Jesslee~ Sorry if I echo other ppls advice. But Hope this helps:
Don’t’ worry too much regarding the birth plan, your doctor can help you form one up. HOWEVER! Don’t get your heart too set on whatever your plan is simply because no one can ever plan exactly how they’re labor and birth will go.. You can just make a plan on what you’d like to happen but you can't force it to happen that way..
To answer your questions:
Membrane ruptured artificially~ This is when they use an instrument to rupture your membrane. It looks like a little LONG hook (not sharp) and they use it if your dilated enough for it. They can also do a “sweep” of your membranes. If your dilated enough, the dr. will take his/her finger and sweep it around the inside edge of your cervix taking the membrane away from the wall of the uterus and cervix. It’s called “STRIPPING” the membranes and usually is done to send a woman into labor.
Standard Epi from what I hear is where they give you enough meds so that you can’t feel the contractions really and your not really able to walk around like that.
The standing kind I would think would still let you feel your contractions but just take the edge off the pain.
Other than a standard Epidural there are 3 other options for anesthesia. (I’m having a csection).
#1- normal Epidural
#2- Spinal (basically the meds are placed around the spinal cord itself in a smaller amt. sometimes more effective)
#3 Combined Spinal Epidural (meds are placed both outside the sac incasing the spinal cord and inside. A catheter is left in to administer more meds as needed for pain control following the Csection but only for a few hrs I think)
#4~ General Anesthetic where they put you out. No one can be in the room with you if you opt for this and some hospitals may give you grief about having this done.. They’d rather do the Epidural or spinal)
The anesthetic for an episiotomy is Lidocaine or Novacaine… basically what they numb your teeth with at the dentist and what they numb a cut with when you need stitches.
IDK about waiting til the umbilical cord stops pulsating.. Some midwives and ppl like that believe it’s less traumatizing for the baby.. And healthier.. I have NO clue on that one.
Normally they will put the eye meds on the baby right after birth. It’s done to prevent eye infections and its very safe.
They will DEFINITELY do a catheter if you have A) Epidural or spinal and B) Csection. That way you don’t pee yourself!
As for the circumcision~ YES Medicaid DOES cover it. And if your told no then they’re crazy… and I’m having my son’s done BEFORE he leaves the hospital. You can also opt for a special ring rather than him being cut. The ring is easier to care for. Basically it’s a little ring thing that goes on the tip of his peep, and the foreskin just dies and falls off like the umbilical cord. You don’t have to worry about hardly any of the issues that would come with actual cutting. Because it happens slower, it’s less traumatizing on the baby’s system. (as far as I know. This was according to my NICU doctor)
let me remind you, I haven't had my son yet, he's coming in this next 3 weeks (depends on what the doctor says about csection date) HOWEVER!~ I've done a bunch of research on all these things so I hope what I've learned helps you!
BTS gave you awesome info!!! I wanted to add that YES you do have to have a catheter with an epidural. It's hospital procedure. You won't have any feeling down there. When you are delivering baby they take it out.
jesslee--- your friend's baby had torticollis. My youngest had this but I caught it so early that it resolved itself, with physical therapy, after 2-3 treatments and continual therapy at home. So no one ever really noticed it except me because I'm the mom! My baby wasn't vacuumed out but my MIL said they were pulling on my daughter really hard. Her collarbone snapped while she was being delivered and that's how she developed torticollis.
Birth Plans are definitely important! I told them NO to episiotomy (cutting you down there), vacuuming, forceps, etc.
yea i think i'm going to go with the other epi.....i dont want the baby to be groggy, and i was just talking to a friend, and they used the vac on her 2nd daughter, and her daughter ended up with nerve damage in the right side of her neck....she was in therapy till she was 3, b/c she always held her head at an angle.....so i'd rather not have to have anything done that could cause any damage(well, external sources lol)
Thanks,
Jess I also wanted to mention with a standard epi your more likely to need birth assistance, such as the vaccum extractor or foreceps because with this type of epidural you cannot feel what your pushing or how hard your pushing. I had a vaccum used with my oldest son which caused him a lot of bruising around his head and face.
thanks girl! i'm cutting and pasting all this lol.....
Membrane ruptured artificially- Doctor breaks water, they do not use meds to break your bag of waters, they use a tool that resembles a huge crochet needle. It doesnt hurt at all.
Having a family member acompany the baby at all times is a big one for me too. Some hospitals and doctors allow it, some don't, so check with your doc/hosital to make those arrangements.
Standard epi- Is a low lying epidural given at a max dosage. This helps you from feeling any pain or pressure at all. You are also not allowed to get up and shower for atleast 12 hrs or until the epi has worn off, which means the catheter stays in longer.
Walking epi- I had this with my youngest son, It takes away the pain of the contractions, but you are still able to feel pressure, you can feel baby moving down the birth canal, and when he comes out. It is a wonderful medication, it makes you feel as if you had your baby all natural, but without pain. It also allows you to move around much sooner, so you can shower and use the restroom almost immediatley after birth.
Narcs don't do any good, the generally made me naseaus(sp), and wore off way to fast, or they would completely knock me out, so I wasn't able to enjoy the birth. It also can cause baby to be drowsy when delivered, and make it a bit hard for him/her to breath on his own.
I dont know anything about the style of cuts there are for c-sections
The only other drug available for a c-section is general anestetics, which means you are put to sleep.
The local anestetic depends greatly on each doc and hospital, They used lydicane(sp) when I had my episiotomy 6 yrs ago, so ask this question to your doc or hospital.
Waiting to cut the umbilical cord is generally for those who want to keep the cord blood.
Delaying the eye meds is possible, but they will not be happy with you about it lol.
Yes they do have to cath, it makes sure you do not urinate during delivery, the urine is more likely to hit baby than feces, since we pee and deliver out of the same origin. They will also do a cath if you have any type of epidural.
I believe it is better for baby to be circumcised before leaving the hospital. I think having all the stessors done at once instead of a little at a time is better. But I also think that is a personal reference, than medical difference. Its all up to the parents on how the baby will be cut.
As far as medicaid goes, I know here in MI they did not pay for a circumcision, it is something you might want to ask your doc or call medicaid about.
Hope this helps!