Bubba's "No Birth Plan" Birth Plan

Being on Heparin has certainly improved my clotting issues, but yesterday I learned that it makes my labor and delivery a little bit complicated.

Heparin, as a blood thinner, is helpful in making sure the baby gets the nutrients she needs as blood crosses through the placenta. It prevents little clots from forming, causing traffic jams in my veins and arteries. This is a good thing.

However, when it is time to deliver Bubba, it is not a good idea for any Heparin to be in my system at all. My blood needs to be able to clot, else I am at risk.

So... Dr. MacKay and I discussed our actual 'birth plan'. In my mind, it was comical to have this conversation with her. Mark and I have tried to register for childbirth preparation courses in our area, but they are all full. Talk about baby boom! So, I was concerned that we will be totally clueless and have no idea when the little one is born. Mark is not as worried as I am--he figures people have been having babies all the time, so someone will know what to do.

Here is what Dr. MacKay plans to do with us:

1. If Bubba does not arrive sooner, we plan to induce labor one week before our due date: Monday 22 September 2008. This would mean that I stop Heparin injections the night the before and check into the hospital that evening. I will be given drugs to speed up the ripening of my cervix that night. The next day, we are off to the races, Oxytocin, Epidurals, and all. If for some reason, our daughter will not come out, I will have a C-Section. The end.

2. At any time between now and the 22nd, if I do not feel well, and sort of feel like labor pains are coming round, I can skip a Heparin injection (starting this weekend I have to take one shot every 12 hours). After 12 hours, either I will be in active labor (and in the clear to take drugs or give birth without complications) or not (then I can resume with the Heparin injections). Even then, it is not wise for me to have my heart set on avoiding a C-Section. It may still be a realistic scenario.

...So the learning from this experience is that no matter how much a person plans for the birth of their child, a lot is truly left up in the air. I'm kind of relieved that we did not invest a lot of time in making elaborate plans for her birth, like what CDs to play during delivery, and getting a birthing tub, etc. I just want to make sure that the little one and I make it through this experience with our health.

Aside from that, Bubba got another 8/8 during her biophysical profile. She's getting bigger. Nan, the technician, took a funny photo of her. She had her mouth wide open, as if she was yawning. From the angle of the sonogram, the baby kind of looks like a cute muppet. I laughed.

My weight gain is tapering off a bit, but my center of balance has really made me clumsy. I twisted both ankles the other day while watering the lawn. My dismount was not very graceful, and I crash-landed on my behind (at least it wasn't my belly). Oh well. At least I wasn't completing for any cash prizes at the time. :)