After a weekend of medical run-around and referrals for consultations for referrals for consulations, baby's external version is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:45. The doctor says there's usually a 50% chance that baby turns during the version, but that our likelihood is higher because it's a fourth pregnancy. There is the slight risk that the cord will become compressed or the placenta will become detached. If that happens, they put me under and do a c-section right then. However, the odds are good that instead baby will turn and we'll have our home birth in a week or so.
Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. Friday I was feeling upset and anxious. Saturday I had a massage, which went a long way towards restoring my equilibrium.
Also, let me give you the lowdown on acupuncture from my perspective as the whitest person alive. I found it a basically painless procedure the first time -- the needles are small and I really didn't feel a thing. There was a bit of soreness for a few seconds after the needles were removed, but that was it. (The points for trying to turn a baby are on the sides of the little toes.) We also tried moxibustion, which is burning mugwort herb right by that pressure point. The second time, my toes were a bit sensitive from the heat and needles earlier. Yesterday afternoon we tried the moxibustion for the third time, and my toes were definitely feeling irritable. So I'm going to give the Oriental medicine a rest as I'm starting to build up a little scar tissue on my toes.
FROM THE ILLUSTRATED EDITION.
7 hours ago
5 comments:
As someone who had a c-section for breech presentation myself (footling), let me assure you that I'm praying for a turning baby.
I have had 2 VBACS since then. My choices were home or c-section, though.
Kelly,
Home or c-section are exactly our options as well. I find it amusing that we hit both ends of the medical spectrum here -- either as natural as you get at home, or scheduled and invasive in the hospital. I don't have to tell you that my preference is for the former!
Baby's in a frank breech position -- I don't know how that affects the odds of turning him.
I don't think I've ever heard that one kind of breech is easier to turn than another.
In my case, the baby turned from the head down, at zero station, to footling breech. The turning was a big sort of thump, with lots of kicking at my cervix, and set me into labor. So, there was no real chance to get her to turn back. All of the hospital staff marveled at her turning from zero station, saying it should have been impossible.
Now that I've known her for seven years, it seems like just the sort of thing she'd do. She's very strong-willed, and if she didn't want to leave the warm womb, then by golly, she'd stand there with both feet planted on my cervix and refuse to go!
I'll be praying for your procedure today...I'll be sure to light a candle after Mass today and pray that all goes well.
Prayers for you all.
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