36 weeks!!

Wow I can't believe I am 36 weeks pregnant! BG is a wiggle worm and seems to be doing great! She is measuring big... neither my husband or I am small so that is no surprise to either one of us! She is measuring about 38 weeks and about 6 lbs 7 oz of course that is all an estimation. I am hoping that she will make her grand entrance after 37 weeks! I went to the doctor on Wed and as I was getting weighed in the lady was like so you will have your GBS test today. I told her no I am not going to, but thank you. She looked at me and was like, you can opt out of that...ummm its my pregnancy I can opt out of whatever I want! It amazes me how uneducated people are and how they just do what the doctors tell them!

I have had enough of the "how many babies?" "you must be about to pop" comments. I guess I carry my children all on the outside of my body, I will post pictures when I get home, so you can see. Come on people where is the filter??

For those of you having a c-section or even if your not, I thought that this was a great article check it out

http://www.themidwifenextdoor.com/?p=826

Creating a Culture of Safety: Humanizing cesarean birth

Published on May 11th, 2010one comment

Any discussion of creating an atmosphere of safety in the hospital setting must include cesarean birth. Hospital protocols are perhaps the most unbending when it comes to cesareans, but if anyone’s wishes need to be accomodated, it should be the woman giving birth surgically.

In the typical cesarean birth, the c-section is scheduled. A spinal anesthetic is administered, and the woman is strapped to the operating table, her arms out to her sides in a cross-like position. Her belly is scrubbed with antiseptic solution, the top few inches of pubic hair are shaved, and a urinary catheter is inserted. A large blue sheet is fastened in place between two IV poles, blocking the woman’s view of the surgery. Once the incision is made in the abdomen, the baby will usually be delivered within just a few minutes. The cord is immediately cut and clamped, and the infant is handed to the waiting nursery nurse, who carries it to a warming table. The infant is then dried, suctioned, measured, weighed, footprinted, and given an ID band before being wrapped and briefly shown to the waiting mother. All this time, the father is usually allowed to stand next to the infant warming table, touch and take pictures of the baby, while the mother. . .waits. Following surgery, she goes to the recovery area, still waiting to hold her baby. After half an hour or forty-five minutes, her baby may finally be brought to her. No one questions these procedures; after all, they are necessary for the health and safety of the mother and baby–aren’t they?

But could there be another way? Rewind the clock to the 1970’s. Women were strapped to the delivery table, lest their hands accidentally touch and contaminate the area where the baby would emerge. Husbands were not allowed in the delivery rooms, and women were not permitted to touch their babies, or feed them, until the baby had been duly admitted and fed a bottle of sterile water. Women who did dare to question these procedures or ask for different treatment were told in no uncertain terms that these were hospital policies–unbendable! Yet a few stubborn, strong women persisted in searching for practitioners who would accomodate their requests, and a few maverick physicians were willing to go out on a limb and do daring things such as allowing a husband to remain by his wife’s side during the delivery, or delivering a baby without drugs. Gradually, hospital staff began to see that policies could be altered without drastic consequences.

Could the same be true for humanizing c-sections? Vaginal birth should always be the first plan, but some women genuinely need a c-section for their own or the baby’s safety. Why should these women be treated differently than a woman who gives birth vaginally? Here is my wish list for humanizing c-sections:

• Insofar as possible, labor will begin on its own, followed by c-section. This provides the advantage of knowing the timing is right, and the baby is ready to be born.
• The woman may bring music of her choice to be played during her surgery.
• She has the option of having her arms free (you can move your arm with a blood pressure cuff on) and no drape blocking her view, if she desires
• She may have the baby placed on her chest immediately after birth, provided the baby is not having difficulty breathing. I have seen countless screaming babies whisked to the warmer so the nurse could “make sure he’s breathing OK”. If the baby is crying vigorously, he is breathing OK, and does not need more than watchful observation. This can be done by the nursery nurse while baby is with mother. One mother’s story, told here, included the amazing photo above. This woman, wearing sterile gloves, lifted her own baby to her chest.
• Rather than baby and father being escorted to the nursery minutes after birth, they both remain at the mother’s side, the family being allowed to bond together during the time it takes to complete the surgery. The mother and baby are wheeled together to the recovery room, where she can breastfeed as soon as she wishes. Following recovery, mother and baby are wheeled to their postpartum room, where the baby’s admission procedures can be done in the family’s presence.

An impossible scenario? I don’t think so. I believe that women who give birth by cesarean deserve this treatment. Each of these things can be done without compromising safety of mother or baby. All it takes is a willingness on the part of hospital personnel, instead of saying “No, it’s not our policy”, to ask, “Why not? How can we safely accomplish this?”