Last pregnancy update before baby...
Sigh... We are having us a baby on Monday November 26th via C Section. Unless some higher power intervenes... this is the plan.
Little Savannah is a stubborn little girl. She has been in Frank breech and nothing we have done to spin her around has worked. I am still walking around the house at times like an elephant (and I mean this in more ways than one). The only advantage to doing this is how amused Sofia is by it. Savannah ain't budging. At 36 weeks my OB tried an External Cephalic Version. Basically, he tried to spin her himself by "massaging" her over my big belly. I use the term "massage" very loosely here. Luckily it was less than 3 minutes of trying, because I do not think I would have been able to take much more of that. He says after almost three decades of doing this he can usually tell right away if baby is going to go along or not, and if it seems like she isn't cooperating he does not try to force it. She was not cooperating. The next day I could still feel where he had prodded my belly - unsuccessfully. I had told myself beforehand that it didn't matter how painful it was as long as we did it to avoid the C section. Well it didn't work, which is depressing. I left the office a bit defeated. We talked about a vaginal breech delivery and he explained the process and it scared me. He told me to look it up online, because he knows I look it all up. Then he said "You won't want to do it, but if you do we can talk about it." I didn't even bring it up after reading about the probability of needing forceps, etc. At that point I figured a C section was the safest way if she won't turn.
And so we went in for our 37 week appointment, where he broke the news that the probability of her turning after 37 weeks are very low. It can happen, but it is unusual because she is already dropping and fairly large getting bigger by the day. Sofia was 7 lbs. 9 oz and we induced labor 9 days early. I expect Savannah will be just as big and we are going in 9 days early again.
The reason for this is he does not want me to go into labor and have to do an emergency C section. A planned one is much safer, especially when you live an hour from the hospital. Still, we are 10 days away and my contractions and cramps keep increasing. I told my doctor I was having really bad back aches and cramps, and the contractions were pretty frequent even as I sat in the waiting room for my appointment. His words, I kid you not were: "Oh, you are going to have more contractions in the next days than you ever had before and you already have a baby." Nice, huh? Last time around every time I left the doctor's office I was full of positive energy looking forward to what was to come. Those days are gone! I know he is just keeping it real. Everything he told me last time happened just as he said, so I can trust that he is telling me what he believes to be true. Apparently, my uterus (and my body in general) is not happy with the position the baby is in. And so it is doing it's job, trying hard to spin that baby around. Unfortunately, the odds are against it, but that won't stop my body from contracting, which won't stop all the rest from aching.
Michael of course is freaking out because he is starting to ship poinsettias, and so things are busy at work. The week after Thanksgiving is pretty much the biggest poinsettia shipping week for us and I will be in the hospital most of the week. Michael has to be in and out, and Sofia has to go stay with Grand mama and Grand daddy, while my mom helps me at the hospital, and so it goes. I also have a new office employee who thank god seems to be working out because she is having to learn as much as possible quick. Baptism by fire. She is doing a good job which is a very good thing because that is one less thing to worry about. Last time around I worked until 4:30 on a Tuesday and we induced labor early Wednesday morning. I was back n the office part time the next Thursday to do payroll. That's how smoothly my labor went. This pregnancy has been all around harder on me, so there is no telling how the recovery will be.
I am grateful though. I do not want to sound too whiny. I realize how lucky I am to even be able to get pregnant, and carry my babies to term. Sofia is the joy of our lives, and I am sure Savannah will be just as great. Her health, her beauty, her smarts and her all around charming personality are a gift to all who have the opportunity to meet her and I realize how very blessed we are to have her, and will be to have her sister. It is just very hard to remember that at 6 am when you have to ask your husband to give you a little shove so you can turn over in bed. Or when you wake up with heartburn at 4 am when you have to pee for the third time that night, and as you walk to the bathroom your belly contracts, again, and you have to stop walking to wait for it to pass and you think "heartburn, pee, sore hips, cramps, and now you are awake." The hardest thing is trying to get Sofia to understand when you cannot pick her up, or can't let her jump on your lap and you realize it's going to be awhile before she can play with you the way she had grown used to. But, I just have to tell myself she will have a sister soon, a playmate for life, a partner in crime.
It will all be worth it.
I am also grateful for my family. They are awesome. The idea of having to stay in the hospital for 3 to 5 nights is overwhelming, but I know my mom will be with me every other night if I so choose for her to be. I am thinking she and Michael can take turns so that neither of them has to be there all the time. Meanwhile, my mother in law is keeping Sofia for however long I need her to. Sofia adores Michael's parents, and knowing she will be cared for by grandparents that love her and that she is so at home with, makes all the difference in the world. After every doctor's appointment I speak to my mother in law and she always says the same thing. Don't worry. When you come home we are here if you need us. You rest up and heal. You got two daughters and two grand mommas here to take care of them for you. What can be better?
For the last 48 hours Savannah has been very active. I mean, we can see her moving by just looking at my belly. It is like something out of one of the Alien movies. I expect her little hand to pop out any minute. I believe she is trying to flip...she can still do it. Maybe she will be one of those procrastinators that works better under pressure. Lord knows I was when I was in school...
Here is a picture of my belly. Next time I blog there will hopefully be a new baby picture.
