The vaginal vs. C-Section delimma continues...

[volleyballer]

I just had my 35 week check up today. All is well. I'm 1 cm dilated and my cervix is still pretty long and thick. Baby A is head down and Baby B is breech still. So my dr told me today that Kaiser (my insurance system/hospital system) has doctors on rotating shifts in labor and delivery. He only works in labor and deliver 1 day a week. So most likely, I won't get him.

Then he says that if the doctor feels comfortable, he/she will try vaginal and breech extraction. He told me he is not comfortable with this. I never asked him before, but the way he sounded so confident that we'll just pull baby B out, I assumed this is just standard and he does this a lot. Why the heck do I even have him?!

Now he's telling me there's usually 1 doctor in Labor and Delivery that is comfortable with vaginal breech extractions (just one!). I don't want to take any chances. From my last post, I was convinced that we should do everything to have vaginal. But now I know the truth that most doctors aren't comfortable with breech extractions, do I just say let's set a c-section date? I'm so frustrated and confused. I told him that I DO NOT WANT vaginal and c-section, and he said that could very well happen. The dude is totally not getting me. I don't want to heal from both places.

I know many of you have been in this predicament, but I just think that if I'm dealing with a doctor that is maybe comfortable with breech, I might as well just go c-section. I know it's a longer recovery, but I'm not sure I trust them. Just don't know...

[jan21]

I went to a high risk group and only 2 of the 7 doctors there would have been comfortable doing a vaginal breech with Baby B. So I really don't think your doc is all that unusual. Not sure how risky it is?

I'm not sure what your options are since you don't know who the doc will be. You could just wait until you go into labor, and then decide whether to go c-section or not depending on who is on. Then again, if your labor is long, it could very well be a different doc by the time you are ready to give birth.

I personally think I would go ahead and schedule a c-section because of the above. I agree you DEFINITELY don't want to have 1 of each. The worse of both worlds!

Really, try not to stress too much, it doesn't matter in the end how they get here as long as they are healthy. As I posted before my vaginal delivery was terrible due to complications and my recovery was not easy, so a c-section may not necessarily be "easier" on you.

[bebehope]

Volleyballer, it sounds like YOU are not comfortable with breech extraction given its associated risks and the unknown skill level of the doctors involved in the delivery of your babies, and the possibility of a vaginal plus c-section. Please advocate for yourself by firmly telling your doctor that you are not comfortable with this plan, and that unless both babies are head down, you would like to deliver via c-section. My babies turned head down really late (36 and 37 weeks) so my scheduled C turned into a scheduled induction at 38 weeks. I ended up with a C anyway.
Are they going to schedule you for an induction? You can always tell them that you are not comfortable with breech extraction once you get to the hospital, whether for scheduled induction or because you go into labor.

[volleyballer]

Bebe, you nailed it exactly. I am not comfortable with their skill level, especially because I don't know who the other doctors are. My doctor made it know that I can get whatever I want and I have control. So I'll probably decide on the day I go into labor if I want vaginal or c-section. It really depends on the skill level of the doctor. I don't want to be an experiment at all. I am leaning toward c-section. We did talk about induction, but my doctor said if I'm still only 1 cm dilated at 38 weeks, then we'd probably have to wait longer. Another reason for a scheduled c-section in my opinion.

I'm still praying that baby B will flip head down, but c-section seems to be the safest and least complicated way based on my circumstances. My insurance is an HMO, so I don't have a choice to go see a different doctor at a different hospital. With that said, I'll be delivering at a new state of the art facility, and they are one of the highest rated NICUs in California. I do feel calm about that. If anything were to happen to the babies, they don't have to be shipped anywhere, and the hospital is only a 10 minute drive from my house. We'll just see what my body does and who the most qualified doctor is that day. I never knew I'd be so afraid of delivery.

[pansy]

I'm so sorry you're in this predicament. I know it's tough! I was in the same situation, until i switched clinics, i wish you had the option to switch. it saddens me that so many obs are terrified of a breech extraction or of turning a baby! What are they learning in med school & their residencies!? uggh. i would wait and see till i go into labor. Maybe baby b wil have moved...and maybe the doctor you get will have some skill and courage. I definitely understand your hesitance to trust a doctor that doesn't feel qualified to do a breech, i wouldn't either. nobody wants a doctor that's more nervous than they are... I have heard that some women do accupunture or moxibustion to turn a baby, that may be something you want to consider....i am not sure however how it works w/twins. I do know a few people who swear by it though. I hope you get the vag. delivery you desire.

[ohmybaby]

so I'm super early in my pregnancy still, but from what I was reading that this is a situation that once baby A is delivered Baby b can turn on their own because they now have the room to do that) or can be turned by the doctor.

I am not with Kaiser but with a 6 doctor OB group so luckily I'll be able to see each doctor once during my pregnancy and they are all supposed to be familiar with their high risk patients (i.e. me at 46 with twins). So, I'll get a good feel for what each one of them considers the "right" way to approach different baby positions at delivery.

Like you, I absolutely don't want both vaginal and c-section if it can be avoided. I would prefer to deliver both vaginally but the ultimate goal is the safety and health of the babies.

Is there any way since these are all Kaiser doctors that you can get an appointment with the ONE doctor that feels comfortable with this type of delivery and pick his brain about your situation BEFORE you get in there with him or another doctor delivering? Just a thought.

Either way good luck!!