Doctor's appointment this morning

[jenn_unplugged]

Despite feeling icky, I had an appointment with the OB this morning. I warned them that I had a cold, but they didn't seem particularly concerned.

I've gained one pound since my last visit a month ago, and while they don't seem concerned about that, I was told that I should have gained ten pounds by now. I'm still down ten from where I started, so I may finish just about even. I'm not intentionally restricting what I eat; I eat when I'm hungry and eat until I'm satisfied. I'm just not packing it on like most people do. As long as Boo is growing like he should be, it's not a problem. But I don't particularly feel like I'm eating for two, either. I remember reading somewhere that you really only need to increase your calorie intake by about 350 calories a day, which isn't a lot. And heh, the holidays may take care of this for me anyway. :-P

I have to do the glucose test at my next appointment in January. Blech. They gave me the little bottle of orange goo to keep in my fridge until then. Not looking forward to that, mostly because I really despise sweet things these days. I have a weird aversion to sugar lately, and I know drinking that isn't going to be fun. At least it's a pretty small bottle...

I had a great conversation with the CNM (who oversaw my appointment) about the birthing philosophy of the practice. As luck would have it, they are one of the only practices in town that is committed to supporting natural childbirth. The lead doctor in the practice is a big proponent of Hypnobirthing, something I don't know much about. I've read about the Bradley method (which emphasizes relaxation and understanding what's happening in your body) and liked it, but I'll look into Hypnobirthing too.

My biggest fear, I think, has been that I'll be talked into having an unnecessary c-section. This practice has a pretty low c-section rate for the US (about 18%), and about 20% of their patients give birth naturally. They do episiotomies very rarely, and generally strive to make the birth experience the most positive one possible. That's such a relief to hear after all the horror stories you read about many women's experiences.

I've also been really concerned about the "big baby" excuse for c-sections that you see so much of these days, in which the assumption seems to be that women are incapable of giving birth to a baby larger than 8 pounds. That is utterly ridiculous, and happily the practice I'm at thinks so as well. I was told that they don't that sort of c-section, and regularly deliver large babies with no difficulties. If the baby looks like it will be over ten pounds, they will suggest induction, but they seem to agree with a lot of the research that the risk of shoulder dystocia is widely overblown in this country.

So I feel like I'm in good hands here. I'm so relieved! :-P

On a related topic, I've been reading as many birth stories as I can find. Here's a new one that totally made me cry! Oops, that one is locked. Sorry!

Comments

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

heh. and Katie had the shoulder dysplasia and she was 8lbs 15! So yeah, not a good reason. She's fine, too, and was within a day.

[jenn-unplugged.livejournal.com]

From what I've read, it happens in less than 1% of births, yet it seems to be used as an excuse for c-section in a lot of them. On top of that, there are a lot of techniques for safely delivering the baby so that her shoulder doesn't get dislocated, without having to resort to anything drastic like abdominal surgery. :-P

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

I have a couple of internet friends (one in OR, one in MA) who are doulas with experience with hypnobirthing. Shay's website is here (http://www.birthintuition.com/hypnobirthing.html); that page is her hypnobirthing page. Might be a place to start reading?

Hey, I'm going to be in Austin next week. Wanna have breakfast/lunch on Friday? I have a 4 pm flight out, but am free till about 2.

[jenn-unplugged.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link!

I have a flight that morning at 9:50, so even breakfast might be pushing it, unfortunately. I take it you're busy the rest of the time you're here?

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

Pretty much - there's a symposium that has ridiculously long days, and then Thursday night I'm going out with my friend Susan, the last of our cohort in Austin. I might be able to meet up for dinner on Tuesday? Let me check my schedule and get back with you.

[jenn-unplugged.livejournal.com]

Even if it's brief, I'd love to see you!

[glasshouses.livejournal.com]

My doc told me I had a small cervix, and to hope the baby had a small head. After inducing labor and 5 hours of full labor but no progression, I got a c-section anyway. It's scary when your doctor has your tummy cut open and exclaims, "Oh, my GOD!!" She later said she was glad "she" gave me a c-section, when I knew it would likely end up that way all along. Grrrr, I don't go to her anymore.

Lucinator did indeed have a big head, and a century ago, we might have both died. I would have rather scheduled a c-section, but my doc wanted to keep her % low. My only advice (as given to Nightsister), is to have them compare head to opening on the last ultrasound :-)

Oh, and the link is friends locked.

Hypnobirth sounds really great!

[jenn-unplugged.livejournal.com]

All of the women in my family have had big babies -- my grandmother says (and I assume she's not exaggerating) that my uncle was almost 14 pounds! I don't anticipate there being a a problem with size here, but it's great to know that my doctor is very committed to giving every woman the opportunity to have a vaginal birth. I don't doubt that there are legitimate cases where the baby wouldn't fit, but from what I've read they're pretty rare.

I'm also really opposed to being induced, because the stats on it seem to be pretty bad. I've read that it fails to work as often as half the time (that seems high, so maybe it's not quite correct) and so results in c-sections. I know things might not end up going the way I want them, but at the very least I'm hoping Boo gets to come when he's ready, and not when the doctor thinks he should come, ya know? :-P

Ah damn, I should've known to check if the link was locked. Ah well!