I haven't been one to update on my pregnancy on here...our little one has his own blog and I blog about him there and with as busy as things are here, I just haven't had much time to blog at all. Things have been VERY hectic just trying to get things settled and ready for the baby and getting things organized for school...oh, it's been quite overwhelming to say the least!
So, here we are nearing 39 weeks in my pregnancy. I have truly felt amazing (pregnancy wise) with this pregnancy. I have been "not so blessed" with not having my usual groin pain associated with SPD. I had a feeling I'd be doomed at the end, since everything was going so well, something "had" to go wrong, cause that is just how my cookies always crumble!
I went in for my 39 week OB checkup. The midwife I saw was amazing...and honest! Long story short...they did an ultrasound to confirm suspicion that our little guy was breech and sure enough he was. He has been quite content hanging out in his normal transverse position, but as he decided to go vertical, he went the wrong way! Unfortunately, this group will NOT deliver a breech baby vaginally!
I was given two choices. Choice one an ECV & induction. Choice two going into labor on my own, but if he is not head down when I go in, i will automatically be given a c-section.
An external version (ECV) to attempt to turn him. This procedure would result in either an emergency c-section or a successful turn at which point I would then be induced. I had high hopes of a completely natural birth this time, as I have been induced every time and anyone who has ever been given pitocin, knows it sucks! What I didn't know is all the reasons why pitocin labors are so much worse than natural labors...but Pitocin does not cross the blood-brain barrier; therefore, endorphins
are not released in response to the increasingly strong and painful
uterine contractions. Laboring women do not experience the benefits of
endorphins as they try to manage their contractions. Additionally,
without the help of endorphins, they are likely to require an epidural. This article explains inductions and the use of pitocin quite well.
Now, I have labored three times with pitocin with no pain medication and let me tell you, there is NO worse pain. I have always had proper support of a doula and the pain was managable through her pain management techniques. I didn't have any options for my last birth and I was able to manage with the skills I had learned...but I am terrified of going into yet another labor with no support (with or without an induction). My body does not respond well to epidurals, so I don't see an epidural as an option.
I also have a third option, as I happen to have a friend who is a homebirth midwife who has been so wonderful to answer my million questions and she is willing to help us with our birth. I'm no stranger to the safety of hombirthing, as Duckling was a planned homebirth, but due to the circumstances (my husband was arrested near that time and his indictment was scheduled for raping one of my children) that surrounded the time of her birth, it was deemed safer for us to deliver in a hospital where there was proper security for us. It angers me, the number of people who feel that I "HAVE" to have my baby in a hospital because it is safer because that is so far from the truth!!!
I am very much struggling with the decision I am facing...and I am pressured by the time restraints I have to make my decision. There are two doctors in the group that are able to do an ECV. In order to get the one who has the best success rate, I have to do it next week. If I forgo that opportunity, my risk of a c section goes way up because if the baby doesn't turn on his own, then unless I do a homebirth, i am facing a certain c-section. Also, with my OB group, I will reach a cutoff at 42 weeks, at which time if I have not gone into labor on my own, I will only have the option of an induction or a homebirth. Considering two of my kids have been induced just shy of 42 weeks, I feel my chances of meeting that cutoff are highly unlikely. There is a "chance" that the baby will turn, though it is unlikely. While an old OB would confidently and comfortably deliver a breech baby for me (as, i have had two fairly large babies and he once told me he would have no concerns about my ability to deliver a breech baby)...I must admit, I would be nervous about delivering a breech baby past 42 weeks as then i am looking at the possibility of delivering a baby over 9lbs.
I have decided to visit a chiropractor who can perform the Webster Technique in hopes to encourage the baby to turn on his own. This technique is successful 66-68% of the time, when done 2-3 times a week for a few weeks. I felt confident before making the appointment, but I must say after speaking directly with the chiropractor who will be doing the procedure and with more thought, I'm just not feeling as reassured by this method this late in the game. To add to this problem...the baby isn't just staying in his breech position, he moves several times a day. I'm not convinced that getting him head down is going to keep him head down and I just don't know if this is something I want to gamble.
I have never been more torn about a decision!
If it helps at all, I've had several C-sections and they aren't terrible! If that's the way this all goes, it's okay... You still end up with a perfectly beautiful little gift who is worth every moment of the slightly longer recovery time. And if baby is moving so much that you don't think he'll stay head down once he is.. There is every probability that he'll move that way on his own. :) Deep breaths! You'll know the right thing to do when you need to do it.
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