Pregnancy - The Last Leg

Previously written Pregnancy - Finding out and Pregnancy - Middle Ground

After what seemed like ages, the day finally dawned when I had my near and dear ones beside me. The baby shower was fun with nearly a hundred people attending. I know, too many people for a baby shower, but that's how it is with my FIL. The very next day we were supposed to come to Pune. As much as I felt bad leaving my in-laws place, I was excited to be at my hometown after a year and half. Who isn't?

We were to see my final gyn the next day of arrival. The visit was as expected full of do's and don'ts. This time however, I had to undergo an internal examination. Everything went well, specially the part where she told me I could eat whatever I wished to and if anything went wrong she'd be there to straighten me out. Yes, she ok-ed my cravings for roadside chats and stall chinese.

I also had a USG, where the doctor said that the baby is already head down position which is a good sign. The baby had a boost in her growth and development and my EDD jumped up to 9th January 2012.

My next visit to the doc as well as the USG wasn't until December first week. I used this time to gorge upon wonderful Pune food and mom made stuff. I did not mind getting fat, which I wasn't. People would comment on how small my bump is considering that I was already in my 8th month. I could easily pass off as non-pregnant if I wore a fairly loose fitting tee.

This month, I had to undergo the Indirect Coombs Test when I mentioned about the conflicting Rh factors. Thankfully, the results were not scary.

The 9th month was a twister. There were so many sudden changes in me. All those easy earlier months were now a fantasy.

This trip to ultrasound said that my baby had two loops of umbilical cord around the neck. It also stated that the baby is in an oblique position. Thirdly, the baby's head was bigger than what they usually encounter, which could make natural birth difficult for me, given the small size of my pelvis. But my EDD has jumped again to 5th January 2012.

As soon as I saw my gyn knit her eyebrows, I knew she had some bad news. She did say that we had a whole month to go and sometimes babies tumble and free themselves of the cord. However, she still reminded me about the baby's head and my relatively small pelvis frame. Here she hinted at a possibility of C-section delivery, which I wasn't too happy to hear.

Henceforth, I was supposed to see her on weekly basis.

The next week's appointment was a disaster. My weight had not increased and I was shouted at. I have no clue how that happened, since I was merrily gulping away anything in sight, even at the dead of the night. The baby was still oblique, and I was sent off for another ultrasound. This time the results revealed that the loops were tighter around the baby's neck and I was constricted to bed rest for the remaining of my pregnant days. I was advised to get out of the bed only for bathroom visits, so strict was it! That was such a bad news for me since my best friend's wedding reception was round the corner and I could never have missed it for anything. Not when I was in the same town.

Babies kick harder and more  frequently soon after you've had something to eat. This particular night, mine was silent. Usually she'd wreck a havoc in there. I assumed she was sleeping. The next morning when I had my breakfast, again there were no kicks or motion. I still gave it some time.(Kiran was getting ready to go for his office picnic that day). When there was still no hearing from the baby after half an hour, I started to panic and called my gyn at 7 AM. She asked me to give it some time, eat some more and if I still don't feel the baby moving, I should see her. I realised that there were no baby kicks even when I was up for my midnight snack.

None of that seemed to work. Kiran cancelled his picnic plans and we raced to the hospital. He was panic stricken. Although my mother was trying to bring calm to both of us, I could see that she was distraught too.

As soon as we reached there, the doc checked for baby's heart beat. At first, all they got was my heart beats, and baby's were no where to be found. The doc ordered for another machine to be brought instantly. Still none.

Then she held my bump and gave it a firm shake. She started pushing from the four corners vigorously and I felt that familiar kick. I almost shouted "Doc, the baby kicked!" I had tears in my eyes when the kicking began all over again. I didn't mind the knock on my sides nor the thump in my ribs.

She said that the baby probably was having a long siesta and if  I were to experience that again, I should rush to her immediately.

Even though I was on complete bed rest, I had to suffer aches and pains every now and the. I had sciatic nerve ache in my left side, which would shoot down my left leg. And since the baby was oblique (head resting on my right side) I had nerve pain in my right leg too. Night times were difficult, as I was not supposed to sleep on my back and I couldn't sleep on my left or the right because of the nerve pinches.

It was tough to get through the day. How much can one lie down? Not to mention the scary night times. By now, the doctor had convinced me that I had 90% chances of getting a C-section delivery. I was told that if my water broke, or if I felt any contractions, I was to head to the hospital for an emergency C-section.

I was at the end of my 9th month, when I had a last ultrasound - colour doppler test, which determines the blood flow to the fetus. There was now one loop around the baby's neck and she was still oblique. Thanks to my bed rest, she had not descended into the pelvic cavity. My EDD jumped yet again to 2nd January 2012.

This gyn visit confirmed the C section and she asked me to give her a date anytime after the 28th December, because I'd have then completed 9 months. I wanted my baby born in the new year and hence I said 1st January would be it. Since 1st fell on a Sunday, she said I might be operated post noon. Staying empty stomach till noon is not my cup of tea, and hence I shifted the date to the 2nd, early morning.

*P.S. I was able to attend my best friend's reception. I got an ok from the gyn to scurry away for a few hours.
... to be continued