Saturday, June 16, 2012

My External Cephalic Version Story!

So everyone should know by now that I had a successful ECV last Wednesday! I decided I would share my experience for anyone that is interested :)

Around 6 a.m. I called Labor and Delivery to make sure they had a room for me to come in. They had plenty of rooms available, which was good because I sure did not want to wait like I had to when I was induced with Calla. When I got there they got me all checked in and I had to put on a hospital gown. The nurse then started my IV, took my blood pressure, and did some blood work. The IV is started and ready just in case they have to do an emergency c-section if there were to be any complications with the baby. This is also why it is done in labor and delivery during a c-section time, so they have an operating room for you just in case. The nurse then asked me all of the fun questions about my medical history and things like that. Once all of that was done, she put on Owen's heart monitor and my contraction monitor and basically had me monitored like this for half an hour to 45 minutes. Around 8 or so, my doctor came in to do an Ultrasound. He came over and started looking and noticed that the Placenta was directly in front of Owen's face and that I had only a moderate amount of fluid. He kept looking and said he didn't think it would work, but that they would try everything they could. He went out and talked with his partner and they both came in and he showed him the ultrasound, where he realized maybe the placenta wasn't quite has high as he thought it was, which was good. So then they gave me a shot of something that was supposed to relax my uterus to prevent contractions during the procedure. Once that was ready, they began! His partner had the Ultrasound going, while my doctor turned Owen. Now at this point, I didn't watch, so I don't know exactly what it looked like, but according to Tim he basically pushed Owen up around his head a butt and put pressure around his head and butt to get him to somersault into the head down position. My doctor said it would hurt and to tell him to stop if I couldn't handle it anymore. I found it to be just really uncomfortable, because I felt like I couldn't breathe very well. At one point, my doctor started to kind of jiggle my belly to get him to get completely head down, which definitely tickled! It was hard not to laugh. The only other thing I felt was kind of nauseated because I could feel his little body just turning and it was such a weird feeling! This whole thing lasted about 1 minute and I looked up and said is he already down?! They looked at the ultrasound and found his heartbeat first, which looked great, and then confirmed his head was indeed down! Everyone in the room was very pleasantly surprised! They said Owen had no problem and wasn't even phased by the whole thing which was a HUGE relief! My doctor then decided to check my cervix to see how dilated I was. I was 3 cm dilated and 25% effaced and he could feel his head and possibly a hand next to his little face, which Owen's hand has since moved of course :) I was then put back on the heart and contraction monitors for about another half an hour to make sure that Owen was not in distress, which he definitely was not, he did perfectly! 

So my doctor sat and talked to us for a little bit and told us what happens next. He said if he will stay head down, then he would like to induce me at 39 weeks. We will be scheduling my induction on Monday assuming he is still head down for either July 3 or 5! The other thing that could happen, is if Owen decides to turn back to breech, than my doctor will have us do another ECV, break my water, and induce me right then and there! I feel pretty confident that he will not turn back, but I guess you never know right! Overall, I had a really great version experience! I was so happy with how it turned out and my doctor was so great with the whole thing! I definitely think I have the best doctor ever :) I sure hope we are still in Utah for the next two babies (which won't be for a few years, don't worry :)), so he can be the one to deliver them! 

Monday, June 4, 2012

Pregnancy/ Owen Update-- Getting Close!

So here I am, about 35 weeks and officially on bed rest. As most of you know, my blood pressure likes to rise significantly at the doctor's office, but be wonderful and perfect at home. Well, last night I took my blood pressure before bed, and it was about 126/88 (my normal at home runs in the 110's/70's). I had also been having some flashes in my eyes and a headache. When I woke up in the morning I took my blood pressure again and it was about 127/96. I went to my non stress test where my blood pressure is typically perfect, but every time it was taken today it was 140's-150's/90's. They measured my fluid and it is still on the low end of the normal range, but definitely not an issue, and Owen passed with flying colors! We also determined he was still breech, which I already knew. After my nst, I went up to my appointment with my OB-GYN. They took my blood pressure and lo and behold it was about 153/95. My doctor was definitely a bit concerned at this point when he saw the reading on the machine. I went ahead and went into the room and he came in and pretty much told me I needed to come back in on Thursday for another nst and a visit with him to see where my blood pressure is at. He said it looks like I will be having the baby around 37 or 38 weeks, if not sooner. Then we talked about the second concern, Owen being breech. We talked to him about the external cephalic version, and he really made us feel comfortable with having it done. We all decided that we should definitely get it scheduled and at least try to turn him. So my ECV is scheduled for a week from this Wednesday (I will be 36 weeks). We are really hoping that this will work, because he checked my cervix today and I am already 1 1/2 cm dilated and 25% thinned out! If this does not work, or we do not make it to 36 weeks due to my blood pressure, than we will just be scheduling a c-section. So for now, we are just trying to get my blood pressure to calm down and get Owen here safely whenever and however that may be!