Friday, June 18, 2010

11 More Days! (or more? or less?)

Oh, My!
Wow, this pregnancy went fast. Soon I'll be holding my Little Miss Sunshine and The Shaffer's will start a new chapter in their lives. A new member will be added to our precious family and life as we know it will never be the same. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

But then again, I can. (Because I'd rather go on my own and not be induced!) I still have that wonderful image of what the perfect delivery would be like.
I would start going into labor at home while Mike is at work. By the time it started getting a little tough, he'd be home from work and could help do a last minute clean up of the house and kids and help pack the kids bags. My parents would be able to finish their work day as well before I would need to call them and ask them to come and get the kids. They would get here, and Mike and I would head off to the hospital because my water broke (on it's own!) and baby would be here any minute. I'd get situated in my hospital room, have music playing, lights dimmed and flameless candles scented with vanilla flickering their lights in a peaceful and relaxing manner. My doctor would arrive and I'd be ready to push. My beautiful baby would be born and the pain would be over and since it was a Friday (did I forget to mention that?) my brother Justin would be there and so would Ang. No one would have to worry about making it to work the next day. (It would be one of Angie's Saturdays off) And because I wasn't induced and went into labor on my own, I'm a bit past my due date but that worked out great because my sister could be here for the delivery. And she brought almond flavored champagne with her from CA and we're all sharing a glass and celebrating Little Miss Sunshine's life. The baby would be perfectly healthy and very eager to breastfeed. I would be very healthy too and didn't even need an episiotomy! In fact, there's no reason to stay long and my parents would be back Saturday afternoon to meet their new grand daughter and Mike and I would get to introduce her to her three older siblings. We'd get picture perfect photos of them all meeting for the first time and the kids would get to enjoy the free ice cream that the birthing center keeps stocked for patients. After getting more pictures of them in their Shaffer shirts, eating ice cream and hugging their baby sister, it would be time to take everyone home.
Doesn't that sound wonderful?
Instead, I got results for my Group B Strep test and they were positive. This means I need to be hooked up to an IV at least 4 hours before the birth so that I can get antibiotics to protect my baby from getting infected with the bacteria. If I don't, she could get pneumonia or meningitis.
I also had an ultrasound yesterday to determine how big the baby might be already because talk of being induced has been thrown around my latest doctor appointments.
She's already 8lbs. 6oz.
I expect to hear from my doctor any time now to discuss our options. I had decided a few days ago that I wasn't going to be induced even if the baby is big. I was determined to let my body do this on my own. To let my "natural" birth actually be natural! But babies supposedly gain one pound a week at the end. I have about 2 weeks to go. Maybe more if I went late. Do I really want to deliver a 10 or maybe even an 11 pound baby?? Surely, I do not. Do I want the risk of an emergency C-Section hanging over my head because they can't get the baby out? No. No, I don't. So what do I do? Get induced? Spend days in the hospital again because my body just isn't ready? Have my contractions be determined by pitocin? Be in more pain than I need to be? If I have to, then yes. I guess I need to just let go of my imaginary labor and except it the way it is. As long as I get my baby in the end, that's all that matters, right?

1 comment:

  1. Oh, honey bear. No matter what happens, I will bring almond champagne and we can celebrate!

    As for the rest, I say pray on it and trust your instincts. Always, always trust your instincts. And you will make the right choice.

    ReplyDelete