Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Birth Story

This is a blogger I love, MckMama: birthing, babies and beyond, and this is the story of her first birth, which occurred about four years ago. It's beautifully written, not too long, and a very enjoyable read. Check it out!

This birth is a good example of how one's plans can change; she planned on an all-natural waterbirth in-hospital; what she got was an induction due to post-dates at 42 weeks, a four-day labor, an epidural, AROM, multiple complications (fever, etc.) and a vacuum delivery with a broken tailbone. (Despite that run-down, it's not a birth horror-story... really.)

BUT... I wonder how it might have been different under different care. What if her midwife had not insisted on a post-dates induction? Might all of the above might have been avoided by waiting for labor to start on its own?

I know care-providers are really nervous about going over 42 weeks. Some nowadays won't go over 41 weeks (a rule that gave a friend of mine two unnecessary cesareans) or even 40 weeks. Bad things can occasionally happen with postdates babies.

But some babies do just need to cook longer. Would it have been acceptable to do biophysical profiles, keep an eye on the baby, and only induce when baby's welfare looked questionable - instead of going by dates alone?

Not being a professional, I don't know the answers! (If you do, feel free to fill me in.) However, this is still a great story by an AMAZING woman, and I really admired her fortitude during her birth. See what you think!

2 comments:

  1. My midwife I work with will let a baby cook as long as it wants as long as everything still looks good.

    With her 3rd baby, she was 18 days overdue, meaning almost 45 weeks. I think her being overdue and having a great outcome truly helped her know that the body does what it will, regardless of how you try to induce it.

    I know that I would personally go as long as I could. Being pregnant for 18 mos doesn't seem like such a bad thing as long as everything is okay and there are no worries.

    Great thoughts and great post!

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  2. Over 43 weeks, 10% of babies will have problems. Only 3% of pregnancies will go over 43 weeks.
    So... 0.3% of babies need to be induced for "post-date" past 43 weeks.

    My mother had nine children, and not one of us was born before 42 weeks.


    (If it's genetic, I'm hoping to end that long-gestation streak in April.)

    :)

    -Cathy

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