I had a consult with an OB today to talk a bit about vaginal breech deliveries. I brought my mother-in-law with me since Eric had to work. I really just needed an extra set of ears to take in all the information they were going to give me, and a brain to think of some questions that might come up as we go. The doctor I met was lovely. She was a really sweet little thing, and as far as I could tell she really wanted me to be able to deliver this baby naturally, in the way that I'd like to. She went over all the risks involved with a breech delivery - doctors just love to talk about everything that might go wrong. That's fair I suppose, but still I think she seemed to be more optimistic than she was maybe allowed to let on.
One risk that I've found fascinating this whole time, that each doctor and my midwives have gone over with me, is that the baby will be a bit more docile and quiet at birth than other babies. Because of the positioning of the cord, and the way the baby comes, breech babies just tend to be a little less pink and cheery and active when they are first born. I've been told not to worry about this - it should only last for around 10 minutes or so, and the studies have followed babies up to 7 years who are exactly the same as other children and show absolutely no long lasting effects from this. It's just a brief moment of them trying to catch up with everything that they've just been through I suppose.
The most important point of information I was given today is that the doctors really don't want breech babies to go past 41 weeks. We had to schedule a C-Section for my 41 week mark to make sure that we don't go past that date. As long as I go in to labour before that, we have reason to believe that everything will progress and go as planned, but if not that will be the day. She was very adamant about that - she did not want to book for the next available day after that day, and she did not want to go a day sooner, so that I'd have the longest possible window to go in to labour naturally. They also don't want to induce breech babies, or give epidurals because they need my body and my uterus to be in tip top shape to do all the work itself.
After the consult with the doctor I was able to get a tour of the labour and delivery unit. I hate to say that hospitals are beautiful, but boy do I feel lucky that I will be able to deliver here (even if the other hospital is only a 3 minute drive from my house). The labour and delivery suits are all private and nice and big. They have a bed for Eric to sleep in, and visiting hours are not restricted in any way. Eric can stay all night with me, which I am so so grateful for, and I can name who family includes and who I'd like to have visits from. I really am grateful for this because I think a restriction on visits and sending my husband home are the things that would make me feel the most uncomfortable and out of place at a hospital. Of course the hope is that I won't even need to stay for long enough to need visitors and that I'll have this baby and my midwives will send me home and visit me there. That is of course the ideal situation.
After everything that was thrown at me today, and all the discussions and things I had to take in, I am really feeling pretty good. I feel like the next thing to do is to just get my baby to come. If we can get labour started (in good time - when we need to) then I really feel like I will be able to have the experience I have been getting excited for and the deliver I feel ready for. If we do not go in to labour, I at least know this won't last for much longer and I can be prepared for the day my baby is coming and get so so excited to meet him/her. But if we can, please keep me in your mind and prayers over the next couple of weeks and pray that my baby and my body are prepared to get this started and going on their own. That's really what I would love to be able to do. I am so excited about the adventure and experience of labour and delivery. If I miss out on that, I will be upset but I will have my babe and that will be the most important part. The ideal however is that I don't miss out on that and that I have my mother and my husband by my side to help me through the most empowering and exciting adventure I have yet to attempt.
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