The non-stress test was fine. The little guy kept moving around, but fortunately the tech had a sense of humor and just laughed and kept adjusting the fetal monitor. I was only supposed to be hooked up for 20-30 minutes - ended up on there for an hour b/c the doctor was delivering a baby...so that was a little uncomfortable.
I was amazed to see some of the mainstream medical practice "in action" - this is my first experience with all the medical intervention stuff, since we worked towards a birth center/home birth last time...I will admit that I fervently hope to have a successful VBAC this time so that I feel more comfortable with a home birth next time. It's so much more enjoyable of an experience.
The dr. didn't even check my chart to see that 1) I was a VBAC and 2) I was Group B Strep positive. She came in the room and said, "Let's schedule an induction! How's tomorrow?" - I then told her I was a VBAC, and she quickly retracted that offer - "Oh, well, we don't like to induce a VBAC, so we'll wait, then." There was an intern with her (aren't you typically asked if it's okay with you to have an intern examine you? I wasn't even asked...). They did an ultrasound to check my fluids, which were great, more than ample amount of fluid. Then the Dr. did a vaginal exam, then had the intern check and asked what he thought my cervical position was. He said - 4cm and -3 station. No way! she replied. "She's only at 2cm and I can't even feel the head!" She proceeded to check me AGAIN! So I was given 3 vaginal exams - only giving more opportunity to sweep that GBS bacteria into the uterine area (sigh!). If I make it to Thursday, I will be checking in advance and specifically requesting only one vaginal exam, please!
So she could not sweep my membranes again, which I was hoping for, b/c the head had gone back up, and if she did the sweeping, it could push the head even further out of the birth canal.
Now, the positive is that none of this really means anything. It's funny how dr.s feel like they just have to have a number to tell some kind of "progress". The reality is, mamas go into labor at all kinds of dilations - so someone who might be 1cm dilated could go into labor the next day and have a 6 hour labor...and someone who is 4cm dilated may take 18 hours to get to 10cm!
It was a fun trip (tongue in cheek!) that basically told me nothing helpful, except what I knew, that baby and I are doing fine :-)
She even suggested that I jump up and down to get the baby's head further down. That was pretty funny. She was serious, bless her heart!
Hoping we don't make it to Thursday for another non-stress visit...but oh well. We have a week before the "final straw" - they will induce me on Monday if nothing happens before then. Prayerfully, we won't make it to that point :-)
Monday, November 17, 2008
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3 comments:
Oh my! I know you are exhausted after all of that. I hated exams. 3 all within a short period of time is torture almost. Praying for you lots!
Yeah, I hate exams too. It is strange that they didn't ask you if the intern could be involved. I assume it's a teaching hospital? I had lots of interns and residents involved in my births at MCG, but (with one exception) only when I gave permission.
I hope you don't have to go to the other test on Thursday. I actually kind of enjoy those. I almost never sit and do nothing at home, so I enjoy the down time in the chair! I almost fell asleep during my nst when I was pregnant with Hannah. It was so relaxing to me to just sit there and do nothing but listen to the baby's heartbeat. :)
Praying that you go into labor tonight!
Hi there! I was looking up VBAC stories when I came across your site. The whole idea of Drs letting interns work on patients without patients' consent makes me sick. I had a c-section a few years ago, and even though I was knocked out, I could hear the Dr instructing the intern, who it appears was performing the c-section. When I came to, I told my husband that I thought I heard the Dr giving step by step instructions to the intern during my c-section. My husband said that everything I heard was correct. We were so young, and didn't know we had any say in anything. It took me almost 2 years to recover from that c-section.
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