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Monday, April 19, 2010

Perspective from the other (better) Doctor

So Carlos and I went to the doc today for an appointment with the other doctor (the more experienced, more natural one)

I feel so much better about everything after talking with her.

She does agree that she doesn't want me to go past 38 weeks. The main reason being the risk of the placenta giving out, which happens in twins moms when they go to late, complicated by the fact that I have a *history* of high blood pressure. I was a little bothered by the fact that my history before I was pregnant affects this pregnancy, but I do understand the risk. I have never had high blood pressure since retrieval day in May of 2009. However, it's normal for women on labeatolol to deliver early, often 38 weeks for singletons and 36 for twins. ANd they are "letting me" go unitl 37 weeks 4 days.

She had a much better manner about presenting the options, and I really appreciated. First of all, she presented OPTIONS... not just here's what we are going to do.

She checked my cervix and i'm 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. She thinks breaking my water may be all that is needed in order for contractions to start on thier own. So she proposed if I don't go into labor naturally before then, that I'll come in Tuesday morning (rather than Monday afternoon), she'll break my water, and we'll just wait for contractions to start naturally. She offered that we may want to consider a low dose of pitocin if labor doesn't start naturally after several hours, but oferred that as a conversation we'll have if we need to. I love this woman.

Anyway, the non-stress test went well. I tell the babies they shoudl come this weekend, and they will never have to do a non stress test again. I know they don't appreciate it very much. (And frankly, it's kind of annoying for me, too.)

So, the one thing I found intersting is discussing delivery of the placenta. My doctor said that sometimes we need to give pitocin after delivery of the placenta in order to get the iterus to contract in order to have have mom hemorraging. This often hapens in twin moms because of the stress of the uterus from twin birth. I'm thinking contractions AFTER i've given birth to TWO BABIES?? I ask her, "How long do these contractions last?" I'm thinking she is going to give me a number between 1 and 30... and minutes... and she says..

You'll have contractions for about a month.

WHAT? Ok, my friends with babies... you didn't tell me about this! Tell me more, please. This is the first I've heard of that!

Anyway, thanks for reading the latest in the saga... I am so blessed and happy to still be pregnant. Everyone looks at me and says, you must be so ready.. Funny, I'm really not. Still have a to-do list and some work to finish up before they come! But of course, it will all be fine whenever they come!

7 comments:

donna said...

I don't think I had contractions for a month. In fact, I don't really remember them at all after the placenta was delivered.

So exciting! They are almost here!

Heather said...

I recall having some contractions off and on for a couple of weeks after my baby was born, but believe me, they were nothing at all like labor contractions. They felt like very mild menstrual cramps. They were not very noticeable at all. The times I did notice them were while breastfeeding. Apparently, breastfeeding causes the uterus to contract. Anyway, you should not worry about them! They're no big deal. But kind of weird. :o) The body does a lot of weird things while pregnant and during the postpartum period...

chrys said...

whew. yeah. the more babies you have the worse the postpartum contractions are. i don't remember them being so bad with my first delivery, though. hopefully they won't be a big deal for you at all. you honestly won't even care/notice, though. your arms and heart will be overflowing. just take your ibuprofen. :)

i'm so excited about these babes!

chrys

sophia said...

So so glad to see that the visit with the doc you prefer in the practice went well! I don't think I had contractions for a month either. And I think we talked about them giving me pitocin just after E was born for the placenta. I didn't really know that was going to happen, but didn't question it.

Beautiful Mess said...

I agree with Donna, I did not have them for a month. I do know that one time I passed a clot and thought my uterus was falling out. Nobody told me that could happen! i screamed and bawled into Dirty's chest for 30 minutes. The contractions I felt afterward, were NOTHING compared the the labor ones. They were more crampy, not painful.

I'm glad your doctor appeased your fears and you're feeling better.
*HUGS*

Mo said...

Wow! Gabby, they are almost here!!! So very exciting! Where did the time go?! (may not seem that fast to you, I realize). I don't know anything about the postpartum contractions...will be eager to read and learn. Thinking of you and Carlos and the babies!

Mo

Anonymous said...

don't worry about the pitocin and after birth contractions...i had the shot after a natural birth and delivering the placenta and didn't feel a thing...you'll be so in awe of your babies and your body that you won't even think about it.