Weather 'tis better to sign up for a surgery or attempt a less invasive natural birth. We actually went through this whole conversation with Eli's birth plan, because of my 4th degree tears I could choose to have a c-section. So we consulted with the OB for Eli's birth plan and she told us we couldn't make a wrong decision. We went back and forth and finally settled on another try at a natural birth.
Then as I approached my due date we found Eli not head down but in a transverse position and then the following appointment he was head down and I figured that's how he would stay. But birthing plans can change easily and I found myself with my water broke (which I somehow new was coming hours beforehand, love mom-intuition) and a baby who was not head down. I immediately new something wasn't right and frankly my head just wasn't in the game. I wasn't ready or prepared for a natural birth and when the doctor examined me and determined with an ultrasound that Eli was not head down I knew it was time to talk about a c-section. My doctor went to consult with other doctors on weather you could attempt a version after the waters are broken, but I didn't care what she found out- I already knew I was having a c-section.
But after my c-section when I was still in the hospital I asked the doctor who performed my c-section if I was a candidate for a vbac. He was the surgeon who sewed me up after Adam's birth and he didn't think 4th degree tears and a c-section sounded like a vbac was a good idea, which isn't what I wanted to hear. But over the weeks I realized the healing process of a c-section wasn't that bad and at times easier than my first natural birth. Healing from a birth isn't easy.
So I resolved that number 3 would be another c-section, but made a joke at our 20 week check up that I was planning a c-section but this baby would come super fast and I would end up with a natural birth. And my doctor said I would be a great candidate for a vbac, but that I couldn't do it in the Hutch Hospital. After that appointment I found out my doctor was leaving, so finding a new doctor was going to happen no matter what my birth plan was.
So here we are having the same conversations again, trying to decide which way to go. A natural birth an hour away at a new hospital or a c-section here in Hutchinson with a new doctor (and I only have two to choose from). I made a chart of all the risks and the one that gets me the most is the 0.5-1.5% chance of a uterus rupture with a VBAC. Also there is no guarantee that I won't have 4th degree tears again if I go natural, but I can guarantee that this baby has a big head like his brothers after seeing the ultrasound.
Ultimately I know it is my decision and mine alone and David will support me no matter what I choose. I feel like I have a lot of reasons to stay in Hutch and have another c-section, but they are reasons of convenience. It would be nice to be close to home because I have two small boys. Choosing the babies birth date sounds like more fun than playing the waiting game. Plus I get two extra weeks of recovery and both births took about the same time to recover from.
And do I have good reasons that I want to have a natural birth? I do want to avoid surgery. But do I want to do it because I've read so many amazing natural birth stories and I want to feel that high of accomplishment again? This is such a hard decision and if I don't act soon I will be stuck in Hutchinson having another c-section.
No comments:
Post a Comment