saw dr. bagdan again - the wicked awesome doctor from last week. i had a whole list of questions to ask her and she was extremely thorough in answering them all without rushing me. i think we kept her for like half an hour.
question 1: is the hospital limiting visitors because of the H1N1?
answer: no, although we are asking that if you are sick or have a cough, you stay away. but you can have whoever you would like come and visit you - unless of course, YOU want to limit the number of visitors...
question 2: does the hospital have any "policy" about the clamping/cutting of the umbilical cord? do you delay it or do just cut it right away? isn't there supposed to be some benefit to leaving the cord unclamped for 2 minutes?
answer: we've had lots of requests by mothers that we don't clamp until the cord has stopped pulsating. but you have to keep in mind that the placenta has to be LEVEL with the baby the whole time otherwise it can draw blood away from the baby (if the placenta is lower) or the baby can get too much blood from the placenta (if placenta is higher). as for the benefit, the research is "it could", but nothing is for sure and i haven't seen any adverse effects come from the cord being clamped and cut right away. but it's the mother's choice.
question 3: my GBS swab results?
answer: negative!
question 4: so i know i have to come in right away if my water breaks. but if i haven't had any contractions, how much time do i have before the doctor decides to administer pitocin?
answer: well, since you are GBS negative, we'll give you AT LEAST 12 hours before you start to contract on your own. probably longer. but we know the risk of infection goes up greatly after your water breaks, so we do want to make sure you go into labor within the 24-hour period. you come in, we'll check to make sure the cord hasn't prolapse, there is no arm hanging out, etc., and then can send you back home until your contractions become 3-5 minutes apart or too much for you to handle at home. but you do have to come in initially when the water breaks to check for anything that came out with the water that shouldn't have.
question 5: do a lot of women come in initially wanting a natural drug-free birth? how many of those women would you say actually stick with their plan?
answer: yes and about 50% i would say stick with the plan. some women labor long and hard and it's those women that i would recommend get an epidural. if they labor long and hard, they are often just way too tired when it comes time to push. and a lot of first time moms will push for HOURS, while experienced moms will push for 15 minutes or so.
question 6: dr. makhdoom explained to me what "stripping the membranes" entails. when do you start doing that? does it hurt? do you have to be dilated?
answer: we offer it at 38 weeks. you don't have to be dilated, we can usually get our fingers in there, but it will hurt if you're not dilated. usually takes repeat "sessions" to get it working.
(she measures my blood pressure and fundal height... looks about ready to leave)
me: am i getting an internal exam today?
doctor: no, you're 37 weeks, right?
me: no, 38 weeks.
doctor: oh, you're right. then yes you are. do you want your membranes stripped today?
me: not if i'm not dilated. not if it's gonna hurt real bad.
doctor: (looking at jesse) are you okay with the membranes being stripped?
jesse: me? yeah! sure.
so she proceeds to check my progress and strip the membranes, which was slightly uncomfortable and WEIRD but in no way painful, i think. she says 2 in 100 women will go into labor within 4 hours of having their membrane stripped. i tell her i hope i am one of those two. then she tells me that she thinks i will be able to handle labor very well. i sure hope so.
about 3 hours after my appointment, i began having contractions at 10 minutes to every hour regularly until i went to bed. today, i haven't been keeping track as yet, but i'm hoping it has helped to jump start things. wish me luck!
question 1: is the hospital limiting visitors because of the H1N1?
answer: no, although we are asking that if you are sick or have a cough, you stay away. but you can have whoever you would like come and visit you - unless of course, YOU want to limit the number of visitors...
question 2: does the hospital have any "policy" about the clamping/cutting of the umbilical cord? do you delay it or do just cut it right away? isn't there supposed to be some benefit to leaving the cord unclamped for 2 minutes?
answer: we've had lots of requests by mothers that we don't clamp until the cord has stopped pulsating. but you have to keep in mind that the placenta has to be LEVEL with the baby the whole time otherwise it can draw blood away from the baby (if the placenta is lower) or the baby can get too much blood from the placenta (if placenta is higher). as for the benefit, the research is "it could", but nothing is for sure and i haven't seen any adverse effects come from the cord being clamped and cut right away. but it's the mother's choice.
question 3: my GBS swab results?
answer: negative!
question 4: so i know i have to come in right away if my water breaks. but if i haven't had any contractions, how much time do i have before the doctor decides to administer pitocin?
answer: well, since you are GBS negative, we'll give you AT LEAST 12 hours before you start to contract on your own. probably longer. but we know the risk of infection goes up greatly after your water breaks, so we do want to make sure you go into labor within the 24-hour period. you come in, we'll check to make sure the cord hasn't prolapse, there is no arm hanging out, etc., and then can send you back home until your contractions become 3-5 minutes apart or too much for you to handle at home. but you do have to come in initially when the water breaks to check for anything that came out with the water that shouldn't have.
question 5: do a lot of women come in initially wanting a natural drug-free birth? how many of those women would you say actually stick with their plan?
answer: yes and about 50% i would say stick with the plan. some women labor long and hard and it's those women that i would recommend get an epidural. if they labor long and hard, they are often just way too tired when it comes time to push. and a lot of first time moms will push for HOURS, while experienced moms will push for 15 minutes or so.
question 6: dr. makhdoom explained to me what "stripping the membranes" entails. when do you start doing that? does it hurt? do you have to be dilated?
answer: we offer it at 38 weeks. you don't have to be dilated, we can usually get our fingers in there, but it will hurt if you're not dilated. usually takes repeat "sessions" to get it working.
(she measures my blood pressure and fundal height... looks about ready to leave)
me: am i getting an internal exam today?
doctor: no, you're 37 weeks, right?
me: no, 38 weeks.
doctor: oh, you're right. then yes you are. do you want your membranes stripped today?
me: not if i'm not dilated. not if it's gonna hurt real bad.
doctor: (looking at jesse) are you okay with the membranes being stripped?
jesse: me? yeah! sure.
so she proceeds to check my progress and strip the membranes, which was slightly uncomfortable and WEIRD but in no way painful, i think. she says 2 in 100 women will go into labor within 4 hours of having their membrane stripped. i tell her i hope i am one of those two. then she tells me that she thinks i will be able to handle labor very well. i sure hope so.
about 3 hours after my appointment, i began having contractions at 10 minutes to every hour regularly until i went to bed. today, i haven't been keeping track as yet, but i'm hoping it has helped to jump start things. wish me luck!
Personal question, when she striped your membranes was there blood on her hand? My dr told me if there isnt blood on her hand then she hasnt done a good job of stripping them! I had mine done 4 times, the last time there was blood and still nothing! I hope it works for you!!!
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