Don’t panic, I am not pregnant again! 🙂 I am just catching up and giving myself a chance to get over the trauma of childbirth before writing about it.
Written on the 14th September
This week has not been much fun pregnancy wise.
I had a routine scan and an appointment with my consultant on Tuesday because I have gestational diabetes. I was already quite apprehensive about my appointment as I had been told by several midwives that I would be induced at 38 weeks if I was on insulin. I am already terrified about induction after what happen last time. I am 38 weeks today so if I had been told that this would happen on Tuesday it wouldn’t have given me much time to get my head around it.
I went for my scan first and things were not looking good. Out naughty little man has flipped and he is now breech. I had been feeling uncomfortable for several days and I had just thought that he was kicking me in my ribs with his big feet. Turns out he has been head butting me.
He is measuring 7lb 2oz already and there is also a bit too much fluid in there. This can be caused by gestational diabetes. I assumed that this was the reason but, as there are several other things that can cause this, they took lots of my blood just to be on the safe side.
You would think that after 2 pregnancies, being rhesus negative, having to test my blood sugar levels several times a day and give myself insulin injections that I would be used to needles. I am not!
As I sat waiting for my appointment with the consultant I started to panic. I didn’t see how things could end well. I wouldn’t be allowed to go full term because of the gestational diabetes, I had tested positive for strep b, I had a history of hypersensitivity to induction and now my baby was breech. I thought that it could only mean 1 thing. I would have to have a cesarean section.
When I was in labour with Bob you could have chopped my leg of and I wouldn’t have cared. I should have had a cesarean then but my surgeon was against sections under general anesthetic and it was too late to have an epidural. If I had have had a c-section already some of the fear would be removed. The thought of a planned cesarean was impossible to comprehend! How could I walk into the hospital with all my wits about me and ask them to slice me open?
The first doctor that I saw started talking about arranging a planned c-section at 38 weeks. He said they could try and turn the baby before then. He also said that if the baby was delivered by cesarean before 39 weeks I would need to have steroid injections. As I have gestational diabetes I would have to stay in hospital while they gave me the steroid injections as my blood sugar levels would have to be monitored. I started to panic! Bob was starting school the next day and I was a bridesmaid at my friend’s wedding on Saturday. I didn’t want to miss either of these events! He said he would talk to my consultant before arranging anything because the final decision was hers.
She weighed up the risk of delivery before 39 weeks and the severity of my gestational diabetes and decided that it was best not to do anything until I was almost 39 weeks. I breathed a sigh of relief. This was my first and last sigh of relief! As they started explaining what was going to happen I realised that I was in for a rough ride.
I have an appointment on Friday for them to try and turn the baby. I have to fast from the night before as there is a chance that the procedure could end in surgery. There are 3 possible outcomes.
1) The procedure won’t work and baby won’t turn, I will the. Be booked in for a planned c- section.
2) The procedure will work and baby will turn, I will then be induced.
3) During the procedure there may be some complications. If there is any bleeding, my waters break or baby becomes distressed I will have a cesarean straight away.
I was told not to worry about induction as it is done differently now. When I was pregnant with Bob they used a gel. I had a student midwife and she ended up spurting half of the gel across the room. They only used half and I still had crazy contractions that were off the scale. Now they use something that resembles a tampon. If things start to progress too quickly they can remove it.
At least that’s one thing not to worry about.
On a much brighter note, one of my best friends got married on Saturday. It was an amazing day full of wonderful moments and my dress still fit! 🙂
This photo was the work of the fabulous Jennifer Evans and Lesley Cook.
To see a collage of my pregnancy photos and links to all of my posts so far visit my Pregnancy Diaries.
I don’t think we ever gets used to needles, I honestly have to look away just in case I catch a glimpse of how big the needle is! It gives me the shivers thinking about it!
What a cheeky little monkey headbutting you! I hope there will be another flip round x
You are looking fantastic! I remember reading an update from you when you were in your 20th week. It did not seem that long ago. Wishing you lots of happiness in the next few weeks.
I absolutely love the bridesmaid outfits! Red white and blue is s great colour combo and you all look stunning xx
Fingers crossed that cheeky monkey decides to move position before your next appointment.
You look gorgeous in your bridesmaid dress and a fabulous photo to look back on #BlogBumpClub