Before I write about the appointment I want to do a little preface: during the 3-4 days before the appointment we had been hearing an unusual and extremely slow heart rate when using the doppler. While we were concerned about it we also know that there isn't really anything we can do at this point (if something is wrong) so we waited to talk to the OB about it until our scheduled appointment.
At our appointment we met with Dr Jolly again and began talking over our many questions (as usual!) that we had. We are so happy with her and with their readiness to work with us. They said that if we end up with a c-section that we can have our birth photographer with us! She also answered my questions about what to do if my water breaks. We also talked about Matthew's chances this early and how much of a difference a few weeks will make for his chances. She said that she isn't very sure but she is going to talk to the Neonatologists about that so that we can decide what to do should we find that he is compromised in the womb.
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| The latest growth photo from 2 1/2 weeks ago :) |
We went over the birth plan we have written out and she had nothing negative to say about it and confirmed some of the points I had written. Since this is my first pregnancy I had no idea what to put in there but found a sample one that we adjusted until we were happy with it, I am so glad that she was too!
As we went along the subject of Matthew's heart beat came up and she said that we could do a little in office ultrasound to check up on him (measure fluid, see movement, confirm heart rate, etc). She brought in this little ultrasound machine and began working with it. Interestingly, using the ultrasound it was able to hear his heart beating as it has for a while (a specific arrhythmia) so she pulled the doppler off the wall to see what it would pick up and it picked up the same thing that our doppler did, a slow strange rhythm! She said that she isn't worried because the ultrasound is picking up his heart rate correctly and it is still a good speed! We are so relieved!
We were also able to see him open and close his left hand, open and close his mouth, and practice breathing! We were and are so encouraged to see that he is developing muscle tone and is learning to practice breathing, Jon and I are beginning to have hope that he will make it to the birth alive!
One last thing is that Dr Jolly recommended that we plan for him to be born around 39 weeks because the risk of stillbirth increases a lot after that point. For us that seems like a great plan because that would put him at 40 weeks for our original dates and 39 weeks for the adjusted date. We are now hoping to move to Seattle the weekend before that (just in case I go into labor on my own) then induce on the weekend nearest those dates (around the 16th or 17th). We are hoping to try all of the natural methods of induction before using pitocin :)
The only major down side to the appointment is that we learned that he is breech! Today (Wednesday) it feels like he still is, though he varies a lot in position (breech, diagonal, transverse). I am beginning some exercises to open my pelvis area to encourage his head to go there but if that doesn't do it I am hoping to get the midwife's help next week for more suggestions.
Please be praying that he moves head down and stays that way through birth and that his heart will be strong. Also pray that he will keep growing and will be as big as possible (the bigger he is the better his chances are).
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