Little Savannah is a stubborn little girl. She has been in Frank breech and nothing we have done to spin her around has worked. I am still walking around the house at times like an elephant (and I mean this in more ways than one). The only advantage to doing this is how amused Sofia is by it. Savannah ain't budging. At 36 weeks my OB tried an External Cephalic Version. Basically, he tried to spin her himself by "massaging" her over my big belly. I use the term "massage" very loosely here. Luckily it was less than 3 minutes of trying, because I do not think I would have been able to take much more of that. He says after almost three decades of doing this he can usually tell right away if baby is going to go along or not, and if it seems like she isn't cooperating he does not try to force it. She was not cooperating. The next day I could still feel where he had prodded my belly - unsuccessfully. I had told myself beforehand that it didn't matter how painful it was as long as we did it to avoid the C section. Well it didn't work, which is depressing. I left the office a bit defeated. We talked about a vaginal breech delivery and he explained the process and it scared me. He told me to look it up online, because he knows I look it all up. Then he said "You won't want to do it, but if you do we can talk about it." I didn't even bring it up after reading about the probability of needing forceps, etc. At that point I figured a C section was the safest way if she won't turn.
And so we went in for our 37 week appointment, where he broke the news that the probability of her turning after 37 weeks are very low. It can happen, but it is unusual because she is already dropping and fairly large getting bigger by the day. Sofia was 7 lbs. 9 oz and we induced labor 9 days early. I expect Savannah will be just as big and we are going in 9 days early again.
The reason for this is he does not want me to go into labor and have to do an emergency C section. A planned one is much safer, especially when you live an hour from the hospital. Still, we are 10 days away and my contractions and cramps keep increasing. I told my doctor I was having really bad back aches and cramps, and the contractions were pretty frequent even as I sat in the waiting room for my appointment. His words, I kid you not were: "Oh, you are going to have more contractions in the next days than you ever had before and you already have a baby." Nice, huh? Last time around every time I left the doctor's office I was full of positive energy looking forward to what was to come. Those days are gone! I know he is just keeping it real. Everything he told me last time happened just as he said, so I can trust that he is telling me what he believes to be true. Apparently, my uterus (and my body in general) is not happy with the position the baby is in. And so it is doing it's job, trying hard to spin that baby around. Unfortunately, the odds are against it, but that won't stop my body from contracting, which won't stop all the rest from aching.
Michael of course is freaking out because he is starting to ship poinsettias, and so things are busy at work. The week after Thanksgiving is pretty much the biggest poinsettia shipping week for us and I will be in the hospital most of the week. Michael has to be in and out, and Sofia has to go stay with Grand mama and Grand daddy, while my mom helps me at the hospital, and so it goes. I also have a new office employee who thank god seems to be working out because she is having to learn as much as possible quick. Baptism by fire. She is doing a good job which is a very good thing because that is one less thing to worry about. Last time around I worked until 4:30 on a Tuesday and we induced labor early Wednesday morning. I was back n the office part time the next Thursday to do payroll. That's how smoothly my labor went. This pregnancy has been all around harder on me, so there is no telling how the recovery will be.
I am grateful though. I do not want to sound too whiny. I realize how lucky I am to even be able to get pregnant, and carry my babies to term. Sofia is the joy of our lives, and I am sure Savannah will be just as great. Her health, her beauty, her smarts and her all around charming personality are a gift to all who have the opportunity to meet her and I realize how very blessed we are to have her, and will be to have her sister. It is just very hard to remember that at 6 am when you have to ask your husband to give you a little shove so you can turn over in bed. Or when you wake up with heartburn at 4 am when you have to pee for the third time that night, and as you walk to the bathroom your belly contracts, again, and you have to stop walking to wait for it to pass and you think "heartburn, pee, sore hips, cramps, and now you are awake." The hardest thing is trying to get Sofia to understand when you cannot pick her up, or can't let her jump on your lap and you realize it's going to be awhile before she can play with you the way she had grown used to. But, I just have to tell myself she will have a sister soon, a playmate for life, a partner in crime.
It will all be worth it.
I am also grateful for my family. They are awesome. The idea of having to stay in the hospital for 3 to 5 nights is overwhelming, but I know my mom will be with me every other night if I so choose for her to be. I am thinking she and Michael can take turns so that neither of them has to be there all the time. Meanwhile, my mother in law is keeping Sofia for however long I need her to. Sofia adores Michael's parents, and knowing she will be cared for by grandparents that love her and that she is so at home with, makes all the difference in the world. After every doctor's appointment I speak to my mother in law and she always says the same thing. Don't worry. When you come home we are here if you need us. You rest up and heal. You got two daughters and two grand mommas here to take care of them for you. What can be better?
For the last 48 hours Savannah has been very active. I mean, we can see her moving by just looking at my belly. It is like something out of one of the Alien movies. I expect her little hand to pop out any minute. I believe she is trying to flip...she can still do it. Maybe she will be one of those procrastinators that works better under pressure. Lord knows I was when I was in school...
Here is a picture of my belly. Next time I blog there will hopefully be a new baby picture.
Hi Lisa!
ReplyDeleteLove your blogs. You are going to be ok, C-section or not. Also thinking of you and your beautiful family! Good luck on Monday and keep us posted!