36 week OB visit
Back from the OB. I had my 36w4d visit today..not very satisfying. I had a bunch of questions I wanted to ask (for the first time really, so it's not like I am ALWAYS asking a million questions), but was only able to get one out before he was gone. I had the group B strep test. He went over my meds, I asked about inductions and we had a brief discussion about it, then he was gone.
Induction: usually 2 weeks before the due date..which is....NEXT FRIDAY?! But, he didn't schedule it today and I don't seem him again until next Wednesday, so likely it will be early in the following week. If I don't go earlier that is...and that could be either because I start labour naturally before (not too likely) or that at one of my NSTs they decide they need to deliver then (a possibility..but last week makes me think maybe not..)
Why? Because of the combination of diabetes and high blood pressure which increases the risk of stillbirth the closer you get to your due date...yikes!
Should I be concerned about the fact that baby gained under a pound in one month: Yes. Could be placental deterioration and means that it may be better to get baby out..
Finally, what can I do to help things along and possibly avoid induction? nipple stiumulation. (strange..because I have heard and read that that was mostly an old wives tale, not very effective and can just cause unnecessary pain...)
I was not too thrilled with the visit, but glad that at least the induction questions were answered. There were other questions I wanted to ask, such as insulin/food during labour as well as what will happen after labour regarding my insulin and who will monitor that, and his view on cord blood banking (which I think if this baby could be here as early as next Friday, I just am too late to do..), and of course at least have him LOOK at my swollen feet which hurt to squeeze into shoes these days...
I did remember to at least ask the nurse about the anesthesiologist because they were supposed to call me a month ago, but never did...
NST this afternoon...hopefully it goes as well as last week's!
Induction: usually 2 weeks before the due date..which is....NEXT FRIDAY?! But, he didn't schedule it today and I don't seem him again until next Wednesday, so likely it will be early in the following week. If I don't go earlier that is...and that could be either because I start labour naturally before (not too likely) or that at one of my NSTs they decide they need to deliver then (a possibility..but last week makes me think maybe not..)
Why? Because of the combination of diabetes and high blood pressure which increases the risk of stillbirth the closer you get to your due date...yikes!
Should I be concerned about the fact that baby gained under a pound in one month: Yes. Could be placental deterioration and means that it may be better to get baby out..
Finally, what can I do to help things along and possibly avoid induction? nipple stiumulation. (strange..because I have heard and read that that was mostly an old wives tale, not very effective and can just cause unnecessary pain...)
I was not too thrilled with the visit, but glad that at least the induction questions were answered. There were other questions I wanted to ask, such as insulin/food during labour as well as what will happen after labour regarding my insulin and who will monitor that, and his view on cord blood banking (which I think if this baby could be here as early as next Friday, I just am too late to do..), and of course at least have him LOOK at my swollen feet which hurt to squeeze into shoes these days...
I did remember to at least ask the nurse about the anesthesiologist because they were supposed to call me a month ago, but never did...
NST this afternoon...hopefully it goes as well as last week's!
posted by Katrina | 2/21/2006 11:36:00 AM
3 Comments:
hi Katrina,
I was induced with my daughter at 38 weeks, because she was so big, they were guess-ti-mating that she was between 10 - 11 lbs. I am a Big girl, but I did not have Gestational Diabetes... anyway, with my induction it was around 37 hours... I arrived at the hosp at about 7 am, was gowned and had the cervadil on my cervix by 8 am... and had no progress at all and was only dilated 1 cm... until the next morning at 6 am, when my water broke .
The hardest part of the whole thing, was that they made me stay in bed the entire time, except once the nurses allowed me to walk for 45 mins around noon and at dinnertime on day 1, the nurse let me shower and have dinner.. since I was only 1 cm dilated, by evening.
Make sure that you bring pillows with you, I needed to place them under my legs and back, and hips to take some of the pressure off of laying in bed for so long...
I didn't sleep at all, but adrenaline kicks in!
I totally went for the epidural, I got it at around 3 pm, on day 2 when i was 4 cms... and by 8 pm, I was 10 cm with a lip, and i wanted to wait to push... I was scared, and having pubic bone pain and pressure, still had epidural in ( dr threatened to take it away....!) and then i vomitted, and felt better like i could start pushing, ( even though i couldn't feel the contractions, epidural was THAT GOOD! I could feel pressure though) anyway, dr left room,to check on other patients and said i could push and he would be back in a bit to check on me ( assumed it would take at least an hour) and I had a nurse and my sister with me, and they coached me to push, and with first push her head appeared! 7- 8 pushes and about 20 mins later, she was born, dr just made it back into the room, to guide her shoulders out!
anyway, what I loved about my induction... healthy baby... and epidural really rendered it a totally manageable birth, I did have 2nd degree internal and external tearing, because of her size and she was delivered with her hand next to her face..,
but I really feel like the induction and the meds, and because my body did not go into labor naturally, I didn't have any milk supply and my daughter was hospitalized 3 days later with severe jaunduice.... don't know if you are planning to breast feed, but if your milk doesn't come in, and you are not sure if she is getting enough milk, please be aware that you really should consider supplementing, with formula. Breastfeeding did not work out for me, I tried and tried, and giving up felt like such a failure, but i was able to continue comfort nursing her with the small milk supply that i did have ( it never increased, i tried everything) anyway, she is super healthy and thrived, once I realized solely breast feeding wasn't doable for us. if you have any induction questions, please feel free to ask! GOOD LUCK!!!
also the nurses monitor your vitals constantly, taking your temp etc, I am sure that they will be checking your sugars, so bring snacks that you like and are allowed to eat, and ask when you can have them! I brought sugar free candy's and gum... and sucked on popsicles alot. but once I gave birth they rushed me some sandwiches!
Wow, this is all coming up very quickly for you. Good luck with all of it!
thinking of you, honey!
can you e-mail a nurse with your questions?
xo
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