Averages Smaverages
It’s no longer a secret why I’m already looking like I could split in two any day now. Monday they took another peek at the boy and to say he is growing is a bit of an understatement. Yes, he still has a penis. I now have 34 pictures with arrows that say “I’m still a boy!!” My son is very proud of his junk indeed. From what they could tell the placenta is functioning wonderfully- no visible issues like clots. It’s just a lovely efficient nutrient delivery system, as evidenced by his weight. At 31 weeks the average baby weighs 3.31lbs, the key word here being AVERAGE. Never one to be average, or to spawn average children, I expected to be a bit above that- a bit. The measurements startled even me, though. I actually started laughing because it seemed all too ridiculous. My son is already estimated to weight 4 lbs 12 oz or roughly the equivalent of a 34 to 35 weeker (check out average sizes here).
From there it got dicey. He said “How do you feel about Csection?” I said “What chu talkin’ about Willis?” I made it clear that csection is my ultimate last resort and is only to be considered if the baby or myself is at serious risk of dying, SERIOUS RISK being stressed here. I’m not sure what has him singing this tune. Levi’s growth was basically on par with this one and no one ever mentioned the big C to me. This man has been my high risk go to guy for 3 pregnancies now so I’m really wondering what his sudden shift in attitude has been. Is the state of birthing so eroded in Florida that the mere possibility of something less then average happening at a birth that should not happen for at LEAST 4 more weeks (if he makes it as far as his brother) or at least 6 weeks (to make it to term) means that the mother should be bullied into penciling in a csection? Sadly, I know this to be the case for Vbac in this state, but has it become the norm? What about in your state?
April 30th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Your questions should be directed AT your doctor. Maybe he thinks you are doing so well, that this one will make term and explode in size. Maybe he just wants to put a bug in your ear, just in case. If you were having Labrador pups instead, I might be able to help you out more.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I’m at 33 weeks now.. At 31 weeks my lil girl was weighting in at about 4lb 6ozs… Seeing as how I’m also high risk (she only has one kidney and it has some “spots”) I was thrilled she is growing… Minus the idea of popping out another big baby (DS was almost 9lbs)… My specialist haven’t mentioned the big C at all.. well, atleast not yet…. However, these days they do seem to want to do csections more often…. MIL had one and the baby was small and premature; have no clue why they did it and she was in the hospital recovering for awhile… Oh the joys of the wee things kicking and elbowing you…
April 30th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I tried a vbac with the last son, but the ‘on call’ doc was a pain in the ass. She ws horrible and would not let me try any more because I had not dialated to 5 in the few hours she thought I should…. Its sound more and more like its the dr. way or forget it…. They also get paid more for c-sections because there has to be 2 attending physicians… spread the love baby!!! Not to mention the crew that is called in to do them - and the time it saves them from being on stand by till the baby comes. Its easier for them to do a c-section cuz it dont mess with thier golf times. LOL
April 30th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I did a VBAC with Peanut. 8 pushes, 5 minutes … baby out. I had a C-section with JayT … that really wasn’t bad either, but then again I was 19 and stupid.
Keep an open mind. I did. Both times. But who am I to talk??? You are on #4. You are a pro! No matter what happens, you earn a big fat gold star in my book.
Maternal Mirth’s last blog post..Blurrrp and Tiger Balm
April 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
When I was pregnant, my belly got so huge, that my doctor thought for sure something was wrong. I was high risk, but he never brought a c-section up at all. They did an ultrasound and said, the baby was just big. I had baby at a military hospital, I don’t know if that makes a difference, but they may be less likely to offer a c section than a civilian hospital would be.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I also am trying to avoid a C-section. I totally agree. Keep us posted…
May 1st, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I have a friend who told me the hospital where her OBGYN does deliveries “strongly encourages” C-section over VBAC. They have to keep an extra anesthesiologist around if women are trying for VBAC, because of the higher risk that a C-section will truly become necessary. They just don’t want to have one more Gasser on duty. Her doctor said he frequently argues over this policy with hospital administrators. I wonder if the hospital also “suggests” that doctors “schedule” births by inducing. Makes me shudder!
My friend had her 2nd and 3rd babies VBAC despite the hospital’s “encouragement” to the contrary. Her doctor backed her up all the way.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:11 am
Fidget, as the veteran of 3 C-sections I can tell you that its not the worst thing in the world. Of course its not what many of us wanted or expected, but the goal is a healthy baby and mommy.
I would seriously talk to your OB and ask him/her what they feel your chances are for a C-section and go from there. I did have a friend who switched OB’s in the 34th week when the first told her a C-section was the only way to go. She did labor, but ended up with the C-section with her first, and a VBAC with her second.