I had my 36 week doctor appointment this past Thursday.
We found out some very interesting things...
First, the Dr. did an internal pelvic exam to assess any progress (I think the real reason for these exams is simply to remind us how much pain in this part of your body can hurt). To my shock and happiness- I have made progress! I'm 1 centimeter dilated and VERY (her emphasis on very) soft. She didn't give us a percentage- but she said I'm almost completely effaced!
Secondly we determined that I've got three of the four main symptoms (high blood pressure, leg, face, and hand swelling, and rapid weight gain--Yes, 8 pounds in two weeks is rapid!) for something called preeclampsia. This is when your blood pressure begins to cause problems and neither your organs nor the baby can get sufficient blood. It leads to seizures in most cases. When a pg lady develops this before 36 weeks, they're hospitalized immediately. After 36 weeks they induce and bring the baby early. (There's no cure for preeclampsia- just delivering the baby)
While I wasn't diagnosed with preeclampsia at my appt., I did speak to my Dr. the next day and she gave me some things to watch out for should things go any further.
In any case, whether I develop it or not, I'm to take things easy and keep my legs elevated as much as possible to keep my blood pressure down.
Today was supposed to be our 6 hour breast-feeding class. But, I cancelled that and today is devoted to doing all of the last minute things still needed to make Micah's arrival as smooth as possible. Terry's honey-do list is pretty long!
I was also dissapointed to hear my doctor contradict so many things that we were taught in our birthing classes. For example, we discussed epidurals and my Dr. stressed the importance of having one. She said they don't slow labor down like we had been told, but in most cases allow the woman to relax and move through the stages of labor more quickly.
I told her we'd been told that there were medication options that we could exhaust before going as far as an epidural. She said that's true, but they mostly make women very drowsy and sometimes even nauseous.
After complaining about the conflicting things she'd been hearing about the hospital's bithing classes and saying she was going to file an official report (we were told in class that 100% of women are given an enema upon check-in at Women's-- Dr. Samuels said she's NEVER given or heard of a women at this hospital getting one since she's been working here) she left me with this last little golden nugget...
If getting an epidural allows you to relax, even get some sleep, and enjoy the birthing process, why would you not get one? Doesn't it make more sense to be comfortable and excited rather than in pain and only thinking of your discomfort?
Well said. So- sign me up for my epidural!
A side note for those interested...
I lost part of my mucus plug this morning (don't ask me how I know- just trust me!). Micah sure seems to be in a hurry to get here. Might we have a January baby instead?
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