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Hmmm
Poppy remains, despite every 'turning' technique, bottom first. Tomorrow daughter has consultant appointment when, hopefully, she will be offered an ECV. She is, obviously, becoming quite concerned now as she knows that if baby doesn't turn the advice will be to have a section, something which she really doesn't want. I would love to support her in opting for a vaginal breech delivery but I am now so unsure about competencies with regard to breech births that I really hesitate. Guidelines came out some years ago that all breech babies should be delivered by section and this has meant that some doctors are getting to Registrar level without ever having delivered a baby this way. Many midwives have never even seen a breech birth, let alone been the carer in such a situation. I know an independant midwife who is extremely experienced in breech births but, she would not be permitted to come into the hospital to assist, and I'm not really at ease with the concept of breech birth at home and for me an element of doubt is enough to make something a NO.
Anyone reading this please send positive turning thoughts towards Poppy and save daughter from having to make a difficult decision.
Oh blow
Yesterday was a 'heavy' day. I visited the family who were coming to terms with the test results which indicated their baby has Down's Syndrome. Their mood was more accepting, and as I result I felt more positive, partly due to their care being transferred to a more local paediatrician who had phoned them up, had a long chat and put aside an afternoon next week to explain to them what the next move would be. Also though they had started to go out and about and behave more like a family with a new baby rather than a 'problem'. I shall keep in touch, they are a lovely family, caring people, and Mum makes great cakes (only joking).
Personally it was a 'food for thought' day. Daughter had her Consultant's appointment, still breech, but Doc was very positive. Talked through ECV, arranged the appointment, Monday, and then he kindly put himself on-call for her, which ever way she decides to give birth. Then, he sent her for a detailed scan to rule out any abnormalities which could preclude an ECV. Ultrasonographer performed the scan immediately, lovely view of Poppy's face, but then the bad news, the little B is a footling breech, i.e baby is squatting there, with it's feet coming first, worst position possible for a breech, vaginal birth. Any one interested in seeing how a footling breech is born, here is an excellent photo sequence, not for those of a squeamish disposition. Daughter is pinning all her hopes on the ECV, she is refusing to look any further other than to say that she is not having a section. The independant midwife I know has replied to my E-Mail and has offered to meet with daughter to disuss her options, I shall phone her tomorrow for a chat but wait until after Monday to see if daughter wishes to have her involved in the birth. Who knows what Monday holds, the ECV may trigger labour, baby may turn, an emergency section may become inevitable, it is all in the hands of the obstetrician, literally.
Toxic Moxi
In an effort to encourage unborn babe, Poppy, to flip into a more conventional head down position daughter has been using moxibustion sticks. They look rather like roman candles or highly decorated cigars. What happens is that you acquire a pair of these chinese medicine rolls, chinese herblists have them, sit Mum in a chair with her feet on a couple of books, we used video boxes, and line books of a comparable size up next to the sides of her feet. When you've done this you light the moxisticks and let them smoulder, lie them along the books and position the tips near the point on the little toe where the nail meets the skin. Pregnant one had done this at her home, and then reported back that her whole house smelled like a bonfire. In common with many pregnant women she has an extremely hightened sense of smell so I dismissed her accounts as being an exaggeration. After yesterday, when she used the sticks at my house, I now know that she was not being overly dramatic. They produce a thick, odourous smoke, not unlike the smell of an illegal 'weed' much in evidence during my youth. Amy and Jack and the cats vacated the room, we had to keep the door closed to stop the smoke detectors going off, and if you stood at the other end of the room visibility of the moxi area was severly hampered. This goes on for 20 minutes, 24 hours later and the house still stinks.
Anyway, they did relax her uterus, I could palpate baby easily, even feeling the feet nestling under the bottom, but would the babe turn, no way, even with music playing next to the ears and a torch shining, leading the way round. At one point I had a fit of the giggles, picture it, thick smoke, daughter sitting with feet on video boxes, Bob the Builder will forever carry the scars of a close encounter with smouldering weeds, other daughter holding music playing toy next to her sisters bulging tummy, whilst I slowly move torch over the area. The three witches spring to mind but, these are all researched methods for turning the breech.
Hopefully tomorrow I will have good news, if I don't then the anxiety levels will have increased substatially, daughter is still adament that she will not have a section.
The baby IS for turning
Deep sighs of relief. With much encouragement, a red-faced, perspiring Consultant did what nothing else could do, turned my unborn Grandchild. As of this time Poppy is head down and the countdown can continue with far less angst. The all-clear has been given for her planned homebirth so we are officially in the starting position, mobile phones fully charged and gas and air cylinders at the ready.
Thank you to all who sent positive vibes through the ether, I'm sure they helped.
In the doldrums
All has gone quiet on the expectant daughter front. The tightenings she had been experiencing have now become normal Braxton Hicks and she has become a laid-back expectant Mum. Only change has been the advent of swollen fingers and ankles and the beginnings of SPD, hopefully it won't get too much worse. Today I gave her feet a massage with Lavender, Clary Sage and Frankinsense, paying special attention to the reflexology point for the pelvic area, smelled much better than those noxious moxi sticks but other than wake Poppy up it didn't seem to do much more.
