(no subject)

[charlottezweb]

Had a great weekend last weekend and this weekend is also going very nicely. Last Sat, we had peirogis and gelato for lunch, went to see Star Wars (so freaken awesome), bought books and mags at Barnes and Noble, had mexican for dinner (no LaHa, but pretty tasty) and picked up cookies and coffee during a thunderstorm for dessert. A perfectly lovely day. :) The week was spent at doctor's appts and running around getting stuff for the baby. Today we went to the mall in NJ and bought fly fishing stuff for Acey, some aromatherapy oils for me, and some clothes for the kid--ate at Friendly's, yay, had ice cream sundaes and got hair cuts (Ace's mullet is gone, also yay, and I have layers and tapered bangs). Acey's going to the Catskills for fishing tomorrow, and then Mon we have house stuff to do and hopefully will see N and M, who just moved here from CT.

The tour of Maimonides on Mon was interesting--I liked most things and the things I didn't I can deal with. The c-section rate is low, while the birth rate is the highest in the city, and they have a good breastfeeding support policy. The labor/delivery rooms are nice--birth beds, CD players, showers, birth balls supplied, doulas on call, and a fold out bed for labor support to rest on if labor takes a long time. I'm not as happy with the 48 hr discharge policy, the fact that there are no private rooms so Acey can't stay over for those two nights after the birth, the lack of in room showers on one of the maternity floors, and the taking the baby to the nursey while I'm being transfered to the maternity ward. So not perfect, but better than anywhere else we've looked.

My midwife appt went pretty well on Weds--BP, urine, weight, etc are all good. Had my LICH diabetes follow-up and growth U/S appt on Thurs--baby scored a 10/10 on the biophysical profile (heartbeat, movement, amniotic fluid levels, etc.), but the staff was upset because he's measuring really big--according to the computer, I should be due 6/1 instead of 6/26--he's estimated to be 8 lbs 6oz already, but that estimate is so often wrong that I don't see why they put so much stock in it. They were assuming that I would be induced in a few weeks, but I've been pretty clear with my midwives that I will refuse any induction for a big baby. LICH wants me to come in for another growth U/S in two weeks, but I'm not sure why--I mean, it's likely the baby will have grown more--that's what they do. I'll see what they say at next week's appt though. Am taking my evening primrose oil and walking--hopefully things will get started soon. Acey's putting the car seat in the car on Mon just to be safe.

Comments

How do they all end up getting so big?

[pfunque.livejournal.com]

I just don't understand how EVERYBODY it seems who has a baby these days has to be induced b/c the baby is too big. My sis in law, Trace (her baby was like 10 lbs and had to have C section) my cousins. It seems like we will soon be having babies that are so big our gestation will be at 8 months solid.

Do they know why the baby is big? Any theories you have? How big were you and Acey? It bothers me- you know- all of this stuff. I know its not a conspiracy but there is just something not right going on and I'M CERTAIN THE GOVT IS TO BLAME!!!!!

I love you and YES I'm still ranting against the govt.

The Army of the Twelve Monkeys Lives Forever!
J/P

Re: How do they all end up getting so big?

[puffinboy.livejournal.com]

>I know its not a conspiracy but there is just something not
>right going on and I'M CERTAIN THE GOVT IS TO BLAME!!!!!

It's in the water :-)

Re: How do they all end up getting so big?

[charlottezweb.livejournal.com]

Well, there're a couple of things going on. First, and perhaps most importantly, the OB industry has much more faith in medical intervention than in the power of a woman's body and will try to induce at the drop of a hat. There is rarely a reason that a woman cannot deliver a 10 lb baby vaginally, unless of course she is strapped on her back in a bed compressing her pelvis. Without some other issue, we tends not to grow babies we can't get out, but we've lost faith in that and now see birth as a medical problem instead of a natural if scary process. Not to rant, but I've been reading a bunch about the history of obstectrics and can get a little crusady about it. I think you'd really enjoy some of the books I've gotten and you have to read them before you know... :)

My baby is big, at least they think it's big right now (remember that growth U/S has an error rate of 1.5 lbs either way), because I'm not processing sugar well and so the sugar feeds into the baby. I was fairly average, abt 7 lbs or so but three weeks early, and Acey was 10 lbs 11oz, but he was also a month overdue.

Re: How do they all end up getting so big?

[annburlingham.livejournal.com]

My baby is big, at least they think it's big right now (remember that growth U/S has an error rate of 1.5 lbs either way), because I'm not processing sugar well and so the sugar feeds into the baby. I was fairly average, abt 7 lbs or so but three weeks early, and Acey was 10 lbs 11oz, but he was also a month overdue.

They don't let *that* - a month "overdue" happen much these days, though I heard from a lot of women with kids my age (b. 1964) and younger that they had month-overdue babies.

Henry was 9 lbs. 5 oz. due to my gestational diabetes - well, due to the milkshakes I couldn't resist, no doubt. I am sorry I told my midwives when my water broke, as that led to their insisting on induction (a low dose of - I'm blanking on the name of the stuff - but MORE THAN PLENTY) after about 40 hours. He did pop out pretty quickly after I started labor. I'll never know now if I would have torn, or torn so much, without the induction. Ah, well.

Re: How do they all end up getting so big?

[charlottezweb.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yeah, I'm sure he'd be a little smaller if I could stay off the ice cream wagon, but oh, well. I had planned to waiting to tell anyone if my water broke precisely because of stories like that--they're too induction happy.

[puffinboy.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear that everything is going well! It sounds like the delivery rooms at Maimonides are nicer than, like, my first six apartments :-) I didn't get to see pictures of just you big you think you've gotten - it seems that elder sister archived them before flying to the beach.

When you and Acey get to your post-delivery traveling, there's some nice fly-fishing down here. The baby will have at least three eager babysitters and lots of puffins to look at.

[charlottezweb.livejournal.com]

Yay, it's good to see you here!

I'll have to post a couple before the kid comes (fingers crossed, it's coming soon) because it really is impressive.

[annburlingham.livejournal.com]

I'm not as happy with the 48 hr discharge policy

That seems pretty typical; the two hospitals we toured had different ways of playing it, though. The first would keep you, as I recall, as an emergency patient through most of labor, admitting you and starting the 48-hour clock near birth; the second (where we delivered) started the clock when you got there, sure, but a new 48-hour clock started at birth - because after all, the baby was a new patient.

I assume the 48 hours is some insurance thing. The hospitals seem to find some wiggle room.