Comments are closed.
My humps, my humps, my lovely lady lumps
April 26th, 2010
When in gawd’s name did it become vital to me to tell the internet about the state of my lady bits? Seriously, on the way home from my OB appointment this afternoon, I was mentally composing a post to tell complete strangers about parts of my body that have never seen the light of day. My MIL tells me that when she was pregnant with my husband, she didn’t dare to even say the word “pregnant” around other family members for fear of scandalizing them. My, my… how these crazy times have changed.
Now, then, on to the subject of my parts: I am officially 2cm dilated, but not effaced at all. I’m contracting like mad, but nothing very painful so far. (Thank you, jebus.) My OB says he doesn’t believe I’ll go into labor this week, but that he wouldn’t be surprised if it happened next week sometime. I’m not at all ok with next week, fyi. Gerald will be gone on his romantic weekend away, and my baby shower is on the 8th. I have plans! I can’t be rearranging my schedule just to have this baby! SHEESH! I’ve done bed rest like I was supposed to. I think I’m entitled to a little bit of a life before this kid shows up and ruins all my fun blesses us with his beatific presence.
I’ve got another appointment and sonogram next week, but the doc says the baby’s head is “way down” (No shit, Sherlock. I kinda noticed.) and he’s in the perfect position for me to try VBAC. The doc doesn’t foresee any problems with delivery, so that’s a relief. I mean, except for the part where the baby comes out of my vagina and ohmygawd the pain! and what if there’s tearing? and jesus, can’t I just get an epidural right now?
test Filed under knocked up, where do I come up with this stuff? | Comments (11)11 Responses to “My humps, my humps, my lovely lady lumps”
Erica, I have a question for you, and I want to word it delicately because it’s not a criticism but a curiosity point: why is your doctor ok with you going into labor at 34 or 35 weeks pregnant? Also, relatedly, did you do any of that surfactant lung therapy (steroids to help baby’s lungs mature)?
I work in the childbirth biz, and I haven’t heard of a patient who is contracting and dilating at 34 weeks to be released from bedrest. Our docs like patients to make it AT LEAST 36 weeks, and if that looks impossible, they hospitalize and prolong labor for as long as possible.
(Not that I think our docs’ ways of thinking are AT ALL “right”, I’m just always curious about how other doctors practice.)
Also, note that I’m sure you are in wonderful hands and that you and your doctors are doing everything to make sure you and baby are both healthy and happy at the end of this pregnancy. I’m just curious.
Also, I simply cannot wait to “meet” this little guy and hear about his entrance to the world (or whatever part of it you are willing to share here). I agree these times of sharing about our pregnancies ARE a little weird, but it’s so lovely and fun to hear other’s adventures!
I’ll be sitting here, jumping every time you post or tweet, until this little guy is born. Does he have a name yet?
Marie – Honestly, I have no idea what makes 34 weeks magical for my OB’s practice and the hospital. When I spent that long weekend in the hospital on bed rest, all the nurses told me that I’d only have to make it to 34 weeks before I could go home, if I had to stay. The other OBs in the practice that I’ve seen on rotation have also talked about 34 weeks being the “unoffical” magic date.
I did, indeed, have the steriod shots the first time I was admitted and the baby is a good size (over 5lbs). The doctor would love for my labor to wait until 36 or 37 weeks, but he’s not going to go through any heroic measures to stop labor now that I’ve passed 34 weeks. He says after 34 weeks the chances of babies needing to be in the NICU are very slim.
Now, I’m not saying that he’s right or wrong, but what the hell do I know? I haven’t been delivering babies for 25 years. I’m just going with the flow, here. I’m taking it easy and trying to keep this baby cooking for as long as he’ll stay put… but not a minute past 40 weeks. : )
This is so interesting… and the comments even more so! I find this stuff so fascinating. Here’s hoping you can hang on til 36 weeks!
Oh, I’m glad you are comfortable with your doctor’s advise… and it’s true that after 34 weeks the chances of NICU are decreased… The main thing I was thinking of was the lung development- makes sense that they wouldn’t be worried about that since you’ve been treated for it…
I’m just so happy that you made it this far! I mean, *I* was worried about you having a preemie for awhile there, so I can imagine the worries you’ve been through!
Also, isn’t it interesting how different facilities have different “magic dates”? I mean, who’s choreographing this all???
I haven’t been delivering babies for 25 years, either. But all of this is endlessly fascinating for me. Thanks for answering my questions. And I really hope you get a few weeks of non-bed-rest and non-newborn!
(When I was pregnant for the first time, I thought I was ENTITLED to a day- just one single tiny day- of not being pregnant AND not being a parent. Heh. Never did get that wish granted.)
advise advice… you know what I mean.
I was wondering the same thing as Marie, actually- both times I was on bedrest, the doctor insisted on waiting until 36 weeks to let me up. With Eli he had actually changed his policy, in fact, to 37 weeks, which I WAS feeling pissy about until I got that inner ear infection from hell and was all dizzy and barfy and basically BED RESTING up until thirty eight weeks anyways.
Also, if you do have baby in the next few weeks, don’t fret too much about that whole vaginal birth thing- he’ll probably be on the small side, comparably, and unless you need forceps or something crazy, I bet you won’t tear or need an episiotomy or anything. Like with Addy, her arm was up over her head and she was coming at kind of a weird angle, so the doctor did a tiny epi and then used the suction a little bit to help me out, but I never felt the episiotomy, or the stitches (only four.) Just ask for a numbing shot if it really freaks you out- I had one, and while it didn’t exactly numb the ole ring of fire sensation (!!!) it did make me unaware of any tearing/stitching that happened.
Um, wow. That was a lot of vagina talk to a perfect stranger. As you said, it’s a strange time these internetz have placed us in!
OOOHHH Erica! I’m SO EXCITED, wondering when this little man will make his debut! I hope, for all your sakes, that you get a little more time.
I think the only thing that helped me through labor was my husband and doula reminding me to go into the pain, to not be afraid of it. My instinct was to panic- “PAIN!”- but being reminded that this pain has a purpose and a GOOD ONE was so helpful.
As much as I’m excited about you having that little guy – I hope you make it through your hubby’s get away and your baby shower first! Stay put young man! (just a little bit longer!)
Dude, you’re having a baby! In the foreseeable future!
So interesting what different doctors think. Even the two doctors in our pediatricians office have COMPLETELY different philosophies and advice. Which, is good? I don’t know!
I really hope this baby hangs in there until after the baby shower and your husband’s trip!!
I’m with Devan. It would be good if he stayed put for a while longer.
My sister, who has had a perfectly smooth pregnancy, has been told by her doctor that if she goes at 36 weeks (2 weeks for now) that it would be fine. To me, that seems silly to say that. Wouldn’t they rather aim her for 38-40+ weeks? Now they have her hoping for an early delivery, and really so far there is no reason to suspect that will happen. I know a 36 weeker would be fine, but they longer babies stay put the better. Just seems odd to me.
My son was born at 34 weeks, and while he was mostly fine, he did have to stay in the hospital for 2 weeks (you don’t even want to know what the bill was!) and had to have a small feeding tube in his nose because he was not strong enough to drink enough from a bottle to grow. I did have the betamethazone for his lungs, and they were fine, and he held his body temperature the first night. He is a little more susceptible to colds and ear infections than his sister, who was full term, and he spat up so much as a baby that we used towels instead of baby blankets. If I had it to do again, I would want to make it to 36 weeks, just to give the digestive system more time to develop.
Best wishes to you and your little guy!