Leave it to me...
Aug. 19th, 2008 12:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bronwynrhto have a middle-of-the-road diagnosis. No interventions inside, just talk about what my future may look like :)
I had a trans-v ultrasound today and it was immediately obvious, even to me, that we're looking at marginal placenta previa. That means the placenta is cozied right up the edge of the cervix, but isn't covering it. The technician said it was the clearest case she'd ever seen. Yes, thank you. Leave it to me to be a textbook case.
My OB said that he was no longer in a position to strong-arm me into a c-section (his words), and that I was ok to try a normal birth if I wanted to. He acknowledged that I'm educated enough to understand and accept the greater risk of hemorrhage that comes with marginal previa. He said that many women, knowing the risk, would want to schedule a c-section anyway, but he understands that I'm not like that, and he's ok with it. Yay for a doc who understands and acknowledges my over-educated self!
So I'm *sort of* back in a position of control. Acknowledging the greater risk (and assuming the placenta doesn't move farther away) I told my doctor that, instead of laboring at home as long as I could, I will come in soon after labor begins. That way, if I do begin to hemorrhage, I'll already be where I need to be for it to be managed safely. The hospital is half an hour away from home, and I'm not in the mood to bleed out in the car or while waiting for ambulance O_o
Let's see, what else? Baby measured 5 lbs, which is a couple of weeks ahead of my 31w6d timeline. 91st percentile! I find this amusing, as my son's head was only at the 5th percentile when he was born. Yes indeed, every pregnancy - and every baby! - is different.
Baby is also breech. There's still plenty of time to move, but I'll be paying close attention and looking for advice on how to encourage Baby to Do The Right Thing :) Otherwise, if the baby remains breech, I'm looking an external cephalic version and, of course, the possibility of a c-section.
Oy.
I've scheduled an appointment with one of the hospital anaesthesiologists, to discuss a proper plan in the event I am required to have the c-section. Anesthesias and I don't get along very well, so this is my opportunity to lay it all out for them. If I'm lucky, I'll get one who sees it as a challenge that they want to rise to, and not just a pain in the ass (my OB's words).
I've also got to check/confirm hospital policies (I have two options) regarding where the baby goes after a c-section. One hospital apparently whisks baby off to the nursery while mom is in recovery, while the other lets baby stay with mom. Needless to say, that's an important distinction for me.
So. I think that's it. I go back in two weeks, then another u/s two weeks after that to see if the placenta has moved any more.
x-posted a bit, too. My apologies to those of you seeing this more than once.
I had a trans-v ultrasound today and it was immediately obvious, even to me, that we're looking at marginal placenta previa. That means the placenta is cozied right up the edge of the cervix, but isn't covering it. The technician said it was the clearest case she'd ever seen. Yes, thank you. Leave it to me to be a textbook case.
My OB said that he was no longer in a position to strong-arm me into a c-section (his words), and that I was ok to try a normal birth if I wanted to. He acknowledged that I'm educated enough to understand and accept the greater risk of hemorrhage that comes with marginal previa. He said that many women, knowing the risk, would want to schedule a c-section anyway, but he understands that I'm not like that, and he's ok with it. Yay for a doc who understands and acknowledges my over-educated self!
So I'm *sort of* back in a position of control. Acknowledging the greater risk (and assuming the placenta doesn't move farther away) I told my doctor that, instead of laboring at home as long as I could, I will come in soon after labor begins. That way, if I do begin to hemorrhage, I'll already be where I need to be for it to be managed safely. The hospital is half an hour away from home, and I'm not in the mood to bleed out in the car or while waiting for ambulance O_o
Let's see, what else? Baby measured 5 lbs, which is a couple of weeks ahead of my 31w6d timeline. 91st percentile! I find this amusing, as my son's head was only at the 5th percentile when he was born. Yes indeed, every pregnancy - and every baby! - is different.
Baby is also breech. There's still plenty of time to move, but I'll be paying close attention and looking for advice on how to encourage Baby to Do The Right Thing :) Otherwise, if the baby remains breech, I'm looking an external cephalic version and, of course, the possibility of a c-section.
Oy.
I've scheduled an appointment with one of the hospital anaesthesiologists, to discuss a proper plan in the event I am required to have the c-section. Anesthesias and I don't get along very well, so this is my opportunity to lay it all out for them. If I'm lucky, I'll get one who sees it as a challenge that they want to rise to, and not just a pain in the ass (my OB's words).
I've also got to check/confirm hospital policies (I have two options) regarding where the baby goes after a c-section. One hospital apparently whisks baby off to the nursery while mom is in recovery, while the other lets baby stay with mom. Needless to say, that's an important distinction for me.
So. I think that's it. I go back in two weeks, then another u/s two weeks after that to see if the placenta has moved any more.
x-posted a bit, too. My apologies to those of you seeing this more than once.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: August 19th, 2008 07:07 pm (UTC)From what I can tell so far, breech or anterior presentation may affect the amount of bleeding. I think what they're getting at is that if the baby's head is placed in such a way that it tamps off the site of bleeding, then bleeding will (at least temporarily) stop.
I've not had any bleeding, so I guess for now it's all wait and see and hope. I'll accept the c-section if it's necessary, but I want to exhaust all other avenues first.