Oh The Joys of the Ninth Month

The ninth month of pregnancy occurs for one reason only.... To give the mother-to-be motivation to be willing to do anything possible to get the baby out...

My doctor's appointment this morning would have been plain, boring, routine, except for one thing. This was my first appointment back since seeing the specialist again. I was expecting at this point to be discussing my induction date.

After the first time seeing the specialist, the word around the office (or at least what Justin and I were led to believe), was that I would be induced at 37, maybe 38 weeks. You know, let Brigette "cook all the way, but do without the frosting of the last few weeks". So in my head, the light at the end of the tunnel has been July 7th, maybe July 14th.

It appears that may not be the case. According to the doctor I saw today, because the specialist didn't come straight out and recommend "early" induction, there's nothing they can do. Her exact words were, "Hospitals have so many rules now. My hands are tied"....

I'm sorry.... I was under the impression that YOU were my doctor.... My care has not been fully transferred to the specialist, I was simply sent there for consultation and more accurate growth measurements. You don't need to wait for them to tell you what to do. And I'm also pretty sure if you, as my doctor, schedule my induction at 38 weeks (which would be for a legitimately medical reason), the hospital can't turn me away at the door. You're in charge. Am I wrong?....

The answer I got was basically we'll just keep waiting and seeing. Because she technically is still in the 11th percentile, she's still ok to be inside. If she were in the 10th, however, we'd be discussing induction.... I know they have to draw the line somewhere, but really?... I don't get it. Brigette has been steadily dropping in her percentiles for the last several months. And actually according to the "non-official" growth measurements they did at my office, she was below the 10th percentile today. The doctor told me, however, that they were going to stick with what the measurements from a few days ago showed.

I'm frustrated because as an emotional, hormonal pregnant woman who's 36+ weeks, I feel like them telling me we're not inducing in one or two weeks is actually pushing my due date out further. I know technically it's not, but that idea has gotten in my head. And it started with them! Note to OBs, don't ever tell your patient the "end of the line" is 38 weeks if you don't plan on following through with it! Oh, and to add to that, with Brigham at 35 weeks, I was dilated to a 2.... Today, at 36+3, I was "maybe, barely, a tight 1".... Sad... I wanted to cry today....

And at the same time, I'm having a hard time "standing up to them" about all this because deep down, I know that if it's medically wiser for me to stay pregnant, I want to do what's best for Brigette. I don't want her to come early at the risk of complications.... I just want her to come early and be fine.... I'm tired, I have constant heartburn, my pelvis aches, rolling over in bed is enough of a workout to make me short of breath, braxton hicks are getting old, and honestly, my arms are ACHING to hold this precious little girl!....Grumble, grumble, grumble..... Coming full circle, now does, "oh the joys of the ninth month" seem an appropriate title?