We're No Further Ahead Really...

Yesterday Marvin and I headed to the doctor's for a combo visit - our regular weekly check up and a follow up on our ultrasound from this past Thursday. The visit started off as usual... since last week I had gained 1 pound and my blood pressure was 120/68. The belly measurement wasn't done because the baby is breech and doesn't really work now; and although the doctor listened to the heart beat, she was talking to us about our options and I didn't want to interrupt her (but we know there was a heart beat - we heard it - phew!).

After reviewing the chart and the ultrasound results, the doctor confirmed that Baby Bav is in fact frank-breech (head up instead of down and basically folded in half so that his/her feet are up around the face). She then explained that we had three options... (1) just wait to see if Baby Bav turns around on his/her own, (2) go ahead and schedule an elective c-section, or (3) try to have the baby turned around manually via an ECV (external cephalic version). Marvin and I decided to take what's behind door number three!

The doctor says that there is about a 60% success rate (ie. baby is able to be turned) with ECVs and that they usually only take a couple of minutes to do. The doctor monitors the baby before and after the process using the ultrasound to see how the baby is reacting to the whole thing. From what I read on the internet, the process apparently involves strapping me into a bed and inverting me so that I'm basically upside down, then lubing up my belly and trying to push Baby Bav into the head down position. To be honest, I'm not so keen on how uncomfortable I've read it can be, but if it helps move Baby Bav then I'm up for it.

Although I do feel a bit better having chatted with the doctor, I still don't feel like we're any further ahead. Even though we're going for the ECV, we still don't know what that means - any number of outcomes could happen... (1) Baby Bav won't turn for the doctor and we have to schedule a c-section - likely for sometime between the 38th and 39th week, so within the next week or two; (2) Baby Bav turns and stays head down so and we wait until I go into labour and have Baby Bav that way; (3) Baby Bav turns but then turns back into the breech position and we have to schedule a c-section anyway (I assume they don't try the ECV a second time); or (4) Baby Bav has a problem during the ECV (ie. heart rate drops and doesn't recover when the doctor stops) and the doctor has to perform an emergency c-section right then (rare but still a possibility). In case you haven't absorbed this last option yet, that means that Marvin and I could go into the hospital on Friday and be parents before the night is out! Eeek! Like Marvin said last night, we have to start thinking of names now! :)

Anyhow, that's all the news. We'll be sure to update everyone after Friday with what actually happens. Hopefully all goes well and Baby Bav turns and decides to stay that way. But, who knows!