I posted on facebook this past Thursday that I'm going to be switching my prenatal care over to an office at Evergreen Hospital. I'm just now finally getting around to writing up the blog post explaining why.
At my 20 week ultrasound we found out that I have a bicornuate uterus. Basically that means my uterus is a heart shape, rather than the usual pear shape. It dips in at the top creating a septum. The doctors can't tell to what degree because my uterus has already been stretched out from this pregnancy. Because of this I am at a higher risk for growth restriction of the baby, preterm labor, breech presentation, and cervical incompetence. There was also some concern because the placenta is attached right at the septum where my uterus comes down to form the heart shape. Which means I'm also at a slightly higher risk of placental abruption.
These risks and concern lead me to make a difficult decision. I was told by the midwives at the Puget Sound Birth Center that as long as I carry to 37 weeks and baby is head down I could still deliver at the birth center. However, having experienced a previous loss and seeing as the most important thing to me is a healthy baby I started contemplating other options. If something were to go wrong during labor and delivery I personally think I'd feel the most comfortable with a stellar NICU team available. So, I decided to go to the midwives at Center for Women's Health at Evergreen Hospital. I'm so happy that I have the option to continue all of my prenatal care under the midwifery model of practice. Also, with the changes coming to Evergreen in September, it sounds like I'll also be getting the midwife assisted delivery that I have always wanted!
Changing the game plan after being so invested and so excited about delivering at a birth center was kind of defeating. But I know my dream to have my baby naturally out of the hospital isn't more important to me than seeing my little girl healthy and safe.
This past Thursday we has our first prenatal appointment with Michele at Center for Women's Health. We are going to be checking my cervix via ultrasound every 2 weeks to make sure that it's not effacing or dilating. If my cervix starts to make changes we'll probably put in a cerclage. A cercalge is a stitch that helps keep the cervix tight and closed.
For now everything looks great and baby girl has more than enough room. She has been moving around like crazy! I swear she is using my bladder as a trampoline. Tommy hasn't been able to feel her move yet. I give it another two or three weeks and he'll be feeling her just as much as I am. She is still favoring the right side too. I can see my lopsided tummy every morning before I get up and start moving around. I love her already :)
