Sunday, November 6, 2016

Katherine's story Part 3 and 4 of 6

Continued...Part 3............

The following day I went back to my OB/Midwives office to discuss the results on my ultrasound. The midwife explained to me that Katherine was indeed a big baby and was estimating to be about 10 and 1/2 pounds and while the decision to have a repeat C-Section should not be based solely on gestational weight the OB wanted to go ahead and schedule the C-Section. Please understand that though disappointed we said "Okay...yes, when...today? Friday?" when....?" My midwife seemed surprised by our acceptance of this and proceeded to tell us that this is where OB's and Midwives differentiate on opinions. She asked us to hold on as she wanted to talk to the OB again (who was not in the office but she had to call). She stepped out of the room for a very long time, I have no idea what she said on that phone call all I can say is she came back in on that TUESDAY morning and said that the doctor wanted to see me on THURSDAY morning.  In our heads this meant that even the OB did not deem a high enough risk of uterine rupture to warrant a repeat C-Section that day. The rest of the appointment was pleasant and ended with the midwife walking out saying "Who knows maybe you'll go into labor before then and you won't have to do a C-Section after all.?"

We (my husband and I) did not leave the doctor's office that day with any warnings that if I went into labor to come into the hospital right away, we didn't leave feeling like even the OB really saw a risk in uterine rupture but just that out of formality she recommended a C-Section. We didn't leave thinking "Oh my, if I go into labor they think the baby could die, or that my uterus will rupture." Because trust me, if we felt at all that we were endangering Katherine by staying pregnant for 2more days and possibly going into labor would kill her...we wouldn't have left the doctor's office that day and they wouldn't have let us leave either.

Part 4.......

We returned home, feeling like once again a doctor was strong arming us into an un-necessary c-section (which happens, a lot!) I called my doula and explained to her what had happened. She felt the same way as we did...what was the medical reason for a repeat C-Section? There wasn't one. I can not emphasize that more...there was NO MEDICAL REASON  to have a repeat C-Section with Katherine. Gestational weight alone is not reason enough.  My doula said my options were that I could wait to see the doctor on Thursday and just have the un-necessary c-section, that I could wait until thursday and hope that I go into labor on my own, or that I could try some natural ways to induce my own labor and hopefully have the baby by Thursday and avoid another un-necessary c-section. I took the night to talk things over with my husband and make a decision.

Now, here comes the part where everyone passes their "hindsight" judgement on me. I chose to try some "natural" ways to induce my own labor. I pass this same "hindsight" judgement upon myself every time i look back on it.  I'm not surprised that others pass the same judgement on me too. I guess the biggest difference between the judgement I pass on myself is I know it is one passed in "hindsight", while others do not. It is always easier for us to look back on a situation and see all the "wrong" choices someone has  made when the outcome of said choices is a negative one.

This particular day, Wednesday the 30th, I can never undo...I chose to induce my own labor. How does one even do that? Well, there are the old wives tales so to speak of  castor oil, pineapples, and sex , but there is also a known herb that when labor is what you want to have and you are pregnant one would think taking it would be a good thing and many midwives offer it to their patients for that very purpose. I will not type the name of that herb I'm sure you could look it up and find it anyways. and you may even find yourself saying "hey I've used that." But after trying the old wives tales and feeling desperate I took a very small dose of said herb...I didn't even take the full dosage recommendation because i wanted to be extra cautious. I took the dose and about 2hrs later my labor started.

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