermore, the midwives don't do C-sections, so they'd have to pass me off to one of the OBs on staff.
A planned C-section with an OB is hardly the worst birth scenario. But I'm finding myself terribly disappointed and depressed at the thought. I was hoping for another go at a natural vaginal childbirth under the supervision of the midwife. Johann assures me that I could birth breech and vigorously encourages me to take charge of my birth plan and shop around to find someone who could fulfill it, perhaps even a home-birth! I appreciate his confidence in my birthing abilities and his support of my agency, and surely there is a person who would assist us. But I'm wavering. Holding strong to a birth plan is kindof selfish. Especially when it disregards the medical evidence. Is it worth the stresses of hunting down a willing birth center, or the costs (my insurance probably won't cover a complicated birth at an alternative birth center), or the risks to the child? Despite the disappointment, I'm inclined to follow the suggestions of my midwife and not go back to the drawing board when I'm just 4 weeks from my due date.
We don't need to make an immediate decision on this just yet. It's still early and the baby could right itself yet. Mary has given me a week. If Baby isn't head-down at my 37-week check-up next Wednesday, they'll do an External Version and try to manually turn it around. (37 weeks is ideal for that -- Baby is small enough that there is still some room to manipulate it and big enough that it probably won't turn itself around again.) If that doesn't work, they sign me up for the C-section. The Version is already tentatively scheduled for next Thursday.
Mary sent me home with some exercises to help turn the baby around and this advice: "Drink lots of water." "If you like swimming, swim to the bottom of the pool." And, "Get out the ironing board." Johann, assuring me that it's just the manifestation of his biological desire to ensure survival of his offspring, has become my Optimistic One Man Cheer Squad and Enthusiastic Research Team. He printed out a list of ways to turn a breech baby. We'll be trying even the most outrageous suggestions. We are determined, and we have nothing to lose by trying.
Breech is a complication and not exactly ideal. But it's easy to circumvent the dangers and difficulties of a breech birth with a C-section, a rather common surgical procedure. At my hospital, this is standard procedure for breech babies. The patient doesn't have a choice. Liability and insurance are probably a major factor in this policy. Furthermore, the midwives don't do C-sections, so they'd have to pass me off to one of the OBs on staff.
A planned C-section with an OB is hardly the worst birth scenario. But I'm finding myself terribly disappointed and depressed at the thought. I was hoping for another go at a natural vaginal childbirth under the supervision of the midwife. Johann assures me that I could birth breech and vigorously encourages me to take charge of my birth plan and shop around to find someone who could fulfill it, perhaps even a home-birth! I appreciate his confidence in my birthing abilities and his support of my agency, and surely there is a person who would assist us. But I'm wavering. Holding strong to a birth plan is kindof selfish. Especially when it disregards the medical evidence. Is it worth the stresses of hunting down a willing birth center, or the costs (my insurance probably won't cover a complicated birth at an alternative birth center), or the risks to the child? Despite the disappointment, I'm inclined to follow the suggestions of my midwife and not go back to the drawing board when I'm just 4 weeks from my due date.
We don't need to make an immediate decision on this just yet. It's still early and the baby could right itself yet. Mary has given me a week. If Baby isn't head-down at my 37-week check-up next Wednesday, they'll do an External Version and try to manually turn it around. (37 weeks is ideal for that -- Baby is small enough that there is still some room to manipulate it and big enough that it probably won't turn itself around again.) If that doesn't work, they sign me up for the C-section. The Version is already tentatively scheduled for next Thursday.
Mary sent me home with some exercises to help turn the baby around and this advice: "Drink lots of water." "If you like swimming, swim to the bottom of the pool." And, "Get out the ironing board." Johann, assuring me that it's just the manifestation of his biological desire to ensure survival of his offspring, has become my Optimistic One Man Cheer Squad and Enthusiastic Research Team. He printed out a list of ways to turn a breech baby. We'll be trying even the most outrageous suggestions. We are determined, and we have nothing to lose by trying.
I'm a western medicine kind of girl. I've had one surgery that may have saved my life (precancerous cells), two surgeries that definately saved my life (rupturing gallbladder and appendix, respectively), and another surgery that just made me feel a whole lot better (breast reduction).
ReplyDeleteSo, while I believe that holistic medicine works for some things, I also believe there are other things that you just don't fuck around with. A breech birth is one of them.
Maybe Johann's right. Maybe some mothers and babies both survive breech vaginal deliveries without permanent damage. But to attempt it? Knowingly? And at home? Confidence and positive thinking are great, but taken too far, they become foolishness and denial.
It's terrific when versions work. My mother's did not. She was reluctant to do a c-section, but she decided it was better than the alternative, and here I am. Who knows, maybe that's another surgery that saved my life.
I heart scalpels!