Second Prenatal Visit: 13 Weeks
My second appointment during this pregnancy came in my 13th week. I have just cleared by my endocrinologist to start taking my Thyroid medication again and I am starting to feel better already. It is most likely a combination of both the medication and entering the 2nd trimester.
I went to my appointment in uniform, since I was going straight from work and my husband wasn’t coming with this time. I think I make the nurses chuckle a little by already having my weight measurement ready for them rather than stepping on the scale whilst in uniform. The boots alone add 4 pounds! If they weigh me themselves, the wont deduct pounds for clothing so I like to skip that part and I weigh myself that morning.
The midwife I met with today was great. She’s spunky, down to earth and isn’t sugar coating anything. We talked about pain management a bit during this appointment. I had heard that the family doctors can administer gas and air during labor at this hospital, but she indicated that I would have to switch to them as my providers if that is what I wanted to use. Since this group of midwives has a stellar reputation for VBAC success, I am hesitant to do so.
We also talked about epidurals. During my last labor, the epidural did stall my labor for more than five hours so I would like avoid getting one so that my labor progresses. I feel that I would have been less exhausted when I had reached the pushing stage if I had foregone that intervention (since it had worn off anyways). She indicated that that was fine, but to understand that if there was an emergency and a CS was neccessary that they would use general anesthia. I am very claustrophobic, and the inablity to feel my body or move was traumatizing for me during my son’s delivery. I have through a lot about what she said since we spoke, and based on my emotional and mental reaction to the spinal block during my sons delivery, I think that general anesthisia may actually be the better solution for me if there was a true emergency.
I also talked with her about what the group of midwives expects regarding a timeline at the end of the pregnancy. She said that they allow VBAC patients to go until 42 weeks as long as the baby is healthy and there are no complications. Upon 42 weeks, if the cervix has ripened they will opt for an induction using membrane sweeps, foley bulb, and pitocin. They absolutely will not use cervadil or other chemical dialators. If the cervix has not ripened they will schedule a repeat cesarean for 42 weeks 1 day.
I also got to hear the baby’s heartbeat and it was coming in strong at 158 bpm. What a beautiful sound!
As I continue through my pregnancy, I will be seeing a different midwife in the practice at each appointment. I hope to start formulating a list of questions to ask each one so that I can get to know each of them better. This way when I am in labor they are all familiar and I can know what to expect from each of them. If you were seen by a different provider each appointment, what questions would you ask?
~Mama
{written on 7 July 2014, delayed publishing until after our announcement!}
Combat Boot Mama 