February 11, 2016

Thoughts about my upcoming labor and delivery of baby #4.

Yesterday, Courtney and I both happen to have our baby/OB check up on the same day and at the same office location with the same P.A. It was kinda fun, and would have been even better if our appointments were closer together in time so we could have had someone to chat with at the appointment...but maybe she had Jared with her. She called me as soon as she got out and said that she was dialated to a 1, 50 % effaced and -1 station. The PA opened her up to a 3 because her due date is 1 week away. I doubted the PA would do the same for me because they think that the first ultrasound is the one to be solely relied upon and the newer ultrasounds that show baby's development as 1 1/2 week ahead of schedule as something not to be relied upon. I understand why-people's babies develop at different rates and some full term babies come in at 5 lbs and all the way up to 10 lbs.
What upsets me is that the Doctor and PA are not giving much credit or consideration to my own personal history. They read the findings of the ultrasound that says I was 34 weeks instead of 32.5, but say that it just means that my baby is a big baby and that I was still 32.5 weeks. I try to tell them that I don't make 'big' babies and that Brenden and Kyleigh were born at 40 weeks exactly at weighed in at 6.14 and 5.15 respectively. Kent is similar to this pregnancy in that I was not ovulating (because of Polycystic Ovaries) and he showed up a week early (according to their ultrasound findings) but weighed in at 7lb 8oz. Was he really a week early? No. Not at all. I don't have 7 pound babies that come in early and weigh more than my 40 week babies. So, a month ago I was told that my baby weighed 4 lbs (and this is the ultrasound tech that my Doctor says is their best and very accurate before he heard what was reported). If that is true, baby now weighs at least 6 lbs. More than Kyleigh at 40 weeks.
Considering that I just 'knew' that I was pregnant before taking any test (and remember-I don't have cycles, so there is no way to know whether I've missed one or not...), it shows that I am very in tune with my body and understand the symptoms and changes that occur. Not to mention that this is my 4th baby...
So, when I meet with my doctor and PA and feel that they are brushing me off in regards to me actually being ahead of the due date, it is not a comforting feeling. In fact, it has made me want to look elsewhere for the rest of my maternity needs and delivery. But it's too late for all that. In the 9th month is not a time to switch. I have felt all the changes that the body makes when preparing for the delivery of baby, and it all feels very similar to when Kent was born. The High Risk ultrasound technician and doctor said I was a week ahead. The "very accurate" ultrasound technician at my current OB office said I was even a week ahead of that. However, the doctor wants to go according to the general population of America in determining my actual due date....not my personal history or the recent ultrasound findings.
Which would be more accurate for my individual case? What the general population of America experiences? Or my previous 3 pregnancies and the findings of the ultrasounds? Could that first ultrasound technician have clicked the dot wrong and measured incorrectly? But the High Risk technician (who has to go to extra schooling to qualify to work in the High Risk office since they deal with more serious ailments to mom and baby) and the latest technician (who told Trent, my Mom and I that she was doing things 3 times to make sure it was accurate) are not to be as trusted as the first one who I saw?
Brenden broke my waters in the middle of the night. Kyleigh had to be induced to start labor, but she came within 3 hours of induction. Kent came the night after the midwife striped my membranes and I tried all 4 'natural labor inducing' methods (drank pineapple juice, raspberry leaf tea, evening primrose oil capsule and went for a very long walk to a lake in Cuyahoga Valley). I would say that Brenden is the exception and that my body does not start labor on its own, but needs encouragement to begin. And the longer I wait, ie: the bigger/heavier the baby, the longer my body takes to birth him/her. Kyleigh came within 3 hours. Kent took about 12. He was 2 pounds heavier than Kyleigh. If I want to safely and successfully deliver this 4th baby without medication, then it would be best if I begin labor sooner rather than later. He most likely already weighs 6 pounds. Any longer, and it will probably be a lengthy delivery and one that I hope I can do without asking/begging/pleading/bribing for an epidural to relieve the pain.
My recovery and nursing experiences have been night and day when compared to the experience I had when I had an epidural. I really want to deliver naturally. Is it wrong to wish for hours shaved off the bearing of the most excruciating pain one can endure when birthing a baby? Kyleigh took at least 9 hours less to deliver than Kent. Beginning labor very soon would make for some good chances of getting that desired result. I can only pray that baby sends the hormone to get my labor started on its own because the doctors here will not consider individual cases over what is generally thought to be acceptable.
I have sent many prayers and pleas up to heaven. And they all ask to be done according to God's will. I trust that whatever happens, will be according to His will. It has to be so.