Blinded by the screen (please)

Oh my. As my mind is made up that I want a caesarean section, and my overactive imagination/madness/heart rate monitoring has baby distinctively not head down - whatever the midwife says - I pondered as to how they get a baby out in a section if it's not head down. As I am now at the watch-all-birth-programmes-incessantly stage of pregnancy, I've seen footage of a fair few c-sections, which go as follows:

Cut through outer mother then inner uterus etc and tear membrane. Allow waters to gush out. Grab baby's head and tug until entire baby comes out. Stand by with sucker to clear airways. Snip cord, make sure baby is breathing and something a lot closer to pink than blue.

So, if head isn't first, which I actually have no reason whatsoever to presume (other than it would be useful for argument's sake if baby wasn't cephalic on Friday), what happens?

I did a silly thing to find out. I asked the Internet and found icky YouTube footage of caesarean delivery of transverse lying babies.

Yuk.

Most of the procedure is as above, except the bit where they ease the head out. If there isn't a head there, the surgeon appears to plunge his hand in, rummage around until he finds some part of baby, then tugs on that. Often the head will then be last out, and the baby is invariably more blue when this happens. It does not look nice, thank heavens for the screen that stops visibility to the mother - and father who is forbidden and unwilling to be at the action end.

I console myself that a) obstetricians tend to know what they're doing, b) both twins were breech so were probably head last, there was two sets of limbs etc to be tugged upon, and they were fine and c) there is no reason to think that baby isn't head first.

People do always say that c-sections feel like someone washing dishes inside you, so I guess there's always an element of rummaging. I so don't want to see it happening to me, it does not ever look reassuring. The commentary from the anaesthetist is far nicer.

Incidentally, the babies that come our the conventional route don't look any healthier or less blue and the mum looks considerably less healthy. I have not been put off.

I was asked today if I was hoping baby'd come early and naturally and I said no. But if she did, and it was quick, and therefore successful, then yes I do. What I don't want is an unsuccessful labour.

Baby's a go go this evening!! Whatever position she was in she sure isn't in it any more!

Hic

Hiccupping is good they tell me, it indicates that baby's diaphragm is well developed and that she is "breathing" the amniotic fluid.

Hiccupping is however alarming, especially when displayed as frequently as baby hiccups (as did foetal O). Although I did time them for a minute - 21 hics from baby - and that's average supposedly. It FELT like every second or faster, but no.

Foetal stuff is all done quickly.They don't do much. Hiccup, grow, develop, kick and have a heartbeat. All done rapidly.

Although the actions from within do seem more sophisticated than that which a newborn can do. I have my doubts as to any foetus playing with the cord etc as it takes a good number of weeks post birth to master such movement. You'd think the fluid, darkness, immaturity and what not would hinder.

Happily baby seems to have definitely moved around and isn't back to back, so back doesn't ache so badly, but pelvis is sorer again. My bump is smooth again and all seems back to normal. Unless I am mistaken, which is incredibly likely, she is transverse, or sideways as most people recognise, at the moment.

My home BP monitor has my BP crazy high. I feel fine and have no swelling, but if it's still mad tomorrow I'd best get it checked properly. If it is high with their machines I can look forward to perpetual monitoring for the rest of the pregnancy. I'm not unduly worried in light of no other symptoms but I guess I need to double check just in case. Or maybe I'll just wait till I see the consultant* on Friday unless I swell up or feel odd in some way. Heartbeat monitoring scaled up just in case. Well. Y'know.

*Yes, consultant on Friday. I shall pontificate on that topic later.

Bump n grind

I've been looking at pics of me when I was pregnant with the twins. The bump was about the same sticking out-ness as my current bump but was considerably wider. This isn't surprising as the babies lay side by side for the entire second half of the pregnancy. I knew this due to the lovely 4 weekly scans which I would love to have this time. My time is up for having a 3D scan as I would have had to have had it this weekend.

This baby is apparently in the textbook cephalic position (head down, bum up) but I have my doubts as previously mentioned. Baby is up and down anyway as my bump is definitely raised in the middle. Although she does seem to be slightly over to my left side, even though her heartbeat is nearly always on the right. She must have her head down right and her bum off to the left. I have distinctly bruised ribs, her kicks are vicious sometimes and right now she seems to have a foot or similar locked underneath my ribcage. Ouchie!

O and I had a happy time shining his torch at the bump this evening and watching baby squirm. I trust this isn't unpleasant for her as it is presumably a red glow rather than a bright light, and it was recommended by a pregnancy guide.

Dissertation progresses! 1500 words added tonight, all heading done and time allocation completed. I know what to write and have a time plan to write it in. Due date is 15th, which really means 12th as we're away that day, and I need to get it bound. So next Wed, the 10th, is my deadline and I hope to be finished writing by this Wed. Fingers crossed it isn't too sore to sit!