Baby Update (yes it's long)

Well, I've known for a few weeks now that my baby is in breach position and I've heard a bunch of different things to try to get her to turn. Since her weight is down in the pelvis where there is not much room, it's hard for her to turn when I am upright. My doctor said not to stand on my head or anything, but one thing he did suggest was to get in stink-bug position, basically, on my knees but with my head down, so that the baby's weight would go to the top of the uterus where she would have more room to turn. This I did do multiple times in the following week, but it starts to hurt my shoulders after awhile supporting myself upside down like that.

Anyway, at my next appt she still hadn't turned, so today I had an appointment scheduled this morning for 7am at the hospital to meet with my doctor to see if he could turn her. Doing "aversion" or external manipulation of my belly to push the baby around, actually hurts a lot. It was no fun. Especially because I had to have an IV and everything. They do it in the hospital because sometimes it causes the water to break and the mother to go into labor.

So leading up to my appointment today, there were so many outcomes that could have happened, it was hard to be prepared for what today would bring.

1. She could have turned already on her own, and I would have turned around and gone home.
2. He could have turned her and sent me home to go into labor on my own later.
3. He could have turned her and then induced me, since I was already there in the hospital (which he said he would do if I wanted.)
4. He could have not been able to turn her and sent me home.
5. He could have not turned her but caused my water to break and had to do a C-section right there...
6. so many possibilities.

Well, almost half of those outcomes were me coming home with a baby in my arms instead of in my belly, so we prepared and went to the hospital as if that were the case. Bags packed and all.

It turns out the most disappointing one of all, Number 4, is what happened.

Her upper body moved freely but he couldn't get her bum out of my pelvis. And since I am only 37 weeks today he didn't want to do anything hasty. He sent me home, only to try again next week. At 38 weeks, he is more willing to take her out if she won't turn, so next thursday I get to rise bright and early (well, still dark and early) to be at the hospital at 4am for a 6am appt with the doc.

He's going to try again, with an epidural this time, to see if my more relaxed body will let the baby turn. If she does, I will deliver her vaginally (with pitocin if necessary) and if she doesn't turn, he will do a C-section. Either way, I'm pretty sure I will be having this baby next thursday (unless I go into labor sooner).

Not so excited about the prospect of a C-section, but I know lots of women that have recovered from them just fine. The risk of delivering the baby breach (which my doc has done before successfully more than a few times) is still too much for me. I will take the c-section over that possibility.

I guess we are looking forward to an April 22nd birthday. Yay Phoebe.