1733 Let me tell you what…

I received a private note asking me some pregnancy questions.  Just in case anyone else cares, here’s the questions and my responses:

Could I ask you a sort of personal question? Since this is your 3rd pregnancy, are you automatically tested for gestational diabetes earlier in the pregnancy? Would this 3rd pregnancy also end in another c-section and if so, how do you feel about that? I only ask this because having been through this so recent (and so NOT ready to even discuss having sex with my husband let alone another baby LOL) I’m just not sure I could go through another pregnancy where those two items would also be a huge concern in my case

Gestational diabetes (GD): I was completely devastated when I was diagnosed with GD during my first pregnancy.  I took it VERY seriously and did everything I was told to do. 

When I learned I was pregnant with #2, I got myself on top of the situation IMMEDIATELY.  Our insurance was such that they authorized a new glucose monitor and a full 40 week supply of testing materials without questioning me – I hadn’t even had my first prenatal check, so I didn’t have a script from my doc. (I’m not sure how I pulled that one off, but oh well.)  I never did develop GD with that pregnancy.

Again, as soon as I found out about baby #3, I spoke with my doctor about getting a script for testing supplies.  When I requested the script, my doc made an interesting comment about having me tested in the office earlier & more frequently so that nothing "falls through the cracks"  Maybe he looked back in my chart and determined I wasn’t checked in office often enough.

Ok, I admit it…I’m not as good about testing as I should be.  My sugars have always been in range, so I’m not too uptight about it.  If things start getting out of range, I will respond accordingly.

C-Section Deliveries: My first delivery was beyond horrific.  I was all set for my hippie granola-style natural delivery.  Nothing went according to my birth plan.  Not one thing.  I experienced 12 hours of back labor (P.S. it would’ve been really kind if just one person had mentioned that it was back labor & not standard run of the mill labor) and the baby was in distress.  Eventually, I found myself being wheeled to OR for an emergency c-section.

My doctor had to make her surgical cuts quickly to get the baby out of there asap (he had the cord around his neck twice and had to be intubated b/c he wasn’t breathing).  Because of the directions of her internal & external cuts, I am NEVER going to be a candidate for a VBAC. 

As such, Baby #2’s delivery was scheduled and known in advance.  Everything about this delivery and recovery was better than my firstborn’s arrival.  I was relaxed and calm going into surgery.  I was up and out of bed several DAYS earlier than with my first baby.

I did have a conversation with the Nurse Practitioner last week.  As a rule, the docs in my OB’s practice do not support the idea of more than 3 c-section deliveries.  The risks for complications grow exponentially with each additional c-section.  Have they seen women go thru 5 c-sections?  Yes.  Do they encourage it?  Oh no.  This conversation made me kinda sad, really.  Not that TBU and I are planning to give birth to additional children (b/c we’d like to adopt a child at some point), but I kind of feel like that door is being shut in my face.  That is a decision I would like to make for myself, you know? 

Sex and making the babies: I just had to laugh here…my poor hubby isn’t getting any action at all at the moment.  The morning sickness is just too volatile!

Hope that helps.

Anyone else have questions?  Anything.  Anything at all.  You know me, I’m a bit of an open book.