Predicting labor...

[Mumita]

I've been reading a lot on labor and delivery.  And I want to prepare myself (and be really strong) to have a natural, normal birth with minimal interventions.  I don't want to be induced, I don't want my bag of waters broken until it goes on its own or until the last minute.  And i want to avoid pain medications unless I really can't stand it.  And if I get pain medication, I want a walking epidural that way I can still move around and feel myself push somewhat.

Anyway it seems that barely anyone in this country has a minimal intervention birth, specially at the hospital.  My midwife doesn't want me to do a birthplan or to have any expectations on L&D.  So, I want to try to give birth my way somehow (I am 26 weeks pregnant) but to be prepared I guess I want to know my chances of normal delivery.

So, I don't know if this has anything to do with it but, my mom gave birth to me and my brother through cesarian because apparently (30 years ago mind you!) her pelvis didn't meet the measurements for vaginal delivery.  She never got an ultrasound to measure the size of the baby and I think that her doctor used a tape measure!
My grandma also gave birth through emergency c-section (60 years ago!) because her babies were tooo big, she had a 12lbs and a 11lbs baby!  So mid delivery the first baby got stuck and well she was weeled into the OR sliced across the belly to get the baby out, she got about 82 stitches!  Anyway the second was pretty much the same thing.  My theory is that she had gestational diabetes and didn't know it (I mean it was 60 years ago!) and that's why her babies were sooo big.

So what are my chances that I will need a c-section based on family history?
I was already told that I wouldn't get another u/s so how or will the measure me, when?

[Lissyloo]

i must admit the way stuff is done in the usa is SO different to here in aus

i dont even have a choice to have an epidural!
i have a team of midwifes, that i meet at every antenatal appointment
we talk about the way i want things to go
i have said i want no pain meds etc

every person i have seen posting lately have said i went in got my epidural blah blah blah, but here... unless u go into highrisk and have the docs involved u dont get an epidural even if u ask for one

i think the way things are done here are more relaxing, ill have my partner maby my mother and the midwifes with me in a big private room with a big bed and big bathroom if i want to go into the bath etc

im sure there are ways u can organise the same for urself, no one can force u to have an epidural or drugs, u tell them the way u want ur birth and make sure they understand it talk to them at ur antenatals and im sure u will have it the way u want

[Wendy80]

I can completely see where you're coming from... who doesn't want to have as much control as possible when it comes to their bodies and their babies!  In my own experience, my "birth plan" was basically like a rough draft b/c I knew that it would have to be flexible.  I wanted to be able to deliver vaginally (with no medication, if possible), but b/c of the size of my baby (9 lbs 6 ozs) and the small frame of my body/pelvic area I ended up needing to deliver via c-section after 15 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing.  Of course, most people would prefer to avoid a c-section (b/c of the healing process involved), but if it's the only way to get that lovely baby out, then so be it.  =)  That's the attitude I tried to have when I went in (b/c I sort of had an idea that I would need one in the end).  

But anyway... I think you have the right attitude ... you want to go with the flow but you also want to be informed (I had SO many questions leading up to the delivery).  Now, I'm not sure if it's different when you use a midwife, but I thought that most OB's will do an ultrasound at the very, very end.  Granted mine didn't do one, but I thought I've read somewhere that a lot of OB's like to get a last glimpse of the baby to get an idea of whether he/she will be too big to fit through the pelvis (or birth canal).  Either way... good luck and I hope you find all the answers you're looking for!

[Mumita]

Thank you for telling me your experience.  I would love to go to a birth center but there isn't one in my area and I haven't been able to find any other midwives that are not part of a large OB/GYN practice (and insurance wouldn't cover them anyway outside of a practice).
There are 3 midwives in my practice and they all rotate with each other,  Anyway I don't know what to expect from them yet because they really want to wait until I take the labor classes before wee talk about labor. So I guess I will just go with the flow until then.

I have soo many questions though and I don't feel like they (at the practice) want to answer anything....

[chantal21]

I was very adamant about what I wanted to do during labor and I delivered my son at a birthing center. (I think some midwives in hospitals are more like OB's and some are not, it just depends. But most times they have to follow hospital standards.) I had no option for drugs! I was 9cm when the midwife broke my water but that's only because I was 9cm for about 5 hours. (that wouldn't fly in a hospital) I believe if I were at a hospital, I definitely would have had a c-section, my midwife said, OB's only let you stay dilated for so long at one point. Once she broke my water things were good to go and I pushed for 1 hour and 20 min. Right at the end, she was worried about his head getting stuck so she had me get on all fours and he basically slipped right out. I was happy that I was in control and what I wanted to do and I was suprised that I could handle the pain...My tolerance for pain is usually....0!! lol. My mom had 4 kids, all natural, and very quick labors. I seemed to take after her. But just because your mom and grandmom had to have c-sections, doesn't mean you will. They delivered a long time ago, and I think knowledge of birth has increased tremendously! But of course, if there is an emergency, it will be in the baby's best interest to have a c-section or whatever else it may be!

