So on Thursday, Daddy and I went to see a consultant at Birmingham Women's to find out if you're breech or head down. Standard ante natal checks when we arrived: urine fine, blood pressure really good. Then a bit of a wait to be called in - we saw the registrar we'd seen when they were checking out my heart murmur.
She had a feel of my bump and listened to your heartbeat and said she was pretty sure you were head down but would arrange for a scan to confirm while we were there. She wrote in my notes, gave me a referral form and asked us to come back once I'd been scanned.
Through to Ante Natal scans and a very full waiting room. The receptionist advised us of a long wait and asked if we wanted the scan now... Well yes, that Dr through there is waiting on the results, she might be a bit miffed if we decided to come back another day and I'm running out of time to be honest...
After an hour or so wait, we were called through to a sonographer with little sense of humour (a few of Daddy's jokes were met with frosty reception). She had a feel before scanning and said she thought head down but as soon as she placed the scanner at the bottom of my bump, she confirmed that she was looking at your bottom... She took some measurements and wrote in my notes (breech, legs extended) and sent us back through to ante natal.
I was a bit teary. I was quite sure you'd been the right way up but I also wanted to avoid the section. We made our way back to the clinic and I asked a midwife how to get back in touch with the registrar. She took my notes and asked me to take a seat, popping back once she'd let the registrar know we were back to check we were okay.
The registrar called us back through and we went through the options. Essentially, we have two options: an ECV (external cephalic version), where they move baby into the right position or an elective section. ECV's carry risks and aren't hugely successful so I wasn't keen but I didn't really want to go straight for a section either. I asked about vaginal delivery and the registrar helpfully told me that if I went into labour and things were progressing without complication, they would allow a natural delivery. No talk of planning that as a way forwards though. I said I wasn't comfortable making any decisions immediately but they recommended we book in for an ECV and cancel it if we changed our mind beforehand, at which point an ante natal appointment would be generated and we'd come back in to discuss our options.
As soon as I got to the car, I called Auntie Lora to talk things through (at least, once I'd calmed down - teary, hormonal lady that I am) and she set about exploring options for me. We pretty much went straight to Granny's for lunch and TLC.
I was confused - there have been a lot of hurdles halting my wish for a homebirth during this pregnancy. Was there something telling me to be at hospital - either for you or for me? Are you breech because you have hip problems (my hips aren't great and your cousin India had problems with hers from birth, corrected with a frog plaster)?
After a lot of thought and a big chat with Jacqui, my midwife, Daddy and I have decided to cancel the ECV and to try moxibustion (a technique using an acupressure point on your little toe and burning moxa) and a hypnotherapy technique during my session with Sarah on Monday, coupled with a few breech tilts. If none of these natural methods work then you are breech for a reason and we'll discuss our options with the ante natal doctors at Birmingham Women's.
We had the moxibustion session this morning and although she'd only placed the moxa by the acupressure point for a few minutes, you had a big wriggle so we shall see. If you don't want to move, we might be meeting you a week early.
Love you petal xxxx
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