My experience with having an External Cephalic Version

This morning we were scheduled to have our baby turned. It's official name is called and "External Cephalic Version." The doctors and nurses just refer to it as a version. We went in at 7:45am to the hospital. My mom and dad came with us as well for support. They took us back to Triage where they hooked me up to a fetal heart monitor and a contraction monitor. They monitored her heartbeat while they asked me some questions about my medical history. Finally they took me to have an ultrasound to determine her position. She was still breech, very high up in my ribs. They took me back to Triage and started getting me ready for the version. They had to hook me up to an IV which was kind of funny because the nurses were having the hardest time finding my veins! The first nurse didn't even attempt to poke me because she couldn't even find a good vein in my arm because I'm so puffed up from being pregnant. The second nurse came in and started searching my arm for a vein, once she thought she found one she stuck the needle in, well when she did the vein "rolled" as she said and she couldn't get it in. She tried maneuvering the needle for a while (yeah that didn't feel too good!) After about 10 minutes she gave up on getting the IV in my arm and put it in my hand instead. Lots of poking! After they finally got me on the IV the doctor came in to talk to me about what they were going to do. He assured me he's done this many times and he said that the chance of me having an emergency c-section was 1%. I felt confident that he could do it. He told me I was having some mild contractions so they were going to give me a shot of Terbutaline to relax my uterus. Holy cow that stuff burns! It felt like they injected acid into my arm. The nurse warned me the Terbutaline would make my heart race (as if it wasn't already!) They brought in the ultrasound and laid me flat on my back and put like a whole bottle of gel on my stomach, then the doctor started pushing and pulling on the baby which hurt! She did not like it either, as soon as he would lighten his hold on her, she would whiplash back into the same position. he kept pushing harder and harder and I was trying to breath and relax but I couldn't catch my breath which made me panic and gasp for air and for some odd reason I started to laugh. I think I was trying to look like I was ok even though I was in pain. I didn't want them to stop because they thought they were hurting me so I laughed it off.  The nurse kept monitoring her on the ultrasound while the doctor kept trying to turn her, then he suddenly stopped when he noticed her heart rate had dropped. He stopped and told me to try and breath which was hard because I now had tears coming out of my eyes from the pressure. They noticed I wasn't breathing very good so they went and got me an oxygen mask. Her heart rate had still not picked back up even though they had stopped so they had me turn on my side to see if that would help. After a couple minutes her heart rate climbed back up so the doctor told me that he didn't think it was a good idea to keep going. he said he thinks the cord is in the way and that might be why she won't turn and that she's in the breech position for a reason. He told me he thought if he kept going I would end up being that 1% of an emergency c-section. So sadly, I agreed. They had to  keep me on the monitors for a while to make sure my breathing returned to normal and that her heart rate stabilized. After about half an hour the nurse said we were both doing awesome and that we could go. 
   So now we will be having a scheduled c-section. I'm very grateful that our baby is safe and that she will be ok. The reason I am not looking forward to a c-section is because I had wanted the full birth experience. I wanted to feel what labor was like and  I wanted to see her being born. I wanted to have her in my arms as soon as she was out. I wanted the whole experience. The nurses were telling me that I was lucky I wouldn't have to experience the pain of labor, that I would just get to lay back and let the doctors do the work. But that just upset me, I wanted to work for my baby, I wanted to bring her into the world. I also did not want an epidural, reason being is that I like to be in control of my body. I don't like not being able to feel or control my body. People think I'm crazy that I didn't want an epidural if I were to have a regular birth, but again, I wanted that experience of feeling my baby being born. Yeah sounds strange but that's what I had wanted. I know this isn't the worst thing that could happen. I am very grateful my baby is healthy and that I have wonderful, skilled doctors and either way,  I will have a baby! It may not be how I wanted it but that is life. I know I am lucky to have a healthy baby and that there is modern medicine that makes it possible to deliver her by c-section. Back in old days a breech baby meant complications and sometimes killed women and their babies. So I am very glad for the skilled medical field we have today. I want to thank you all for your prayers on our behalf and showing us all your love and support. In the end, we will have our baby girl and we will love her! 

Not so great news from the Doc :(

So today we had our 35 week ultrasound to check and see if Baby Girl is in proper birth position. Just like always, she was being stubborn. And it turns out she is breech. She has her feet curled up next to her head which is right under my rib cage. We met with the doctor right after and she told us the odds of her turning head down on her own are not good this far along into the pregnancy. She said there is a procedure they can do at the hospital to manually turn the baby but it only has a 60% success rate and there is a high risk the cord could get wrapped around the baby which would lead to an emergency c-section that I would not be conscious for. Our only other option would be a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks. Jacob and I decided to take the risk and try the procedure to turn her. We realize it is very risky but we both feel that we should try. If they manage to turn her successfully without problems then everything can go as planned. We're both very scared and of course worried about the baby's safety. The procedure is sometime next week, we have to wait for the hospital to call us. It's scary to think we could have a baby next week. We are praying that everything will be ok. We feel everything will be alright. The Dr checked my cervix and I am 60% effaced and 1 cm dilated. This baby is going to be here sooner rather than later it seems now. Right now we are doing everything we can to prepare for the baby, getting our bags packed, making sure our jobs are aware of what's going on and getting last minute items. I'm trying to stay positive, it's just scary to think if things don't go right I won't be awake for the birth of my baby. But I know I will be in good hands. We can only pray, who knows, maybe by some miracle she will feel the need to flip around on her own then we wouldn't have to worry! We shall see. . . Sorry this post isn't so bright and cheery but I feel like keeping everyone in the loop.