My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

I really would like to try to go natural (vaginally). I just feel like he has been planning and talking about this for so long now. He first mentioned it when I was 28 weeks when the baby was breech. Well the baby has turned and is now head down, but the doc claims the baby is still high. I really have 3 1/2 weeks left and I know that is enough time for the baby to possibly drop. His other claim is that the baby is too big. Right now the baby is weighing 7 pounds 14 ounces.

I am not one who needs to go through the whole labor to feel accomplished, but I am just upset that he is so adamant about it. When I was in the hospital a few weeks ago for a NST, I saw a high risk doc and he said there were no reasons right now why I would need a c-section.

Can anyone give me some thoughts on what I can say to my doc. I almost feel like I should just go through with it for the babies saftey and mine.

Help!

Message edited 11/1/2005 6:36:05 PM.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

Tell the doc no way! OMG I would be furious! There is no way you should still be scheduled for a C! Are there any other docs in the practice? Many a woman have birthed 7lb babies. There is nothing wrong with going into labor and finding out that your pelvis is too small (which Im assuming is the issue). My SIL did that and had a C anyway but she gave it the ole college try. I would just go into the doc and tell him that you are not going to show up for the c and you are going to go naturally and attempt a vaginal birth.

Oh wait, I just saw that you saw a high risk doc... what makes you high risk?

Message edited 11/1/2005 6:33:32 PM.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

Thanks for the reply. I am not high risk. I was in the hospital for a NST and the doc on call was a high risk doc. My doc claims that the baby is too high and that because it is such a big baby or as he says "chubby" that there could be problems coming down the birth canal and the babies shoulders could be permanently damaged.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

too high, that's a new one to me!! I didnt drop with either baby until 1 1/2 weeks before they came. you figure the baby will gain 1/2lb till he/she is here. That only makes for a 9lb baby if the 7lber is correct. Unless you have an small pelvis (has anyone told you that) then you should be able to push out the baby.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

The doc has never mentioned small pelvis to me.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

have you asked him if he has ever delivered a 9lb baby naturally? Im sure his answer would be yes. He's telling you your going to have a big baby thats why you are still scheduled?

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

Remember you're the patient and you don't have to do anything you don't want.
Unless it was for some health reasons or a risk to the baby I would feel the same way you do.
With 3&1/2 weeks to go a lot can change. I wa something like a -2 station at 38 weeks and then 2 weeks later I was a 0 station.
I know you cant get a new doc but you should put your foot down on this one.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

I'm telling you, it's because of the holiday. Don't let him do it. It's totally YOUR choice. It's your body, your baby and you don't have to do anything you don't want to do unless it's an emergency or the baby's health is at stake.

Insist on waiting or tell him you will switch doctors. When he realizes he might not get that big fat delivery check after doing all your prenatal care for 9 months, he might be less adamant about the c-section.

I really see no reason why you should have to schedule a c-section so early on. My baby was very high, and yes, I had to have a c/s in the end, but at least I was given the opportunity to try for a vaginal birth. I had to stand my ground and fight a little for it too, but I got the chance. He should be able to give you that at least.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

Ok the FIRST thing I thought of when I read this is THANKSGIVING!! UGH - I am so mad for you...I am sure he doesn't want his holiday interrupted. I would call him and set up a meeting with him to talk to him -bring your DH or mom or someone you trust to go with you, put your foot down if it is important to you.

If you feel comfortable talking to another dr. DO SO - it's your right!

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

I was forced into a scheduled c/s due to a breech baby (who stayed breech and never turned) and there is NOT one day I don't regret being bullied and it has caused me 2 years of PPD and trauma. I am so sorry someone has done this to you.
Find a NEW doctor asap. This is NOT a medically needed c/s. This is for HIS schedule so you don't bother him on his holiday. My baby was also due on Thanksgiving and this was part of their "plan". While I needed a medically necessary c/s I wanted to go into labor on my own. The OB LIED to me (this has been verified by 3 other OBs now) and yelled at me and said that if I loved my baby I would care that she would not be born dead I had 100% HAD to schedule the c/s. That is the moment I wish I had told him to go to hell and never went back. DO NOT let anyone take a knife to you for no reason. A c/s is MAJOR surgery. You wouldn't let a doctor cut out your kidney for no medical reason. Don't let them cut your baby out for no medical reason either.
A c/s is NOT risk free. I know many women have them, but that doesn't make them all medically necessary. I was told my sooo many women that it was "no big deal"...well tell that to me a year later when I needed a second surgery to correct scar tissue issues that caused me a year of pain, or tell that to my baby who had to live with a depressed, angry, sad mother because of being lied to and treated like a piece of meat.

This doctor does not care about you or your baby or else he would not be doing this. Find youself a doctor who cares and will do the right thing for you. I am truly so sad reading this.

