Yeah! New doc!

So I had exhausted all of my known resources and had not come up with a doctor I could feel comfortable with.  So while having a dinner with a new nurse friend she made a few suggestions of providers that she has worked with.  Since she works in Haiti and in poor rural villages, I hadn't considered checking out the associated clinic.  Well, it turns out that she made a great recommendation.  The doctor I met with was willing to assist me in a VBAC, is very easy to confer with and is a great clinician as well.  So I prepared myself to settle with a less than perfect delivery room in order to have a better provider.  Well to my surprise, the labor and delivery area is the best I have seen so far in La Romana! I am thrilled and actually looking forward to the birth of my baby boy now.  I had been praying that God would provide for me and my baby, I was, however, starting to wonder when and how He was going to do it.  But as a friend reminded me the other day, HE IS FAITHFUL.  I still have many things to pray for, but I am more confident now that God is in control.  I will continue to pray for good health for me and my baby and wisdom and ability for my new doc, Dr. Sonia Garcia.

It's a boy!

Yesterday's ultrasound reported that I am carrying another boy. So it looks like we are on our way to start a basketball team, though living in the Dominican Republic maybe we should consider starting a baseball team.

Accident in progress

As you can tell, I really would like to avoid another c-section, but I'm afraid that is right where I am headed.  It has been really frustrating for me.  I have explained the feeling like that of being in a car accident.  You can see that you are about to crash but the you can't avoid it.  So you brace for impact and hope that it doesn't hurt too much or cause too much damage.  Fortunately for me, this is REALLY slow motion, so I still have a few months before the "accident" is on course to occur. So that is where I am right now, looking to come up with some creative defensive moves before the crash occurs and instead enjoy a natural birth to greet our new baby.

Best option?

The journey continues.  I had really looked forward to meeting with this new OB tonight.  In a town where only OB's deliver babies and most by c-section, I had heard good things about him.  I heard that he actually delivers babies vaginally, so I was looking forward to meeting him.  Though much more friendly than other providers, he and I weren't exactly on the same page.  He told me that a c-section is better than a VBAC.  But I can have a vaginal delivery if I want since my son will be 4.   Because according to him you should wait 4-5 years after a c-section before attempting a VBAC.  He also said if the baby appears larger than 8lbs by ultrasound, it's a c-section.  Upon inquiry he told me that all vaginal deliveries require episiotomies, especially white women because we loose the elasticity in our skin so quickly.  So I am wondering, where is this guy getting his "facts"?  The sad news is, he's the best option I have right now.  He practices at the best clinic in town and offers reduced rates.  So the search continues, at least a week more.  At 17 weeks unless I find someone else next week, he looks like the lucky doc! Lucky me!    :)

Does anybody have babies vaginally?!?!

So it had been rumored that La Romana has a high c-section rate.  So during my first prenatal appointment I asked the ultrasound tech about it.  She explained that La Romana has a very high teen pregnancy rate.  (And many of those teens are very young, like 13 years old.)  So the rate is higher due to the girls being unable to deliver babies due to their undeveloped pelvises.  Though I wasn't thrilled with the answer, after all not all moms are teenagers, I thought it was reasonable and could explain for a portion of the c-sections.
Well, it has been three weeks since that first appointment and  I have been asking around.  No one I have talked to about having a baby here has been a teenager.  And EVERYONE has had a c-section! I realize that I have not taken an official pole by any means.   BUT what are the chances that EVERYONE I asked has had a c-section if the c-section rates are not inexplicably high.  C-sections can be life saving and I am thankful for that.  But EVERYBODY needs a life saving surgery to have a baby in La Romana? I have to question why?
I just want a healthy baby, born the way babies were intended to enter this world.  I'm concerned that I am in the minority because of that!
Here's a link to ICAN for anyone else that may be looking for a little support and information.
www.ican-online.org

Hormones! Week 11

3D ultrasound of baby at 11 weeks

I feel awful and when I don't feel awful, I am emotional! All thanks to raging hormones! I am thankful, really I am! This past June I lost a baby during my 11th week of pregnancy.  And now I understand more than ever that hormones are a sign of a healthy, VITAL baby.  I have to remind myself each time I find myself trying to suppress the unsolicited gang reflect that randomly invades my days that my little baby is thriving off these hormones.  Each time I cry over some news story, I can thank God that my tears are a sign of a growing baby! When I awake in the night because my breasts are so tender it hurts to roll over, I can pat my no so flat tummy and hope for the day I will meet my growing baby.  And since that isn't until October, I better find something to do in the meanwhile.  I have played around with eating every few hours, avoiding fats and sugars, but none of that seems to quiet my ridiculous gag reflex or overwhelming sense of nausea.  So I am going to try motion sickness bracelets.  I will keep you posted on if they seem to help.  But until then cheers to hormones and a healthy baby!     

Pickles and Ice cream? No way!

The idea of pregnancy cravings has always interested me. But when I was pregnant with my first child I never really had any major ones. For a couple days, I really wanted cantelope and then a while after that I prefered PB&J to most other sources of protein. But those just lasting a few days.
However. . .this time I WANT CUCUMBERS! And usually I want them with balsamic vinegar, I am more than half way to a pickle! I also have been craving fruit smoothies. Crazy I know. How similar are my cucumbers to pickles and smoothies to icecream! I thought pickles and ice cream were just something people joke about with pregnant women. But for me, it is a reality. Fortunately at this point I have not craved them together, though with my raging hormones, I wouldn't put anything past them!
So it is almost 9:30am. I've dropped my son off at school, my husband off to work,I have already eaten an entire large cucumber and I am headed to the grocery store. And guess what? YogenFruz is calling my name. A little yogurt stand at the front of the store that sells. . . you guessed it, SMOOTHIES! This looks like it is going to be a great day! :) Cheers to pickles and ice cream!