Also, let gravity be your friend!! I was standing and then sitting on a birthing tool for most of the pushing. It actually helped with the pain. But I got so tired, I had to lay down for the rest. I remember my mom telling me, when she had me and my brother, she was laying down in the bed and but gravity was working against her. She was kinda propped back instead of more in a downward position. She said that made pushing ten times harder!

If you have a plan, try to stick with it, but just remember things happen unexpectedly sometimes, and we have no control over them. My baby was 2 weeks early and 8lbs 4oz...My mom delivered me and she is much smaller than me and I was 9lbs 4oz. My MIL had 3 babies that were over 10lbs (one close to 12lbs) and she is also tiny!! It's possible for small women to have large babies.

I'm sure everything will turn out just fine for you! You are well educated and that is the most important thing! =)

[luvmy2girls]

Well it sounds like you are very well informed.  Not many people are.  So all I can say is GOOD LUCK!  You'll do great.  

[Ania1]

I am 32 weeks, and I've just learnet at my childbirth class that you won't know how much your hips/pubic bone open untill actual delivery. Sometimes baby has a big head that may not fit through, so that's when the possibility of c-section come in play (one of many). It's really heard to have any plan because everything may go differently than you planned. I am getting epo, or at least I am hoping for it, but besides I am just going to go with whatever the doctor suggests.

[Mumita]

Yes this is my first.  My mom and my grandma seem to believe that doctors know best and ever since I was little I was told of the horrors of vaginal birth because they had such unsuccessful and traumatic deliveries.  So they think that I can't deliver naturally like they couldn't deliver naturally.
It gets worse, neither of them were very successful at breastfeeding (eventhough they were well endowed) so they are not very encouraging on either natural birth or breastfeeding and I just want to scream at them sometimes.  But they base themselves on experience only not on facts. I mean the way they describe birth, they were strapped to a bed laying down! And their husbands had to stay in the waiting room! Regardless they are not very encouraging to me.

I am very modern too and I can't say that i'm all natural, I mean I did take my advils when I had AF!  But this is different, this is about my health and the health of my baby, and I think I'm better off going natural, my body was stricly designed to carry out this function, the development during pregnancy is just astonishing, I mean my body apparently knows what its doing! ;)  I am grateful for modern medicine, but I don't think I need too much intervention unless its an emergency.

I still have a long way to go.  but my fears are real and I already know that my baby is going to be large and I'm small framed.  My husband is 6'5" and I'm 5'6" and don't weigh much, so I'm trying to prepare or sort of make some expectations, which my midwife is trying to avoid.

[luvmy2girls]

I completely agree with you.  I am a very modern person with a natural personality ( if that makes sense)  I think so much is unneccesary.  I actually read the hypnobirthing book and it gave me so much insite as to how medicine became a huge part of delivering babies.  I'm just thankful I wasn't having babies during the 40's and 50's.  You sound like you feel the same way as me.  I didn't read your profile....is this your first?

[Mumita]

Thanks!
Well I know I am the boss but, it seems like everyone around me follows doctors orders blindly.  i've been reading soo much about inductions and pitocin and the different meds and in my opinion (and the opinion of those who have done the research) there's a lot more risks during those types of deliveries than going all natural.  I know complication can always arise but it all seems soooo unnecesary.
Anyway I will be giving birth in a hospital with a certified midwife, she works at a large OB/GYN practice. Which makes me believe that she leans more towards the medical than the natural but she wont give up any details.  So, I don't know, I hate being uninformed!

Nicmom- I think that you should keep trying for that perfect birth and maybe empower yourself to take charge of your birth I think you and every woman can have a successful birth experience.

[luvmy2girls]

Just remember that it is still your body and your birth.  The doc or midwife, whichever you choose, is there to make sure things are ok.  They are not there to decide how you want bring your baby into this world.  Unless there are complications you are the boss.  I had 3 very successful natural deliveries without much intervention and it was in a hospital.   Just remember our bodies were made to do this!!! Good luck!

[NicMom]

Your ob will keep an eye on the size of the baby, but it's hard to say if you'll need a csection or not. Most of the time if the baby is huge and woman isn't they'll induce.

I know what you mean about the medical intervention. Sometimes I watch those baby shows on tv and even for a vaginal delivery they are giving all kinds of meds, doing procedures, monitors, etc. Also why does every dr seem to order pictocin? It's easy to see why people opt for birthing centers. Personaly I'm going to a hospital incase anything goes wrong with the baby, but I wish it wasn't so involved with the procedures.

I just know from past experience that I don't want to build up the birth in my head. I'm going in with an open mind not knowing what might happen. As long as I end up with a baby in the end I don't care. I planned out a perfect birth in my head with my first and when things went way off track it left me feeling depressed after like I had been robbed. So this time I'm game for anything that gets me a little baby girl in my arms.