*Baby Corner*

[chnst 6]

@autumnchik: I always referred to my baby as boy too and I thought I would be the biggest fool if it's a girl- but for once my intuition was right. I think u can trust that feeling.

wow so many boys here!

@jessNgeorges: congrats on your boy!! Joshua sounds nice! we just can't seem to come up with a name we both like... for more than 1 week.

@Lyuba: hang in there girl!!!!!

@Lizzy: congrats on your baby!!!!

@all: we checked out the hospital that we're planning on having the baby at, and one of the doctors said that 45% of all births are cesarean sections!!!!

and that's the normal rate for all NYC.

that's every other baby!

They say they do it more often now for malpractice reasons and a lot of docs do that to get home earlier and charge u more for the operation.

I see most of you had natural births but I'm really nervous and concerned!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Ouch, that is really high if actually true. I think I would run from that hospital. Maybe check out a birthing center instead of a hospital or one attached to a hospital? If you are really low risk, I guess you could also consider homebirth. Or moving.

[TracyLuis 0]

My biggest fear about childbirth is having to get a C-Section. It seems more and more common these days, and doctors seem too eager to rush in to doing one.

Definitely something worth discussing with the doc...

[Marry American 0]

Hey Guys!

My little man is here!!

Well i did not have to wait until tomorrow for an induction as my waters broke with a huge gush on Thursday Night at 10:00. I gave birth at 1pm on Friday. I asked for an epidural and they gave me one, the thing is it did not work so i felt EVERYTHING!!!!! I have never felt such pain!! I am very proud of myself for doing this and Alexander Xerxes is here and SOOOOOOO LOVELY.

I will post a pic in the next few day

CONGRATS!!!!

Why didn't the epidural work?

[Marry American 0]

I posteda question earlier about flying in the second trimester.

I flew out at 5 1/2 months pregnant (mind you a very difficult pregnancy), there were absolutely no problems. I was comfortable and everything went fine. FYI

I will be flying back home today. I expect the same result.

Jess-congrats on the boy.

[chri'stina 190]

My biggest fear about childbirth is having to get a C-Section. It seems more and more common these days, and doctors seem too eager to rush in to doing one.

Definitely something worth discussing with the doc...

I agree it seems more common, and yeah it's good to ask the Dr when they decide to perform a c-section, like under which circumstances.

I really don't want a c-section either, but at the same time all that matters is getting the baby born safely.

If we get too stuck on only giving birth one way, it will cause disappointment if it doesn't work out. So I have been trying to get myself ready for any circumstance. I just want my baby to be born healthy and if it takes a c-section then I will have to accept it. I want to just be happy the baby was born. Know what I mean?

What actually freaks me out more than a c-section is forceps! lol

[Lyuba 0]

Thank you for your reassurance, girls!!!!

I don't want a C-section either. I talked to my doctor and he was very understanding. She said he isn't one of those who try to make it home by five so they do a C-section just to get it done on time. He told me that in my hospital they always give a woman a chance to deliver naturally first.

I would certainly talk to your doctor. One thing is when C-section is absolutely needed and another is when the doctor just doesn't want to give you a chance.

[Cécy 44]

Hey there mommies to be.

We're not ready to get started on the kids yet, but I just wanted to say something about the C-sections.

I've heard that one of the reasons why the C-sections are higher those days is often because first time moms tend to come to the hospital too early. And some places have rules such as "if the baby isn't out so many hours after the water breaks you have to get it out." They just tend to forget that labor for your first pregnancy is often much longer.

On a program they said it's less likely to end up with a C-section (unless problems of course) if you enter the hospital when your contractions are every 4mn.

Now in all honesty I don't know the accuracy of all those information, but some of it seems to make sense.

Anyway, good luck to all of you, I love reading this thread and definitely plan to come here when comes the time for us to take that path.

[ace13 0]

That is what the nurses at my hospital said too. They said to stay home as long as possible. They said that if you can still talk through contractions and they aren't closer than 5 min apart, stay home if you don't want to have pitocin and other inducing drugs, because doctors and hospitals want to move ladies through labor. The max is 12 hours that they want you laboring to have the baby. So if you want natural, wait it out at home. That is what I am going to try.

