Hospital Choices

I am feeling much better about things! I got school figured out, so that was a huge relief. I'm now registered for all my classes.. two online health classes, anatomy & physiology, and chemistry. I have two morning classes and two evening classes. I'm looking forward to starting and getting into a routine! I'm so thankful I'm still able to go. I was pretty upset when I thought I couldn't!

Yesterday was my appointment with the midwife in Carthage. After hearing about the different labor positions, the delayed cord clamping, and other wonderful things she does, I was so looking forward to a VBAC there, as long as we liked her and felt comfortable, since we'd never been there.

We first met the nurse, who was completely sweet. She was talkative and friendly, asking questions about our other children and things like that.. things that she didn't NEED to know but still asked about. We felt very comfortable! Then, I found out they're unable to do VBAC's at that hospital. Apparently they used to and insurance stopped them from doing it, because all the hospitals in the surrounding area weren't doing them, and they felt if something would go wrong, it would come back very bad on this small hospital when all the larger ones around weren't even performing them. This is beyond frustrating to me, because from all the studies that have been done, VBAC's are proven safer than C-sections, particularly repeat C-sections AND they're even recommending nationwide to do VBAC's if patients qualify in order to bring the c-section rate down. Anyway, at that point, we felt like just going home and like it had been a waste of our time there.

Then we met the midwife. She too was AMAZING. She sat and talked to us for over a half hour about our options, addressing our concerns and making sure all our questions were answered. She told us of several people she knew who had gone to our hometown for a VBAC & some had been successful, some not. The ones who had had been pleased with their experience. She said we could go back there and act like we'd never been to her office, we could receive care here & then go back to her office if we found out we had to have a c-section- or even for postpartum care, we could try to receive care through her & then see if the office here would accept us at the end if it looked like a VBAC was possible, or we could go there for care & have a scheduled c-section. She did describe how family friendly the birthing is, even if it is a c-section. They lay the baby with the momma right after it's born, rather than whisk it away.. and while they still don't allow baby in recovery, the dad and baby go back to the birthing room the parents were orginally in, rather than off to a nursery. The baby rooms in 24/7, and they are huge breastfeeding promoters. If something bad should happen, they use the same 'go to' hospital as ours here does- the one Aeson stayed at for 10 days.

So, we left there with absolutely no clue what to do. Eric said he was leaning toward there, because he felt it would be a better experience, and I definitely agreed with that. It is hard for me to imagine choosing surgery, especially when it may not be needed.. but then again, I may have to have one anyway, for one reason or another. I really couldn't imagine having to have one and not having gone there for care either.

We faced this same decision basically with Aeson, and we decided C-section. During the birth, we found out he had a knot in the cord.. If we had had a vaginal birth, it could have tightened during the process, cutting off his oxygen. I felt like we'd made the right decision then for sure, and it was for a reason. I feel like it's going to be the same here. We may be running into these difficulties for a reason.

My concerns about a c-section, other than the risks of surgery and being unable to be with baby right away, are the soreness and healing. I'll have two other children to take care of afterwards AND I'll be taking classes at the time. I'm trying not to worry about that right now.. I'll only be taking two classes, and hopefully I can get some time off. It will be close to spring break too, which will be nice.

Positives about choosing there are that we know we'll be receiving excellent care all along and it's actually kind of nice we'll be able to choose when baby comes and I think that will be better planning as far as school & everything. They'll do it anytime after 39 weeks there, unless you go into labor before & then they do it then.

SO, I think our decision is to go there! I called today and the midwife is out on Wednesdays, but the nurse was going to get back to me tomorrow. She went ahead and scheduled what she thought they would want, and that's their usual sonogram and appointment at 12 weeks (next week). I hope the midwife agrees, because I'd love to see how the fibroid & the baby are doing!

Oh, other good news is I haven't gained any weight! My stomach is for sure thicker, but our nightly walking must be helping! I was actually down .3! My goal was not to gain any during the first trimester & since I only have about a week left, I think I'm doing pretty good! One other good thing about school is that I should be able to use the rec center this winter when we can no longer go on our walks!

I hope we've made the right decision, but I actually feel pretty comfortable with it. I wasn't 100% counting on the VBAC just because of the dr's attitude at our first appointment, so that may be part of why. I also know that with the problems with Aeson and even with the fibroid this time, we received minimal information & no support & I don't see that ever happening at the other hospital. I'm glad a decision is tentatively in place, and I am looking forward to the care there!