Friday, September 23, 2016

Trying to turn a breech baby.


Now, I am 38 weeks pregnant, and I have already been through quite the journey with this baby. After a lot of thought, Matt and I both made the decision to try to have a version to turn our breech baby. At church a few Sundays ago, we both walked away from the morning deciding that we would give the version a try, and we had a peace about it. 

With Everett, once we found out he was breech at 41 weeks, we scheduled an external version, and it took about twenty minutes, the doctor was standing and pushing the baby with all of his force. He was shaking and sweating, because he was pushing on my stomach so much. It was pretty painful throughout the process, and it didn't work. The baby wouldn't turn, and so we had a cesarean birth. 

This time around, we found out our baby was breech at 33 weeks, and at each doctor's appointment, it was confirmed it was still breech. I tried the exercises to turn it, and Matt and I discussed our options. We could try a version again or just schedule a cesarean birth. My fears with having another version were that I would be too disappointed if it didn't work to turn the baby, or if it did work, and then I ended up having a cesarean, I would be too disappointed. I wanted to just be at peace. Once we decided to have the version, I honestly didn't think it would work. We scheduled our appointment, and when the day came, I felt nervous but peaceful. We dropped Everett off at preschool after a particularly tough toddler morning, went out to breakfast, and then headed to the hospital. We checked in, waited, and then were taken back to our room. I changed into a hospital gown, the nurses put a heart rate monitor on me, and a newer nurse put an IV in me (that part didn't go so well). While we waited for our doctor, we listened to the baby's heartbeat and talked about how we might find ourselves in a room like this again in a few weeks in labor. It was all a bit surreal.  

This time was so different than the last time. Instead of standing, the doctor sat on the bed next to me, and slowly worked to move the baby. There were moments of pain, but nothing like the last time. It took only about five minutes and the baby turned! The version worked. I had to be monitored for the next hour to make sure the baby was okay, and I was actually having contractions every three minutes, so I had to be checked. Then, we were approved to go home. We ended our day with a slow walk along Sunset Cliffs before picking Everett up from preschool. This week, we had our follow up appointment, where we were able to have another ultrasound to make sure the baby is still head down, and the baby's head is far down.

From here on out, we wait. My birth plan this time is to have a VBAC if possible, and to wait as long as I can to have an epidural. If it doesn't work out, I already am at peace with that. If I have to have another cesarean, that is okay. 

I am just practicing gratitude for the journey I am on to bring another human into this world and into our family, and I know that how the baby comes into the world is not up to me. I am at peace with whatever happens, and I am looking forward to meeting our little one. 

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