[chri'stina 190]

Cecy-Good luck to you for when you start trying. It will be exciting.

That is what the nurses at my hospital said too. They said to stay home as long as possible. They said that if you can still talk through contractions and they aren't closer than 5 min apart, stay home if you don't want to have pitocin and other inducing drugs, because doctors and hospitals want to move ladies through labor. The max is 12 hours that they want you laboring to have the baby. So if you want natural, wait it out at home. That is what I am going to try.

I'd like to try that too. I only live 3.5 miles from the hospital so it's not too far anyway.

---

So is everyone who is due soon packed for the hospital? I have been good about getting things ready ahead of time, except for this!!! I finally started packing the bag last night. But I need a few things from the store and to do some laundry to pack certain comfy items that are dirty.

One thing I noticed that was not on any of my "to pack" lists in the books were the prenatal vitamins, but it seems like it'd be important to take them so you can take one while staying in the hospital, especially b/c of the iron in them and all the bleeding that will happen after birth. Or do they give you some special vitamin to take at the hospital? I haven't heard anything about that.

Also I am packing a nail filer, which is not on the lists but important! LOL I hate if a nail gets messed up or I bite my nails and don't have a file to smooth it.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Though, keep in mind that first baby does not guarantee a longer labor. I was only in labor 4.5 hours. 1 hour of that I didn't even know I was in labor. 1 hour I spent lazily getting ready to go to the hospital. When I got to the hospital, I was already 6cm. 2.5 hours later, she was born. If you are the type of person who believes she might want the option of pain relief, it is better to get there sooner than later. I got nothing because it was too late already by the time I got there. That wasn't exactly the way I had it set up in my head.

[sara535 15]

I totally didnt want a C-section either but I the baby's heartbeat was dipping so much after every contraction it was making doctors and nurses nervous and there really wasnt a choice. I totally think its a good idea to not get too set on any ONE way for it to go, your body and your baby, once you get into labor, is pretty much out of your control. Not in the sense of decision making but more like the physical procedures, you just cant WILL yourself to progress faster or more smoothly or any of that. and it is true that they dont like to leave you more than about 24 to 36 hours past the time your water breaks because the chance for infection goes way up.

I saw an interesting show the other day on Discovery about birth and it was saying that the hours of labor and delivery are the riskiest for the baby than any other time in life. Interesting. It could be one reason why docs are so quick to do a C-section. ( that and the very high malpractice rates for OB-GYNs)

good luck to all of you who are due soon, cant wait to see you over in the Mommy Corner thread!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I totally think its a good idea to not get too set on any ONE way for it to go, your body and your baby, once you get into labor, is pretty much out of your control. Not in the sense of decision making but more like the physical procedures, you just cant WILL yourself to progress faster or more smoothly or any of that...

I saw an interesting show the other day on Discovery about birth and it was saying that the hours of labor and delivery are the riskiest for the baby than any other time in life. Interesting. It could be one reason why docs are so quick to do a C-section. ( that and the very high malpractice rates for OB-GYNs)

Yup. One of my favorite blogs about the subject of birth is Homebirth Debate. It is maintained by a sometimes abrasive OB/GYN, but she has good information and points. It is a good read. Some of the commenters are also midwives and doctors, so also good to read those too. It helped me a lot in getting over some garbage from my daughter's birth and reaffirmed a lot of what I thought already to be true about birth.

Still, I think a 45% C-Section rate is unacceptable.

[TracyLuis 0]

Well, having read some very good points from all of you, I think another very key factor is trusting your doctor.

While I am terrified of having a C-Section, I'll trust and accept my doctor's advice for what is best for my baby. We're all pretty vulnerable in the state of childbirth, aren't we??

Thanks for sharing so many thoughts on this topic. Makes me feel better

Edited January 10, 2008 by TracyLuis

[Lyuba 0]

I will try not to go to the hospital too soon. We will see how it works.

Stina, I don't think you need any vitamins in the hospital. At least I havn't seen them at any lists I got from the books or my hospital. I already packed my bag but I have to wait to pack things like toothbrush and face cream until I am actually ready to go, I still need them now.