This morning we had our 36 week appointment. I went in to the office with a copy of my typed up birth plan specifically detailing all of my ideas for what I wanted Charlotte's labor and delivery to look like. I knew that it was a wish list but it made me feel better to put it together. Epidural, check (top of the list). Natural birth other than epidural, check. Jason with me the whole time, check. Skin to skin contact as soon as Charlotte's delivered, check. Nurse as soon as possible after delivery, check. Have our immediate families brought in to L&D so that we can introduce them to Charlotte once everything is over, check. And I was planning to give that to my doctor at my appointment today. Very, very ironic.
Because this morning, all of those plans changed. :)
If you'll remember Charlotte was breech at our 20 week ultrasound. She was straight up and down facing my backbone. And then we went in at 28 weeks for our 4D ultrasound and Charlotte was transverse (totally sideways). We thought that was good, she was moving in the right direction! A few appointments later our doctor felt her in my stomach while she was measuring me and said that she felt like she had moved head down. We were excited. But when my progression was checked this morning our doctor said that she felt like Charlotte was still breech and she sent us in for another ultrasound.
The good news was that we got to see our little girl again. The not so great news, she is breech. But even though she is breech in the same position (face towards my back) that she was at 20 weeks, her heart was beating strong and she was taking her practice breaths. So it was fun to get to see her little body again and know that everything is still looking good even if she doesn't want to spend all of her time doing head stands. I mean, really, who can blame her?!?
Because she's breech and our doctor says that the chances of effectively manually turning a baby in a first time mom is slim to none we scheduled a C-section for May 22nd. So now we have a birthday for Charlotte which is exciting! I'm a little more frantic than I already was in thinking that I only have three weeks and two days instead of four weeks and two days, but I'll manage that somehow. And a C-section delivery is definitely not my ideal delivery. This means that I won't get to introduce Charlotte to our parents which I really wanted to do. [Do you think I can ask everyone to stay away until I get out of recovery so that I can still do that??? Yeah, me neither. :)] The way our hospital does it you also have to stay in recovery by yourself which also stinks because, really, who wants to be by themselves when their baby is getting cuddled by her Daddy? But, the goal has always been to deliver a healthy baby no matter the method, so this will make the process a little more structured and a little more predictable.
So, irony played a big part in today. At least for me. I find it very ironic that I took in my birth plan to give to my doctor only to leave my appointment with a scheduled c-section. I also find it ironic that due to my doctor's vacation plans the week of my delivery Charlotte will be born at 39 weeks when I was born around 44 weeks. I also think is ironic that due to the many many surgeries that I had as a teenager on my arms due to a car accident that the fact of having major surgery doesn't scare me at all -- I'm thinking the worst part is going to be being in recovery by myself!
If you have any positive c-sections stories I'd love to hear them. If you have negative ones...please keep them to yourself! :)
Oh, I am so sorry. I would be feeling the same way you do...but I know God has the perfect plan for Charlotte's birth...even if it's not OUR plan, it's always best. I have learned this lesson over and over in my life! :)
ReplyDeleteI am going to pray that it would still be the best day EVER! (and that you won't have to recover by yourself!)
Both my sister and my sister-in-law have had successful c-sections...with wonderful experiences. My sister even CHOSE to have one...and she is a doctor so she is smart!!! :)
I'm getting excited about Charlotte's birthday!
I have some better than good news. One of my good friends had a C-Section scheduled. Two days before the big day her cute little girl did a flip, so they just induced labor instead. I will pray that Charlotte will do a summersault in the next few weeks. I will also keep you and Jason in my prayers that you will have a wonderful delivery and that the alone-time in recovery will only seem like a minute. I am sure that they will give you some pain medication that will make you sleepy so the wait should not seem so bad. I am so excited for you and Jason and cannot wait to see pictures of Charlotte. :) By the way, please ignore my blog. I have just created it and it is empty. I'm working on setting some time aside for "me-time" so I can do some blogging.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement!! :)
ReplyDeleteI know how discouraging it can be to hear you have to have a CS when you want a natural birth, but she was head down once and she can do it again. She still has time to turn! God has a perfect plan for all of us and as much as I did not want a CS (after 23hrs of labor)I would do it again. It really was not that bad. It will all work out and after it is over with all you will think about is how beautiful and perfect Charlotte is! :)
ReplyDeleteYou have such a positive outlook, Jennifer! Once I make a plan, it takes a lot for me to get adjusted to another one.
ReplyDeleteI've got May 22 circled on my calendar!
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI've had one CS and one natural (with the epidural)- each was a really good experience for me and the only thing I was truly concerned for was a healthy baby. I got my wish and both of my girls are beautiful and the happiest little buggers in the world. A healthy Mom and baby are the most important things, everything else will just fall into place - however she's delivered! Positive thinking!
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Charlotte hasn't turned around for you. Maybe she still will. I've known others who were scheduled for c-sections and the baby turned at the last second. But I have had two c-sections and they were both fine. I really enjoyed having a definite date to look forward to, and also looking fresh as a daisy in all the pictures! You're right, the waiting by yourself in recovery is the worst part, but it goes by really fast. It's only about 45 minutes. On the plus side, you get to stay in the hospital 4 days! I didn't have to change a single diaper for a whole week! It was really funny all the stuff that Brad learned in the hospital and then taught me later. I was so loopy on the painkillers that I didn't remember any of the baby advice the nurses gave us! I know it will be a wonderful experience for you & Jason & Charlotte. I can't wait to see pictures of her! Good Luck!
One piece of advice: if you don't like your nurse for some reason, ask to speak to the head nurse & have her assign you a new nurse. I wish I had known that when I had Camden. I'm sure that won't happen to you, but better to know just in case. I'll spare you all the details, but I had a nurse who withheld my pain medication. Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteYour last sentence - haha, hysterical!! My deliveries have all been different - vaginal birth, emergency c-section {2 transverse babies} and a scheduled c-section. I can honestly say that a scheduled c-section is not bad - b/c I was dreading after my first one. AND the nurses thought she looked hungry by the way she was thrusting her tongue so they brought her to me the first 2 minutes I was in recovery! No joke! Prep talk that kid - tell her to come out starving so she can spend some time with you! And since Lonnie was sick - I was ALONE! Because he had to go home!
ReplyDeleteBut I promise the recovery from a "scheduled" c-section is not bad at all - I'll keep the recovery if the "emergency" {b/c I was in some crazy labor} c-section to myself! Ok?