Prodromal labor and AROM

[nosce]

I am 38 weeks pregnant and this is my first baby. I'm trying to birth as naturally as I can in a hospital setting, and so I've hired a doula, written a birth plan that has already gotten the hospital nurses' panties in a bunch, and have prepared pretty well.

My OB did a cervical check at 36 weeks and found that I was already dilated to 4 cm and was

Comments

[vojerleda]

First

[onlyariana]

you mention that the membrane is extra cushion and protection for baby during labor. It's a huge cushion for mom too. After my water broke it went from "ouch" to "OMG THIS HURTS SO MUCH".

[katiedarling]

Ditto this. Yeah. Me In Labor: "eh, I can do this. This isn't so... ouch.... bad." Me After SROM: "OMFG OUCH *cries*"

[hippydippymama]

HUGE SCREAMING DITTO.

[chaos_in_action]

I have reservations about having the AROM, obviously, but the doctor seems fairly persistent, and although there seems to be no clear medical reason for doing so, she half way has me swayed.

I think you've already given the best reasons on why NOT to do it. With AROM comes issues. Risk of cord prolapse increases. Your body may just be gearing up for the big day, and not quite ready yet and once your waters are broken you are then on a strict time line. If you don't progress fast enough, you'll likely be given pitocin to speed it up, because of aforementioned time line.

All in all, personally, I think the risks far outweigh any theoretical good that could come of a move like this. You're so close to the end - a couple more weeks will only help. :) (And FWIW, my mom tells me that she walked around with me (her first) for 4 weeks, dilated to about 5cm before finally going into labor at roughly 39w.)

*edited to add that emphasis in quote is my doing, not OP. :) *

[nosce]

Exactly- I know about issues, I know it's a commitment and that something needs to happen for there to not be any more interventions after that, I know I'm not even due yet- let alone overdue.

I think I just wanted some ammunition to take with me to the OB's office tomorrow, and I think I got it! Thanks.

[chaos_in_action]

:) I hope that all goes well and smoothly with your eventual labor and delivery!

[clovecigarettes]

And don't forget, at the end of the AROM time line is a c-section if labour fails!

[onlyariana]

Letting the doc break your water could lead to lots of problems. You may be fully dilated within a few hours but your body may still take its time and then you'd be put in a position where you'd have to be induced or augmented or even end up with a c-section. If you're looking for natural AROM is NOT the way to go.

Do you know what position the baby is in? I've heard a lot about women who have on again off again labor and whose babies are in less than optimal positioning.

Honestly, my "natural" opinion is that this who thing is an issue because the unnecessary cervical checks were done. There's no reason for them, except that sometimes doctors find a "problem" and then they have their excuse to induce or do a c-section.

[nosce]

I know it's not, and that's what has me worried. I'm not even full term yet...

The baby's back is on my right side with her limbs on the left. Head down.

I really wish the doctor had never performed any cervical checks at all- she did it right after swabbing for GBS and made her great discovery. I wish nobody knew how far I was dilated, because I'm not in pain, not in labor, and not full term. If nobody knew, we wouldn't even be having this "problem", would we?

[fresh_mercies]

I really wish the doctor had never performed any cervical checks at all- she did it right after swabbing for GBS and made her great discovery. I wish nobody knew how far I was dilated, because I'm not in pain, not in labor, and not full term. If nobody knew, we wouldn't even be having this "problem", would we?

Don't have anymore checks. I've heard stories of docs breaking someone's water during a cervical check. You should like you have your mind made up, so go tell the doc to jump in the lake :)

[oxygen__]

My membranes were swept during a cervical check with no real consent given.

[thystle]

Really, there's just no reason to do so. It sounds like you could go into labor anytime now anyway. Why not just give the baby the time it needs to decide when it is ready? You aren't even "overdue" yet. If there is no medical reason, don't make it a medical birth.

[goldoyster]

I was having contractions for a month before I went into hard labour. . like screaming my head off labour. That started the day before the due date, and then on the due date my daughter was born.

I'd wait -- you're not even at full term. The longer the baby gets to stay in there, the better. It needs as much time to develop as possible! Strange that your doctor would even push you to have it 2 weeks early(?!) I could understand if you were a few weeks over and there was a possible problem, like your placenta was no longer providing nourishment or something.

[nosce]

I thought it was pretty strange, too. But there are no doulas in my area, the practice that my OB is from is the only set of doctors delivering at the hospital, and this is supposed to be the "good" doctor.
I was just really overwhelmed when she presented me with the idea last week and didn't have time to digest the information until after I'd gone home. I'm really hoping I'll go back tomorrow and find I had missed some vital piece of information or something. If I haven't, I'm definately not going to let this happen. It's just weird- the only "reason" I can find that she wants to do this is so that our schedules match up, which isn't any reason at all.
I really hope I'm missing something...

[goldoyster]

I think they get nervous. Also, I think even though it is a once in a lifetime experience for us (if you consider each birth is unique), to them it is rote.

My midwife, who is supposedly against all intervention, wanted to plan to 'strip my membranes' or whatever they call it if I went a day past my due date.

Then when I gave birth during the day, on my due date, she actually said it was a perfect birth cause (a) nothing had gone wrong, and (b) it happened during regular working hours, exactly on my due date (a few days before Xmas, no less.) That kind of bothered me cause what if I needed her at 3am a week later? What if I did end up interrupting one of her holiday parties?

I guess I came to understand that at the end of the day, even though she would be there and was committed to her job, when you're faced with it day in and day out there are conveniences and things that make it easier for them. Hope you know what I mean.