Third Times a Charm

The guy in my belly (no, we haven’t decided on a name) looked good at his check up yesterday, and I was having contractions while on the monitor. I’m actually having a lot of contractions on and off. Usually, I would be super excited to know that my body was preparing for his arrival but delivery will look much different this time.

I knew my middle child had gotten “stuck” during his birth. What I didn’t understand was how scary this can be.

I had none of the common factors for shoulder dyscotia. I was not diabetic. He was not a big baby. I had already delivered one baby through my pelvis without issue. The scariest thing about this condition is that you can’t predict it and don’t know if it will happen until it’s actually happening.

At 30 weeks I asked the midwife about this baby’s delivery. I was brushed off and told my body wouldn’t have a baby it couldn’t have. At 31 weeks, I met with a different midwife (there are four in the practice) and brought it up to her. She listened and asked questions. We decided to do an ultrasound at 36 weeks to see how big the baby had grown.

By 33 weeks, they had called my old midwife (she has since moved to another state) who, out of over 2,000 births, remembered my son. And not because he was so cute. He sticks out in her mind as the worst shoulder dyscotia case she had encountered and it was a miracle he had no damage. They had also called the doctor who performs their csections (midwives do not do csections) and he gave them a list of questions/considerations.

It was decided that in addition to the ultrasound at 36, they would perform a pelvic exam to see how my pelvis was formed. While this baby appears to be average size and there is nothing overtly wrong with my pelvis, it’s also not the perfect shape. So we made the decision that the safest option for baby #3 would be a csection.

This was tough for this old granola mom who had high hopes this baby would come so quickly that I could do a natural birth. The thought of an epidural has always scared me more than the actual pain of child birth. I am sad to have a csection. I know it will be fine. But I’m bummed. My other recoveries were a breeze. I know this one will be more difficult.

The funny thing is that I love to try new things and a csection means I’ve had a delivery of all types: induction, epidural, natural, and csection. My midwife said I should lead birthing classes since I will have been through it all.

I like to say God has a sense of humor. As soon as I think I have something figured out, the game changes. I had it all figured out that this third birth would be a breeze. A little reminder for me to let go, let God. That doesn’t come easy for me but I’m working on it.

I still don’t have a date for the csection. (I will schedule that Monday when I meet with the doctor, unless I go into labor before then. Even if that occurs, he will still come via csection.)

Out of the last 18 months, I have been pregnant for over 14 of them. While it is bittersweet to be coming to the end of my childbearing years, I am ready to close this chapter. Knowing I am in my last days of my last pregnancy, I am cherishing every roll, kick, and turn in my belly (even when it’s uncomfortable/painful).

Thanks to all of you for following my journey and giving me and my family so much love and encouragement! We can’t wait to meet this rainbow baby and share him with you.