Have You Had That Baby Yet?

Um... NOPE.

Tex is now three days late. I am actually pretty okay with that. I had a Biophysical Profile Ultrasound yesterday which showed that everything is absoultely fine - fantastic amniotic fluid levels, Baby is a good size and in the right position, no placental deterioration. Tex just isn't quite ready to be here. That's okay with me. My Sweetheart went back to work for a 4-day shift yesterday, so if Tex didn't want to show up until Saturday, her/his Dad would have the maximum number of paid days off - bonus.

BUT.

But the doctors are making me crazy. And seriously pissed off.

I had a most disappointing appointment yesterday. It was supposed to be just an NST. When it was done, though, the Dr came in and asked, "When are we scheduling your induction?" (After she told me the Baby looks "perfect" on the NST.) I told her that the other Dr said we don't have to even address that until Friday. She's like, "Well, he's new to this practice and we don't like you to go past your due date. The fact that you're 2 days overdue makes us very nervous." What? I asked why and said they just don't go much past the due date. She did an internal (the first one I have had) and I am not at all softened or thinned, let alone dilated.

So THEN, she tells me I am having an ultrasound right away and if my amniotic fluid is low I am going straight to the hospital for induction, no questions. I was pretty upset and had to text my Sweetheat from the waiting room to fill him in. I was almost in tears waiting for the ultrasound, but trying to stay calm.

Luckily, the ultrasound tech was awesome and he understood my position and didn’t understand why they were pushing induction. As I mentioned at the start of this post, he said everything looks great. He told the Dr all this and she gave this big sigh like I was putting her out and said, "I guess we'll let you go today." I asked when I had to come back (fully expecting her to say the next day) and she said Friday.

SO. Now I feel immense pressure to have this Baby come soon. I went to the chiropractor right after that and she did some more accupressure and accupuncture. I will continue to see her every day until Tex comes.

After our Baby is here, I am *done* with this practice. It's kind of too bad, because I love, love, LOVE the nurses and have really liked the doctors until this past week. Next time, I want to use the midwives at another hospital (about 40 minutes vs. the 5 minutes we have to drive now). I will write the head doctor of the practice I am leaving to explain why. However, with this Baby, this late in the game, I feel kind of stuck.

I understand that, if my fluid levels were low or my placenta was deteriorating or I was closer to 42 weeks or if Tex was in some danger, induction could be the best and smartest option. I do not want to compromise my Baby's safety in ANY way. But it kills me that there seems to be NO MEDICAL REASON at this time, except "just because."

It bugs the shit out of me that when I first went to this practice, back in October, I asked what their policy on induction was. I was told that they try to avoid induction. If they had said, "We try to avoid induction, but if you go past your due date..." fine. At least I could have made an informed decision as to whether this was the right practice for me. This feels like a betrayal.


ANYway, unless a miracle happens, I fully expect to be induced on Friday (although I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will let me schedule it for Saturday morning). From what a different doctor in the practice told me, they would start me off with the Cervidil and then, if nothing happens, Pitocin. (Although, considering it seems the 4 different doctors don't communicate well with each other, who knows if that is even true.)

This is pretty much my nightmare. Everything I have read (and heard from people who have experienced induced labor) shows that Pitocin can increase the need for an "emergency" C-section - one that could have been avoided had labor been allowed to progress naturally. As I told my Sweetheart last night, I am not afraid of delivering Tex. Hell, if the Baby was in some distress and a Caesarean was the best option, I could deal with that, too. I am afraid of an unneccessary surgical procedure being done because the doctors are impatient for no other reason than "just because."

I am tired and done fighting and will accept induction Friday/Saturday and pray for a vaginal delivery (though I still hope to refuse the epidural - I am very stubborn ;). Again, though, if I end up with an unexpected C-section, I am going to try my very best to focus on the Baby being here safely, regardless of how that happens.

Send some good thoughts and labor dust our way!