36 weeks

I had my appointment yesterday with both my midwife and my OB. I still have no idea why my OB requested that we all meet together. The midwife said that she has only done this a few times with higher risk pregnancies. The good thing was that Sam came with me so that he could meet them both.


Updates: I gained 2 more pounds so a total of 24 pounds. Blood pressure it good. Fundal height (belly size/growth) was 36 cm so exactly what it should be at 36 weeks. Lastly, my Group B Strep test came back positive. So, the issue of whether to take antibiotics or not based on my 8 week test is no longer an issue. I will have IV antibiotics when I get to the hospital.


Several people have asked me about my birth plan so I thought this was a good time to fill you in on what we are planning. With Katherine I had a c-section 3 days past my due date. This was because we found out at that time that she was breech. When an ultrasound was done to confirm this, we also discovered that my amniotic fluid was low and Katherine was small for a term baby. So, I was scheduled for a c-section that day.


At my post-natal appointment I asked my OB about a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) for future pregnancies. He told me that their practice did not do them but that I was a great candidate for one if the baby was not breech. So, it has always been my desire to have a vaginal birth rather than a scheduled c-section. I know that not all people who have had c-sections in the past desire a VBAC and that is fine. If I had a long hard labor that ended in a c-section I might feel differently but I had not a single contraction.


I joined a yahoo group for people who have had c-sections and learned a lot. Most importantly I learned that I am so lucky to not have negative feelings toward my birth with Katherine. Some of the women in this group are still dealing with issues related to their c-section 20 years after the fact. Sure, I regret that I did not have the labor and delivery that I had hoped for but given Katherine's position, I truly feel like my c-section was necessary.


So, with this pregnancy I have been preparing to avoid a c-section. I started by switching my practicioner since my former OB does not do VBAC's. I am seeing a midwife who practices at a hospital. There are two midwives in a practice with about 8 OB's who are all supportive of VBAC's. I absolutely love my midwife and the difference in how a midwife and an OB practice. I have also been seeing a chiropractor who specializes in maternity patients. I began seeing her long before I was pregnant and now see her weekly. There are chiropractic techniques that help your body encourage a baby to be in the proper position. Who knows if Squeak would have had a tendency to be breech or not, but she has been head down since at least 28 weeks. Since that is the reason for my c-section, having her head down makes things look very good for a VBAC. My chiropractor is also a doula and recently completed her midwifery training. She will be my doula and attending the birth. A doula is a professional labor assistant that helps out during labor and delivery.


A lot of people have asked me about having a natural childbirth. That was my goal with Katherine. I took the Bradley classes and had every intention of having an intervention-free, medication-free birth. I still would love that but this time my goal is really to have a VBAC and avoid major abdominal surgery. If I end up with an epidural but avoid surgery, I will be fine with that. There are a lot of reasons why I prefer a natural childbirth that I don't need to go into but I would certainly like the freedom to walk around and labor and deliver in different positions. Having an epidural confines you to bed. I think with a VBAC, it is important to have as many options available as possible and being flat on my back in bed may not allow me to be successful.


We are getting so excited about Squeak's arrival as my due date is only a month away. A friend had their baby this week and I was able to hold her only about 14 hours after birth. I forget how small they are. I have been busy washing all of Katherine's tiny clothes and reminiscing when I put them away. We still have not settled on a name. We are down to three choices. We don't share, so don't ask but do pray that we settle on one soon.