I do have to admit that I watched about ten minutes of TV the other night hanging up-side down off the edge of the couch. That did nothing but make the blood rush to my head, and my PJs slide back until they were choking me. Jeff had to rush over to help me up before I had permanent pajama marks on my neck. To make matters worse, Jack Everett was laying next to me in his Batman PJs doing exactly what I was doing. "Momma, I am exercising too!"
I had almost finished the blog post when I decided to look for a picture to show what breech presentation looks like in utero. That was a mistake. My Internet search resulted in about a million stories about complications during delivery, growth restriction, hip problems, and other forms of fetal distress. I started to panic a bit. Especially given Brother's size, if I were to manipulate him somehow, he could easily be wrapped up in his cord... okay, time to close that screen... As with any medical issue, it is usually best not to get your education from Google. I decided very quickly that I did not want to make any further attempts to encourage this baby boy to turn. I instantly embraced the idea of a C-section and have come to peace with it.
I went into the Biophysical Profile/Non-Stress Test this morning prepared with questions I had not previously considered. There are several types of breech presentation, and our little one is in the Frank Breech position and has been for at least six weeks. "In a frank breech, the baby's buttocks lead the way into the birth canal. The hips are flexed, the knees extended. This increases the chance of forming an umbilical cord loop that could precede the head through the cervix and cause injury to the baby if it is delivered vaginally." - WebMD
The doctor evaluated his heart and lung function, and strongly discouraged any manipulation at all to turn the baby. He is tiny and the risk is too high of wrapping his cord around his neck, leg, ankle... say no more! I got home from my appointment and re-read the half-written post. It suddenly wasn't funny any more, so I deleted it.
Additionally, my fluid levels were much higher than they were on Friday, so we will closely monitor that as well with follow-up testing on Wednesday. A normal measure of amniotic fluid in the third trimester is anywhere between 5 cm and 25 cm. If fluid levels go over 25 cm, a mother is suspected to be experiencing hydramnios. Too much fluid could mean his kidneys are struggling to regulate the levels. His level Thursday was just under 16, and his level today was 24.55 cm. Again, we are on the border line, so we just have to sit tight and hope it goes back down.
Jeff, Jack, and I plan to celebrate the 4th of July as a family and make the most of each day, recognizing that stress is the last thing our little guy needs. What he needs is prayer, rest, plenty of water... and fireworks. So, that is what our weekend will entail.
1 comment:
Yes, I have been told fireworks are very good for the unborn baby.
Post a Comment