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Baby #5, pregnancy #6 birth story!

I should have posted this long ago, because honestly, I don't remember much from 17 months ago! I probably would remember a lot more details if it had been a vaginal birth, but alas, it was not meant to be, once again.

I was seeing a medical OB who is totally supportive of VBACs, even though it is "against hospital policy". This is the doc who the midwives use, so he did my first c-section and delivered #3. He was going to deliver him breech, but the kid was butt down and HUGE, so after laboring all day, I opted for a section. Then my 2nd c/s was a planned unassisted birth at home, but I got very sick with HELLP and had him c/s at 34 weeks. If you've read my posts and birth story on that pregnancy, you know that was probably the hardest day of my life. It was HARD, and I was seriously depressed for a while after that. And that baby, we found out later, has a genetic condition, which is probably why my pregnancy with him was so different. He will be FIVE next month!!!!

I digress.....

So this pregnancy was probably my best one so far, though I was so out of shape, physically. I was on BP meds, but the doctor took really good care of monitoring me and baby, and I felt really, really great! My 5th baby was born full-term, with this same doctor who was willing to wait it out to the end with me, for natural labor and birth. But in the end, after having regular (quick) ultrasounds weekly, we saw that he too was HUGE and was laying transverse (kind of diagonal) with his back down. The.worst.possible.position. UGH. But even then, we decided to go ahead and schedule a c/s, but do one last ultrasound beforehand to see if he'd turned. Nope. The thing is, I know he'd turn some, but he would always fall right back into the same position after I would get up and move around. *sigh*

So Baby Boy was born the day after Thanksgiving via c/s. Everything went really well, completely uneventful. The hospital and staff were WONDERFUL, just as before. In fact, I think there was only one other mother there at the time since it was a holiday weekend, so it was quiet, and they took great care of us!

Not quite as quiet a few days later, when I went back into the hospital for fluid retention and SUPER high blood pressure. I caught it sooner this time since I recognized the symptoms from when this happened after #3 was born. We nipped it in the bud and I was able to go home quickly, and everything was fine after that! The doc doesn't believe it was from the spinal anesthetic, but that's what my gut has been telling me since the first time in 2004. My 2nd c/s was at a different hospital with a different doc and anesthesiologist, so I'm thinking there's something there! I know it's a rare side effect, but it's still a side effect......and I'm pretty rare. LOL!

So this time around (I am 5 weeks pregnant today), I am using the same doctor and hoping for a vaginal birth, but he is very aware (and I will remind him) about the side effects/reaction that I have after a c/s. However, I am going above and beyond this time, in a desperate attempt to have a vaginal birth! I am seeing a ND regularly now, and I have a doula. I am determined to have a natural birth, and I think it will be very healing for me. However, I am also at a place where I understand that maybe my body just still has some healing to do that for whatever reason will force me to have another c/s, and I will accept that. I am just going to do my best to work toward a vaginal birth, and if it happens, then my next one will be at HOME birth, if YHWH blesses us again. :)