Yeah, I've been to the hospital AT LEAST three times this pregnancy. The first time was because I thought I was miscarrying when, instead, my auto-immune disease was acting up. Super fun. Still, that's the trip I learned we were having a boy.
The second time I was 32 weeks along and I started contracting. I also had a bad stomach virus that was being masked due to my contractions. Pre-term contractions are not fun but as long as they don't bring on pre-term labor, I'll deal with them...
Until 35 weeks pregnant when the contractions were far more violent and massive sciatica pain couldn't mask those suckers. I was convinced I was in labor but the midwife told me otherwise.
Yesterday, at 35 1/2 weeks along, I went for a follow up visit with a doctor who isn't my normal OB.
To say that he has the personality of a hedgehog gives him too much credit. I'm sure hedgehogs are funny, in their own way. This guy...not so much. You see, Craig and I like to make jokes and kibbitz (make small talk - not kibbutz - a commune-like community in Israel). It makes us feel better and people tend to think we're funny. This doctor wasn't biting and seemed to get annoyed when we would crack a joke. It almost prompted me to say "look, dude, I'm freaked out! I didn't contract like this the first time around and I am NOT ready for this kid - so lighten up!" Alas, I didn't. I booked my 36 week appointment with another doctor.
One of the other things I asked of this doc was the likelihood of me delivering naturally, as opposed to having a c-section. His response: you're having a baby who is currently weighing in at 8lbs. It's not likely you'll deliver naturally. So, I said "yeah, I probably don't want him crushing my pelvis." His response: or rupturing your bladder and ripping apart your insides.
OMG - THAT CAN HAPPEN??? I think the sheer terror on my face said it all. Thanks for scaring me doc. When did they stop teaching bedside manners in medical school? Was he just sick that day?? WHO SAYS THAT TO A PREGNANT WOMAN!?!?!
So, at 35 weeks, my son is already 8lbs. At least the ultrasound tech had a great sense of humor. She mentioned that at this rate, he'll be 12lbs. by the time I deliver. My response: wow, I really DID eat a full watermelon! She laughed. At least she thinks I'm funny.
1 comments:
I would distrust the ultrasound estimate that your baby weighs 8 lbs. already. Ultrasounds tend to be a wildly inaccurate way of predicting actual weight, and the way your doctor talks, it sounds like taking things with a grain of salt and not automatically jumping to the worst case scenario isn't something he generally does. What a freaking jerk. Uterine rupture after only 1 prior c-section is really uncommon (less than 1 in 1000), especially if you have a horizontal scar and you aren't medically induced. Doctors who try to terrorize mothers into c-sections or any other unnecessary procedure--repeat c-sections come with far greater risk than VBAC--should be forced to find a different field.
Sorry, it just makes me so angry that he treated you the way he did, and that he essentially exaggerated the possible outcomes so he could frighten you into doing what's faster and easier for doctors.
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