Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Goings On

The case of the Grumpies I had earlier this week have gone away.

Whew. I feel better, although it's been a rough week, and I have a few things on my mind.

Here's a peek:

- One of our dogs contracted kennel cough at the doggie daycare. Poor little boo. Her symptoms (dry, hacking cough and foamy, gooey junk from her mouth) appeared Tuesday. She actually seems better already, but she has to be home at least 10 days.

- Our other dog, out of the blue, decided that peeing in the baby's room would be a good idea. Huh? Anxiety? Jealousy? How can she know when there's nothing in there but a rocking chair?

- My DH emailed me at work today saying the sewer clean-out cap in the yard popped off and there is some "lint" around it. I told him it isn't lint but TP (sorry, gross, I know). Plumber comes tomorrow morning. Hopefully it won't need anything more than a cleanout. My DH is worried that all the rain has caused the soil to become saturated and heavy - and the old orangeburg pipes collapsed. That could be expensive.

- The horrible opposing counsel (Mr. Meanie) in the complex litigation case I'm working on is pushing my buttons. The only good thing is that, apparently, I'm pushing his, too. He sent me several "nastygrams" recently - demeaning, demanding, arrogant letters. It's been awful. Now, pursuant to a judge's order, I have to have a telephone conference 2 weeks from now with Mr. Meanie, which is likely to last the better part of a day, if not more. Ug. I'm already anticipating his loud, rude, bullying, interrupting, arrogant demeanor. It won't be fun.

- I spoke this week with the OB doc who sent me to the hospital last week for monitoring. I basically demanded to have U/S's at my appointments from now on to check the position of the baby. She was a bit hesitant at first, saying they normally wouldn't bother to check until 37 weeks, and if the baby was still breach then they would consider the external, manual version (is that the right term?). But I was insistent, and she finally relented. I'll be getting quick u/s's.

But here's the kicker: I also expressed concern about the baby possibly turning into the cord. As in, getting the cord wrapped around his neck - whether as a result of turning on his own or as a result of manual version. She said that they do not check the cord position and that approximately 30% of babies are born with the cord around their necks.

What?! Is this true?

She said they are only concerned about the cord if the baby is breech because the cord could slip through ahead of the baby's bottom.

Yup. Not liking this a bit. Well, I will say this (at the risk of being flogged by nazi natural birth women): if the baby is breech and doesn't turn on his own, there is no way I will put him at any risk whatsoever by having doctors manually mash my belly, shoving the baby, cord and placenta around, in an effort to turn him just so that I can push him out my vagina. Hell no. I'll order up a C-section (yeah, yeah, I know that C-sections are not without risks of their own) and deal with it.
...

14 comments:

Gwynn said...

OMG you crack me up!! "Deal with it" I love it! I'm so glad your grumpies are gone. They might be back again. But hey, you're pregnant. These things happen. I kept getting them on and off until about 3 or 4 months after I gave birth when my hormones finally began to even out again.

I'm not sure if it will make you feel any better, but it took my son along time to finally turn. I think it was somewhere around 38 weeks.

Oh, and the poor pets. Somehow they just know that something's up. They get over it, but not without letting you know and a little sulking. One night I woke up with a start, and was surprised to realize that my lower half was soaked. I freaked out and woke up my husband screeching, "OMG my water broke!!" After a little more investigating we realized our cat had peed on me! He'd never done this before. I think that he was just letting me know that he was not pleased with my current condition!

Hang in there. The really good stuff is just around the corner!!

p.s. "nastygram" HA!! I always wondered what the correct name for those was!

Mad Hatter said...

Whew. Your life is definitely a long way from your quiet, peaceful time in the garden last summer! I'm sorry for all the drama with the puppies (my dog has had kennel cough, too - not fun!) and the sewage and the mean guy and the worries about the position of the baby and the cord...it all just sounds awful!

I'm glad you're being so demanding about the scans and making plans to control what you can about your baby's birth - good for you. And I'd like to say right now that if anyone else has any issue with that, keep it to yourself!

I hope you can find some time for R&R this weekend, Besty. Despite it all, you're doing great! Hang in there!

Love,
Maddy

Michele said...

I am in total agreement about the cord. I know if our baby is breach, we WILL be having a c-section. The whole manual turning thing is not going to be an option for me. I know it can be dangerous. Go with your instinct on this and don't let them bully you into something you're not comfortable with.

cindyhoo2 said...