Amy has started using her potty when bribed with the promise of wearing 'pull-ups' with animals on rather than nappies. She and Jack are a right little pair, he sits next to her whilst she is perched on the potty and encourages her, advising us if he thinks she has done anything. He started nursery this week, two afternoons a week, and loves it, that was good news as it could have been difficult when his baby brother'sister arrived if he was unhappy about the separation.
Just got this weekend to work and then I've got a week off, I'm dreaming of spending the time in bed, the reality will probably be different, who cares though, freedom.
Long weekend
A week of relaxation is stretching out before me, if I care to ignore the 3 meetings scheuled, one of which would involve taking Amy as it's on Thursday. It's tempting to shun them, but I'm such an inquisitive little busybody that it would be torture, I'll see how I feel on the day.
The weekend was looking as if it would be busy, without being hectic, but then, just as I was thinking Saturday was nearly over my mobile rang, a homebirth. Worse timing, been at work all day, havn't stopped for lunch and then being called out. Lovely couple having their second baby, venue for the birth chosen to be their spare bedroom, complete with mirrored wardrobe doors alond one wall. The atmosphere was soporific, realaxing music gurgling and trilling away, heating on max and lights down low. Labour went on, and on, over 3 hours there was no progess so colleague decided to break the waters, instant progress, feels like pushing, and nothing. Encouraged the Mum to lie on her left side on the sofabed, often helps babies to negotiate the 'curve of carus', and wow, suddenly a shock of long, black hair came into view. At this point I am squeezed between the back of the sofabed and the wall, holding Mum's right leg up, and facing the mirrors, I tried really hard not to look in them, the other midwife is kneeling on the floor, next to the sofabed giving encouragement. The shock of hair didn't move, even with Mum pushing well it just sat there, and then slowly it began to advance, Mum was doing brilliantly breathing baby out and then we saw the cause of the hold-up, the cord was tightly around the neck. No problem, next contraction should see baby born. Come on then, where's the next contraction, nothing, 3 minutes, seemed like forever, and then baby moved, slightly, Mum pushed, baby stayed there, I handed supporting her leg over to her husband and squeezed out from behind the sofa, bodily lifted Mum over a few inches and turned her over, the cause for the third slowdown became clear, baby had it's fist alongside it's neck so it was having trouble getting an arm, plus it's shoulders through, just a little pressure on the arm, plus a good push from Mum and out came a 7lb 4 oz little girl, quick drying off from us and she snuggled up on Mum and began searching for milk, greedy guts!
I got home at midnight, starving hungry, splitting headache, and shattered. Hubby had ordered me an Indian takeaway, I ate half of it and went to bed. Silly, silly action as I spent half the night experiencing indigestion, and still had to be at work for 8.30am. Mid-afternoon I receive a wonderful text message, ' Just to check you havn't forgotten about me today.Me and my cervix are eagerly awaiting your arrival! Plus he in-laws arriving 3.30.' What does that mean? Someone who has gone past their due date on whom I am going to perform a stretch and sweep . I did the S & S but don't hold out much hope for it working, baby is hiding near her tonsils, it needs to come down more and pressurise the cervix. She did say that she was thinking of trying Oil of Evening Primrose, I had never heard of his method, so looked it up and here's what is written:-
'Evening primrose oil is an excellent source of prostaglandins, which we already determined readies your cervix for labor. It can be taken orally as soon as 34 weeks, and can be applied directly to the cervix at full term (36 weeks). The general recommendation is two 500mg capsules per day until week 38, at which time you increase to 3-4 per day. The entire capsule can be inserted vaginally (inserted just before bed, it will dissolve before the first time you wake to use the bathroom), or you can use the oil on your fingers for your perineal massage, then also rub on your cervix (assuming you can reach it). Applying directly to the cervix is optimal, but the beneficial ingredients are absorbed through the external skin or the stomach also.' (maternitycorner.com)
Can't comment on whether it works or not, might mention it to daughter though.
Thumb twiddling
Life is so calm, mostly. Yesterday there was a minor blip when colleague I had asked to do an antenatal on daughter phoned up to say that she was sending her in because she thought that the baby acrobat had flipped again. Off I dutifully went to labour ward where I sat with daughter whilst lovely consultant, yes we really are getting the VIP treatment, used the portable scanner to verify that the reason no one could feel a head, scary description, was because it was so far down in daughter's pelvis.
Today I had my hair cut, very short, and tonight I was going to dye it, plum. Earlier phonecall from pregnant one put paid to that activity. She reported that she had diahorrea (possibly an indication that labour is imminent) and the return of the regular tightenings made me think that covering my hair in a purple conconction, when I could be summoned to attend the birth of my Grandchild, was not the best idea that I had ever had. Can't even console myself with a Bacardi, guess it's a night for cross-stitching.
Stroppycow sent me this wonderful article about freebirthing, don't try this at home of you are British, it's illegal.