A too small pelvis is actually a very, very rare condition. It is often used by OBs as an excuse because many women labor down for a while..this is when the OBs start telling you that you can't "fit" the baby..totally b/s. Again if you had a previously broken pelvis maybe...but there is NO way of knowing this before L&D and even then it is often NOT the truth. One women on my c/s board was forced into a c/s after a few hours of labor for "small pelvis" and 2 years later home birth UNASSISTED a 10lb baby...with NO problems. The doctor just didn't feel like waiting for her to labor and deliver at her body's own pace.

If you need ANY support please let know me.

Message edited 11/1/2005 10:57:50 PM.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

My first child was 9lbs 8oz....I had him with out any complications, my second was 8lbs 10oz, I had her without any drugs and had no complications. The Dr. also said the baby was "too high" less than a week before I went into labor and he even had a sonogram done to make sure that the baby wasn't breech....He also said that I wasn't going into labor anytime soon - I had her 2 days later.... Doctors are not always right! I would talk to another Dr. childbirth is one of the most important things in your life and if you don't speak up then you'll always look back at that.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

I agree with everyone else. There is NO reason for you to have a scheduled c-section if there is no medical risk to either you or the baby at this point! You are the patient and you do have RIGHTS! Put your foot down.

When I was scheduled for my c-section (it was medically necessary in my case) I was not 'comfortable' with the doctor that was scheduled to perform it because they do c-sections on Fridays I called the other doctor in the practice and cried and said I am not comfortable with this man taking a knife to my stomach! If he is too busy to answer my questions about my c-section (this was my first time in a hospital and first surgery) I certainly did not want this man cutting me! In the end I got the doctor that I wanted and my daughter was born on a Monday and not the Friday!

This is your body and your baby you are the ones with the rights and if this SOB doesn't want to be bothered on a holiday because you 'might' go into labor then he chose the wrong damn profession. Please please please do what is in your heart and if you want to have the chance to go vaginally then demand your rights!

Good luck to you

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

I also wanted to reply with more info..I have read MANY stories of women who are discriminated against because of their weight by OBs. Being thin does not mean you can birth and being overweight does not mean you can't. Have faith in your body, in your baby, in yourself.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

can you get a second opinon from another doctor, are there others in the practice? if you want to have a natural birth and the baby isnt breech you should be entitled to it. i would look into it.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

I could share my whole birth story with you if you'd like?! I'll try to sum it up though...

My first baby, I was induced at just shy of 41 weeks. I had a version with her because she was breech and I wanted to avoid a c/s as much as possible. During the induction, my OB warned me it would take a while because she hadn't dropped and he was correct. She didn't "drop" until my water broke hours and hours in to my induction. Once she dropped, my labor progressed from 2/3 cm to 10 cm in 3 hours. I labored down for about an hour and half and then pushed for 2.5 hours. Honestly, it wasn't that bad to me and she was only 7 pounds 3 oz, 14 inch head.

This time I had to be induced again and the baby hadn't dropped once again while I was in full labor. I told my OB (which he was totally fine with during all my prenatal visits) that the baby wouldn't drop until my water broke. Low and behold, the baby didn't drop at all until my water broke again. I ended up just delivering a 9 pound baby with a 15 in head with no complications. I think it's important that you trust your own body and do what you think is right. I'm very happy that my OB never estimated the size and I think he did it on purpose. The only thing he ever said to me was that I had a good sized baby. It wasnt until I was in L/D that I realized he was going to be "big" when all the nurses and residents kept asking me what size my first was. I must admit that even if my OB told me I was having a big baby, I still would have refused a c/s until it was absolutely necessary...but that's just me and my feelings for myself.

Re: My doc still has me scheduled for a c-section and

If you aren't comfortable with your doctor and his advice, maybe you should get a second opinion and consider switching?

My ob/gyn practice was great. Made up of 4 ob/gyns - 2 of them I liked. However when I asked one of my doctors what was the rate of C sections, he said it's lower than normal. Than he volunteered that I probably wouldn't need a C section and it was mainly for those who were overweight with GD. He went on to say "These overweight women come in here not caring about how much weight the gain with pregancies..etc etc" I was shocked that he was so judgemental. I could completely see him scheduling someone and acting like your dr. In the end, I was pretty uncomfortable with him and was hoping for one of the other 2 doctors to deliver. Guess who was on call when I showed up in labor? Good thing I only saw the doctors toward the end of my labor - they kept trying to push an epidural on me, asking me if I wanted to meet the anthesiologist. I said "If I'm at the point that I really need him, I don't care if it's Edward Scissorhands giving me the needle"

They get a LOT of money for this - and they get more for C sections. A C section should only be used when medically necessary, not for the convenience of the doctor.