OB frustrations.... please help...

• 06-19-2009 9:53 AM

  TawniAline Joined on 03-25-2004 Camby, Indiana Posts 699

  OB frustrations.... please help... Reply Contact I hate.. and I mean HATE being considered high risk.. while i love getting to see/ check up on my lil man so much.. I think it gives too many opportunities for the OB to nose her way in where she's not wanted... baby's measuring kinda big.. (5lbs 8oz at 31 weeks) and now she's starting to talk "elective cesarean" before we even get to the next u/s.. she said if he's over 10lbs she wants me to seriously consider it... i mean... I tore with DS (he was 8lbs 2 oz) but it was only superficial- and I think if I had given my body more time (which i didnt have because of my water having broke 24.5 hours prior to when he actually got here) I think I would have been just fine... I'm not scared at all of having a big baby (unless we're talking like over 13 pounds or something crazy like that) and I fully trust that my body will go into labor before we get to a stage that it cant handle... but she's all talking about how I can decline the elective c-sec. but she refuses to use any instrumentation if we get to the pushing stage and I start having difficulty pushing him out and how she will only induce if my cervix is already softened and open-that she refuses to use cervadil to soften my cervix and if we wind up having to induce before my cervix is ready (due to spike in bp or something) that she will only use cytotec-- which I am NOT ok with.... and that for induction if my cervix is showing signs of being ready she will only use pitocin (which makes contractions HELL to say the least...) AND she said that she won't allow me to have my membranes stripped if my GBS comes back pos. (which- I had a postitive GBS with the last pregnancy and they stripped my membranes at 38wks no questions asked... so.. argh :P ) anyway... i'm just REALLY getting upset.. and almost to the point of seeking out a private midwife who will work with me and wait until my student loans come in in aug. but.. problem is.. due to my bp and the fact that it is a rather big baby.. home birth is a much bigger risk than I want to take.. but I'm SO infuriated with my %$&@ ob that I just don't even want to deal with it anymore.... sorry.. guess i don't really know what kind of response I'm looking for... but.. I'm really aggravated and didnt know where else to go (this'll show up on the natural birth board too as a heads up :) ) anyway.. thanks for reading :) (oh- and btw incase it helps- as far as risk category goes- i'm considered chronic hypertensive- not pregnancy induced hypertension... and it's extremely well controlled with methyldopa and labetalol)

• 06-19-2009 10:31 AM

  In reply to

  scarlet_willow Joined on 12-14-2007 James 23 July '08, Henry 26 Oct '09 Posts 984

  Re: OB frustrations.... please help... Reply Contact Since home birth may not be an option, what about going to a different OB for a second opinion?  Since you are still 31 weeks I don't think it's too late if you started looking now.  Maybe you could find one who is willing to help you have a vaginal birth.  I don't really understand why your OB would suggest an elective c-section already and yet not be willing to use forceps if it really came to that?  Seems like very odd reasoning to me.  Why would she not strip your membranes if you are positive for GBS?  I was positive last time and they never stripped mine.  I hope you can work something out, she sounds very unreasonable and unbendable!

• 06-20-2009 10:07 AM

  In reply to

  hcjfctc Joined on 01-24-2008 Keira Joy born 10/19/2009~Virginia Beach, VA Posts 390	Re: OB frustrations.... please help... Reply Contact Just because you don't want a homebirth doesn't mean you can't have a mid-wife. Many of them do hospitals and such so that can still be an option.

• 06-20-2009 3:47 PM

  In reply to

  TawniAline Joined on 03-25-2004 Camby, Indiana Posts 699

  Re: OB frustrations.... please help... Reply Contact well the growth scan was done at 31 weeks- i'm 33 weeks now- but the problem is insurance (i'm on pregnancy medicaid) I don't know if they'll let me switch this late- i'm going to have to call on monday- and as far as a midwife delivering in the hospital- the thing is I'm not sure I'll be able to get a midwife to handle me without an ob overseeing it due to the high risk tag- i have a number from a friend i'm going to try at the beginning of the week though--and as far as the GBS test- that's what I really don't understand- they stripped mine last time (to try and give me a boost to start labor a little faster) and noone had a problem with the fact that I had a postive culture- but this practice seems to think you shouldnt strip them unless the culture comes back negative (which I dont understand since i'll get IV antibiotics if it comes back postitive anyway) i mean- if we're looking at a baby that's potentially too big- why not try to push the labor into starting a little early as opposed to suggesting a cesarean?? I just dont get it... and the forceps thing I totally dont get either- why tell me that you're definately going to refuse to use them because it's a big baby to try and scare me into the c-section?? i mean- you'd seriously rather cut me open than give me some assitance if it really came down to that?? it's not like I was even asking to have them used in the first place- not my style of laboring- but if i'm seriously struggling to get him out when the time comes?? I mean I just dont understand the logic they're presenting... :P oh well- I guess DH could always step in and give me a hand if they're not willing to right?? lol :) I dunno- I dont think i'll have trouble pushing him out but I don't like the way they're approaching it at all... i'll update with what medicaid says as far as switching physicians later in the week- but I don't think i'm honestly going to be able to convince a midwife to take me with my bp issues- but i'm def. going to try at this point :)

