birth preferences

[LG]

I sat down and wrote out our birth preferences last night! I found it quite enjoyable and exciting actually, but i aslo found myself revisiting a couple of issues that i had previously discussed with my ob (who i have a lot of respect for btw, and who encourraged and supported me to have a wonderful drug-free labour last time). But there are a few things i want to do differently this time and i'm starting to feel a bit concerned that some of the things i'm requesting aren't being supported, and i feel like i'm being treated like i haven't researched these things and i'm taking 'unnecessary risks'.

One of the things is that i'm not comfortable with being medically induced before 42 weeks. My Ob is fairly strict on the fact that 10 days over EDD is max. I'm hoping obviously baby will play the game and won't be over due, and this won't be an issue, but i'd hate to get to that stage and then be arguing with my Ob about it. DS was on his due date, so chances are i won't be too overdue this time either. From next week i'm going to start raspberry leaf tea, walking more, possibly accupunture etc etc to get things moving anyway.

The other more relevant issue is i am looking for a reason why i should have the synthetic oxytocin injection after birth, and I can't see one! I have talked to my ob about baby-led breastfeeding straight after birth and all that goes along with that, so my body will be producing it's own oxytocin which should do the job - why do i have to have a synthetic one?? I'm uneasy with having it just because it's 'routine procedure'. I'm a very low risk for PPH i would think, and i am requesting delaying cord-clamping.

I have a good relationship with my ob (and am personal friends with the midwife that will hopefully support me through labour again this time), and i don't want to start any bad feelings now at this stage, but i'm beginning to feel like they think i am wanting to take unnecessary risks instead of believing in my body and my baby to do the job. My midwife (who i've known for years and years) even says there are things about my birth preferences that she wants to discuss with me - i don't know what yet (those 2 issues weren't even in there!), but i'm nervous now that even she thinks i'm doing the wrong thing. It upsets me that people i respect think i would put myself and my baby at risk. My DH supports these choices 100% btw, as does my close family.

Interestingly enough i also emailed my birth preferences to a friend who i met as our local ABA group leader (and who is also a very experienced midwife). Part of her response was "all sounds very reasonable and achievable. It is exactly what I would expect if I was in labour too!!". She is happy to be my second in line support person if the other isn't able to be there for whatever reason.

I don't know, I just am really thinking now i wish i'd looked more into options such as homebirthing for this baby. It's something i always wanted to do, but i guess because i had trouble TTC and was seeing my ob as a gyne to get pg, i just went along with the continuity of care. And i do really like her, she was fab last time... and has been this time... i'm just feeling a bit disheartened now that i might not be as supported in some of my birth preferences as i thought i would be. And it's too late to do anything else - and like i said i don't want there to be tension between any of us at this stage.

Does anyone know if there are actually any risks in having the synthetic oxytocin injection, besides the fact that it just might be unnecessary?

Sorry for the rant... i just needed to ramble on a bit to work out what i was feeling today i think

[Trillian]

As far as I know, having a managed third stage (oxytocic for placenta) doesn't carry a lot of risk on it's own, but it is an unnecessary procedure and is purely to speed up the birth of the placenta. When I was keen to not have a managed third stage and delayed cord clamping this time round, I found that when discussing it with my Dr he wasn't keen for me to not have it as I already had a PPH with my last birth, even though if I chose not to have it and started to bleed, I could still have it then to stop the bleed - he just wasn't prepared to let me go that far. However I had to change Dr's midway through the pg (my original Dr left town) and this one was willing to let me do the cord clamping and the managed third stage was negotiable - I would have it if I needed it.

There is an article here that may help you too https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/...rint-for-labor just to give you a better understanding of how our own hormones help us. Perhaps you could even print it and give to your ob - it will help back you up. Good luck!

[blue daisy]

Hey LG

you certainly sound like you are being very reasonable in your birth preferences...and remember that these are your birth preferences as you are the one giving birth

the reason most Drs prefer a managed 3rd stage is purely for the risk of PPH...but in a hospital setting, with everything close to hand this is not the risk that it is in develping countries (where PPH is the major cuase of childbirth related death)

and again there is no reason why you cannot wait to be induced until 42 weeks...again Drs get a little jumpy as they are worried about the function of the placenta and therefore the health of the baby...but you can get regular monitoring if this is a cause for concern

you do sound like you have a good relationship with your 'team' and wonderful support from your DH...so perhaps just say that this is what you want to do and that you are open to being flexiable if at any stage there is any indication of a problem, either with the baby post dates of bleeding after delivery

there is a body of evidence that points towards the syntocinon injection for 3rd stage does increase the risk of neonatal jaundice that does require light therapy

maybe you should look into HB...or perhaps hiring a doula who will support both you and your DH in this very special time of you life

hope this helps...good luck

xx yogababy

[BellyBelly]

Yep I would definitely be looking at a doula, so you don't feel like you have white coat syndrome at the birth and someone else can be your voice. As you have probably read, I did a pretty vocal job recently. With mum in tears, that birth would have gone differently without someone sticking up for her, in a polite way of course. Stick to your guns, be confident because what you want is based on evidence and study, you have to remember that we live in a highly litigious society these days so it's going to have impact on what doctors/hospitals want us doing.

I often find negotiation good. Relate to them, 'I understand you are concerned about me bleeding, but I have done my reading and I am aware what the pro's and con's are. Right now, my choice is not to have the syntometrine, but if if you are worried about excess blood loss after the birth, let me know and I would be more than open to having it if needed. I am not saying no outright.'