Thread: Back from my appointment!

I am so excited now about giving birth and more determined than ever to get my VBAC!! Have I mentioned that I LOVE my OB?

I mentioned (for the first time) that I was going to go for an unmedicated VBAC and his immediate response was, "That's great!" He seemed super excited about the idea that I wouldn't be leaping in to get the epidural. The only thing he will 'require' is the IV because in the rare event that I have an issue that could cause some kind of collapse he feels it would put me and baby in a situation where he would be useless. He explained it all well, and the IV is portable so it won't inhibit my moving around and I will do intermittent fetal monitoring.

He doesn't care what I do during labor or what position I'm in when the baby comes out as long as the baby is catchable when he comes out. He asked me to write up a birth plan and bring to my next appointment so we could go over it together. He was just so completely supportive about everything I wanted in my birth experience. He told me that what I wanted was a natural thing and that he was completely for it! I did ask how the other OB's in the practice felt about all the stuff I wanted in case one of them are on call. He said that most share his view, but that a couple 'have a different comfort level' with it. He said that's why it's important that we have a birth plan on file.

I also met with the perinatal educator at the hospital and toured the hospital (again). She's the one who does all the childbirth classes and she is hugely pro NCB. She was very excited about my unmedicated birth plan and said that is extremely rare in our area. She always asks in the classes who is planning on getting an epi and she said that every class all but about 1 person always raise their hands. She said the hospital epidural rate is 98%. I didn't ask what the c/s rate is. The idea of natural birth is just not something that has caught on around here, so it's actually a pleasant surprise that the hospital birthing environment is so pro-natural birth. If I get my VBAC, I will NEVER be separated from my baby (baring medical issues). She said they are working on making that the standard for c/s deliveries too, but she says it's hard to implement change like that. When she first started working at this hospital, she said it was standard to take all babies to the nursery immediately for checking, bathing etc. Anyway, I could go on forever since I spent over an hour talking to her about it all. Oh and if I have a vaginal delivery, I get a room with a butt jacuzzi! Who knew?!

And baby boy is doing great! All my stats are great and I passed all my tests from my last appointment with flying colors!

Oh Anna, that sounds like an AMAZING appointment!!!! And wow, your hospital sounds wonderful. oo la la a butt jacuzzi You guys are like Beverly Hills living!


In case it's something you care about. I did just a heplock with Clara, they put the IV in (for the same exact reasons your dr also said) but didn't hook it up to fluids. It was there just in case because it really does make sense that if you rupture and have a bleed somewhere that your veins would be really hard to get poked. I'm not a fan of the sausage fingers a constant running IV will give you and I just hate that feeling of being overly fluid, where your skin gets even stretchier and it takes days of peeing to get the fluid to finally move out of your fingers and legs. But, it's probably just me being overly sensitive because there are thousands of women that get IV fluids during birth and aren't as whiney about it as I am. Anyway, I am soooo excited for you!!!!!

YAY! Sounds like a great appointment and a great hospital tour. Have fun writing your birth plan!

Surprisingly they had zero issues with me getting a hep lock when I went in knowing that I was going to eventually "need" pit. Once I was hooked up to fluids and pit I was able to move around but it was A LOT harder than before. I didn't think it was going to be that big of a deal, but it was surprisingly. I kept getting twisted around. So I'd personally bug them about a hep lock. It's still really fast for them to get you what you need through the line if needed. But if that's the worst that happens, that's pretty great especially considering your area!

YAY!!! Great appointment! I wish I'd had a butt jaccuzi!! lol
I second the others with asking about the hep lock, if it's important to you.

That is awesome news!!! I'm glad the OB was so supportive and that the hospital is too despite their high rate of interventions. Ahhhk 98% epi rate is crazy even though its not just pushed by the hospital and the mother has to also choose it. Totally ask about the hep lock too so that you are able to move around easier while still respecting the doctors wishes.

I'm totally so happy for you and excited about your VBAC!

Thats awesome!! You can do it! Just keep a positive thought, and around the time of birth get your cervix ready!

awesome appt!!!

That's a great appointment!!

That sounds like a great appointment! Its wonderful that your OB is so supportive! I agree about asking for a hep lock so you can be as mobile as possible.

I am so glad that you like your OB. It sounds like things are working out nicely for you. I'm thankful that at the hospital I had Evan in, we were never separated after my c/s. My DH was in the OR with me, he pushed Evan into the recovery room as I was going in. He was bathed and checked out in the recovery room with me watching. It was very nice.