All my stats were great. Nothing out of the ordinary. This being my 36 week appointment, I had to do the Group B Strep test (GBS). That is no big deal at all.
As I laid back for the exam, the doctor (Dr. L) checked the baby's position and noted that he was already a "big baby." She said, "He won't be a 10 pounder, but he's a big boy already." She wouldn't estimate his size at this point, but did say that I could expect at least another 7 and three-quarter baby like Mac was. She thinks that's big enough for someone my size.
Then she asked why they ultimately did the c-section with Mac. I told her that they indicated a "Failure to Progress" on my chart, but that was only partially true. I told her that I did fully dilate to 10 cm, but the issue was that Mac would not (or could not) descend. He never engaged in the birth canal. I went on to tell her that I was starting to feel some apprehension about this delivery as I think on it more becaues I really believe that Mac could not descend due to my previous pelvic injury.
She asked more about that and I told her that the advice of my chiropracter (from back when I was 22 years old) was that because of how my pelvis healed after the fracture, I would likely have difficulty with vaginal births. He told me that if we could not correct the pelvic misalignment I would likely require c-section deliveries. Ultimately, I was never able to get my pelvis back to original shape.
Coincidentally (or not) I was not able to deliver Mac vaginally, just as my chiropractor had predicted and I ended up delivering via c-section. Since then, I have always wondered if he couldn't position himself more favorably because my pelvis was not allowing him to or if it really was a fluke.
Today, the doctor decided to feel around and get an idea of my bone structure. In checking it, she determined that I definitely have a tight passage and that could have been the trouble with Mac (as the chiropractor predicted). However, she said, "I would not discourage you from trying a VBAC. It could still work and you never know until you try, but I would say, maybe you want to listen to your chiropractor." Her statement was a total contradiction. Then she added "Keep in mind, recovery from a c-section is hard and it tends to be much more difficult to recover if you go through hours of labor before you resort to c-section. Having a scheduled c-section usually results in a smoother recovery."
In a nutshell I felt she was trying to tell me to schedule a c-section without actually saying so. I don't know why she wouldn't just flat out tell me to do a c-section if she feels that is a better option, but I wish she would have been more direct.
Ultimately I want to do whatever is safest. I also don't want to labor endlessly because the longer I labor, the more time I spend away from Macario. That is a real concern for me. Also, the longer I labor the greater the risk is that my uterine scar could rupture.
There is so much to consider.
After that discussion she reviwed my chart once again and told me I was due for a tetnus shot. I argued that I had it when I was pregnant with Macario. She told me my chart indicated that I was past due for the shot, my last one being in the year 2000.
I insisted I had one when I was pregnant with Macario, but told her that so long as it was safe to have another shot less than 10 years after my last one, I would do it. She said it was safe to have them less than 10 years apart and ordered me the shot.
When I got into the injection room, I mentioned to the woman that I was getting the T-Dap and Flu shots. I told her I wasn't looking froward to the T-Dap as I had only had it a couple years prior, but that my chart did not show it and so to be safe I was going to get it again.
She thought it was strange that my chart wouldn't show it if I was sure I had it done, so she checked again. Sure enough listed in my immunization record was the T-Dap on 10/26/10 (a little over two years ago) but definitely during my pregnancy with Macario.
After confirming that she decided not to give me the injection and just did the flu shot. She also thanked me for mentioning it again because she said I would have likely had a strong and painful reaction to getting another T-Dap so soon after my last.
As I type this (3 hours later) my arm is sore from the flu shot. I can only imagine how miserable I would have been if she did give me the T-Dap!
Anyhow. Now I have to go home and talk with Aaron about our delivery options and hopefully come up with a plan that makes us both happy.
For fun, here is a comparison picture of me at 36 weeks pregnant with Mac (left) and baby boy (right).
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| I think I look the same |
What a frustrating appointment! Do what feels best for you and your little family. I think you look the same or a little smaller with number two.
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