Success!!

This morning at 6am we checked into Labor & Delivery at Providence for our external version. I didn't get much sleep last night as I kept worrying about the little things, even though in my heart I knew everything would work out fine. It's just an uneasy feeling not really knowing what is going to happen! Would he turn easily? Would he go into distress? Will I be in a lot of pain? Is there a reason he's not turning and should we just leave him alone?? Since we found out about the baby being breech, we've heard from so many people who knew someone or was someone who had a breech baby and he/she turned before the version. I thought maybe we'd get lucky with one of our home remedies and get to skip all the external turning fun, but after a quick check this morning we discovered that our baby was still heading the wrong way. And this time, he was completely breech, not sideways like last week. He just made this whole thing a lot more difficult. Thanks, baby.

Waiting for the nurse to hook me up to the monitors.

Ready to go!

After being hooked up to the fetal monitor for a little while, Dr. Grant and a nurse came in to get started. They gave me a shot of terbutaline to relax the contractions in my uterus, making it easier to turn the baby. They told me it could make me feel jittery and anxious, but thankfully it wasn't horrible. It kind of felt like I had one too many cups of coffee. Then, Dr. G began to work her magic.

Slowly and as gently as possible at first, she began moving the baby around. She started spinning him one direction, only to find the placenta was in his way. There was a very small opening for him to get through, which made sense why he wasn't interested in turning that way on his own. She then got him going the other direction (with MUCH more pressure this time), and was able to move his feet and legs, but his upper body wouldn't budge. The nurse was following her around with the ultrasound machine to keep tabs on his positioning, and they found he had tucked his head under my ribs and wouldn't move. It's like he was trying to get away from them! They found there was PLENTY of room down below in my pelvis and lots of fluid, so Dr. G just didn't want to give up yet. He was doing fine and I wasn't in pain so we kept on with it. A few times she said, "He is just not moving..." and I thought for sure we'd have to stop and schedule a c-section. Finally on Dr. G's last try about 20 minutes into the procedure, little Baby Zogas decided to give up the fight, and let her turn his entire body to the head-down position. Success! We were so happy that he moved, and he was doing just fine. I stayed hooked up to the monitors for another hour, got some breakfast (hospital room service is goooood!), and was sent home with a big ol' piece of fabric binding I now have to wear around my belly at all times except when showering. It's not comfortable and I'm annoyed I have to wear it, but it will help keep the kid in place so it'll be fine. I'm just so glad he turned and is OK in his new spot. Yay for Dr. Grant and for a cooperative baby!