• 06-22-2009 11:57 AM

  In reply to

  verybusymom Joined on 08-17-2005 DFW, TX Posts 149

  Re: OB frustrations.... please help... Reply Contact Regardless of the coverage you have (medicaid, insurance etc...) you have the legal right to get a second opinion. by a different doctor. Best advice I have is to do your research, know your rights, and ask about the risks involved in anything they want to do. The ACOG recommends against inducing for a suspected large baby--unless the mother is under 17 or has diabetes or an abnormal pelvis due to catastrophic pelvic injury or ricketts disease so your OB is recommending something that goes against the AGOG's practices--check out this link, show it to your OB and ask why her recommendations don't match http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010701/practice.html. As far as having a big baby---statistically speaking I could flip a coin to see if my baby was big and be as accurate as the doctors with their tests. Even w/an ultrasound they are only right about 53% of the time. Not to mention the fact that just because your baby is big doesn't mean anything. Check out this link http://www.ican-online.org/vbac/cephalopelvic-disproportion-cpd and this one http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/cephalopelvicdisproportion.html Often times delivering on your hands and knees (called the gaskins manuveur names after midwife ina mae gaskin) eliminates the problems associated with delivering a large baby. But most Ob's would rather cut you open that squat and lean to deliver your baby. Above all nature, with very few exceptions, takes care of things and if your baby is big then your body will accomodate that. I am 5'7' and weigh 95 llbs normally (I was 110 when I delivered) My son's head was 14 1/2" around (normal is about 13 1/2") The OB was concerened that his head was too big for my small frame. My Midwife laughed at this. I pushed him out in under an hour. had I listened to the OB I would have had an uncecessary c/s. www.ican-online.org is a great place to get info on ways to avoid an uneccesary c/s and how to combat OB's that are trying to force/scare you into medical interventions that you don't want/need. Trust your body. Women have been having babies for millions of years and so can you. You are not broken. Don't let them convince you that you are. Good luck!

• 06-23-2009 3:31 PM

  In reply to

  *Christa* Joined on 09-06-2005 Posts 462	Re: OB frustrations.... please help... Reply Contact Can you check out a birth center?  They might take you on even if your high risk.  Maybe not, but it doesn't hurt to check it out.  I'd find a new doctor if I was you.  Your OB sounds like she is heading straight for a c/s.

• 07-07-2009 12:22 PM

  In reply to

  TawniAline Joined on 03-25-2004 Camby, Indiana Posts 699

  Re: OB frustrations.... please help... Reply Contact i tried the only birthing center i know of around here when i was pregnant with my first son with less cause for concern and they refused me on account of my blood pressure and group b strep- as far as the current issue- i'm kind of waiting for this next u/s to come back (it's next week) and see what happens.. my bp has spiked again.. so.. we'll see if it has much impact- but last time I talked to her about it i got this comment about how i could refuse anything she suggested she was just going to document all over her chart that she advised that i do this and that etc and she explained that her lack of willingness to use forceps/vaccuum etc if i started struggling to get him out was actually due to the risk of shoulder dystocia.. so.. that made me a little more comfortable- and she talked about how there were maneuvers they could do to try and deal with it if it happened.. but that if they used instrumentation they could cause a lifelong injury to the brachial plexus.. so.. i'm comfortable right now with the explanation she's given me... and i'll see how she reacts to my ultrasound next thursday...-oh and i really have no clue where to go for my 2nd opinion... i keep thinking to myself i should look into it.. but.. i just really want to deliver at the hospital i chose and most of the dr's avail at that hospital work in the same practice as my dr so.. we'll see... if i'm really unnerved next week i'll start looking into it more seriously.. but for now i think we've reached an eye to eye standpoint- and so far no need for induction so i dont even need to argue the cytotec bit with her yet.. now if I start spilling proteins that's another story... but as of right now bp has only spiked w/ no other symptoms and baby's doing fine on NST's... anyway.. thanks for the links- i'm checking them out now :)