I am In total agreement with your decision. My cousin lost a baby during delivery as a result of the cord wrapping around the baby's little neck. I will take the risks that come along with a csection rather than take the risks that come along with a breach birth and/or manual turning.

I also know my wife (assuming she gets pg) there is NO way she could do a natural childbirth; in fact, as I watched a show in which a womanhad to be "out" during her birth, Joey said ,"that looks good to me. Can I do that?" oh my!

just me, dawn said...

You have the right to choose what tretment you want and don't want.....I agree though, the thought of manually turning the baby makes my belly ache.....and I don't think it always works so then you have gone through all of it for nothing.
hoping baby does it on his own and soon!

K said...

Well that sounds like an interesting week. Guess I caught your grumpies. Cheers for putting your foot down on the ultrasound front and I'm happy to hear you're putting baby's safety first, regardless of which way he comes out.

Fran said...

I'm totally with you on the baby front. If it turns fine, if it doesn't then it's not meant to be. Go girl!

Nest, I'm sorry about Mr Meanie, but still you can stand your ground and make him spit blood!!! I'll be cheering you from here you know!
And the dogs are far more clued in than we think i'm afraid...i don't have advice there unfortunately.
I hope the plummer will sort things out, let us know. Much love and as usual, thanks so much for your friendship and for following my journey. Fran

Eb said...

A day long conference call with Mr Meanie. Sounds delightful.
The cord thing does sound scary and I wish you resolution asap. C section all the way. I don't care what anyone has to say.
thanks for all your support.
E

Christina said...

Too bad about your doggies! And as far as the c-section vs. manual version, you're right, they both come with risks and you just have to do what you feel most comfortable with. Maybe he'll just turn himself around and you won't even have to worry so much about it. Yay for getting u/s's at the rest of your OB visits, though!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I'm all for the safest option for the baby. At my hospital they won't even do breech deliveries - at least not normally. I guess there are just too many things that can go wrong. So!

Don't let Mr. Meany get you down, he's a big blowhard (I can just tell). You need to stay lovely and calm for the baby. So go get a massage or something nice. Good luck hon!

tireegal68 said...

Lot's going on there, BWUB! Phew! And you're NOT grumpy?
Hoping that plumbing ( the dogs and your sewer) works out fine. I don't know what to suggest about the doggie.. that's no fun peeing in the nursery and is that the one with kennel cough?
As for asshole attorney guy, Mr Meanie, make sure you have lots of treats at your desk and a stress ball while you are on that conference call. And stand your ground and don't let him intimidate you with his bullying. Yuk! He sounds quite the specimen!
And I am petrified about the chord getting wrapped around the baby's neck. Doesn't that seem like a really bad design flaw? I mean, it is just not practical. I didn't know about the manual manipulation but I won't be doing that in a hurry.
Yikes!

anofferingoflove said...

I had the exact same concerns about manual turning when my baby went transverse. I was petrified about cord accidents. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks, do what is right for you.

Sorry about meanie, esq. I get to deal with those in my job too and it's just exhausting.

Holly said...

Yup, Adam had the cord wrapped around his neck at delivery, so did both my sister's kids...pretty common, I guess.

The Chiropractor manuever they use is a lot less invasive for turning the baby than manual manipulation...

I dont want to scare you, and ABSOLUTELY I agree, you do what is best for the baby, but...

I only encourage trying to get the baby turned because I had a c-section(after 24 hours of unmedicated, natural labor) and I hated it...couldn't do hardly anything for myself or the baby for the first 2 weeks. Adam was an emergency c-section...come to find out he was in transverse arrest(he never turned going down the birth canal and was WEDGED in my pelvis-poor kid). My incision,and the muscles around it, 14 months later is still numb from the nerves they cut doing it. It was a perfect c-section, no complications at all...went smooth.

Glad you got rid of the grumpies, I hope the MR. MEANIE knows what he is up against with a fully pregnant lawyer geeked up on hormones!! He won't know what hit him!!!

stillhopeful said...

As you know my C was great, and recovery was a piece of cake. Up and down stairs as soon as I got home from the hospital, and within 1.5-2 weeks I couldn't feel any pain or restriction of movement. Now at almost 6w, the scar is healing nicely and I have complete movement. No pain, except an occasional twinge.

So I completely agree with going for the C if he doesn't turn. And I was not crazy about the idea of manual version, either.

Anyway, sounds like you've got a lot going on - good for you for not being grumpy anymore!!