Breach Baby

Friday June 26, 1992

I'm still very slow in the morning, very tired and listless. By 1 p.m. I'm off to get the car washed, buy groceries, and do some shopping. I feel pretty good while I'm out. Maybe I'm depressed at home. I can't get motivated to do much.

We have a nice dinner at home and watch TV. Cut back the Vitamin C from 5000 to 2000 today and the gas is much better.

Chris calls and is so confused. She thought the baby was breach, so she would set a date for a C-section, but the doctor turned the baby and said she'd probably do fine with vaginal birth. So now she's up in the air again. I feel so sorry for her.

I remember that last month before Derek was born when I would visit my OB Dr. McCarthy in Santa Rosa. Even though Derek was quite large (he was 9 lb 14 oz when born July 14) and was in a breach position, every week the doctor would turn him until he was head down and I would walk out of his office feeling like I was carrying a bowling ball between my legs. A few days later Derek turned again and was breach.

I remember Dr. McCarthy telling me I should do fine with a vaginal birth, that the baby looked to be around 8 pounds. Boy was he off! Not only that, but why is he ignoring the fact the Derek's head is 12 cm diameter, much larger than Justin who was 10 cm, and the opening of my pelvis was only 9 cm. He put me through needless suffering for 36 hours. After Derek was born I changed doctors. Three years later I gave birth to Ryan who was also breach, but stubbornly held to his position. My doctor and a nurse worked on my belly for 30 minutes until it was black and blue, but they could not get him to turn. That C-section was scheduled 5 days before his due date.

Wow 5000 mg of Vitamin C is alot. No wonder Mom has gas.

Chris Has an Ultrasound Today

Thursday June 25, 1992

An average day with lots of gas. It must be the vitamins. Probably the "C".

I talk to Chris. She had an ultrasound today and the baby is somewhat breach and the head is bigger than Justin's was so it would seem she must have a C-section. She will see the doctor tomorrow to set a date. Hopefully, it will be next week.

We go to Gary's in the evening. He is working in the yard. Later he takes a quick swim. Then we visit for awhile. It's so nice to have them here in Simi. I worry that they'll think they see or hear from us too much. but they keep saying "Come over."

Gary and Maria still love to entertain. Maria comes from a large family of 9 siblings, so her house is always full of family and friends coming and going. They are wonderful hosts. I'm sure they loved to see Mom and Frank.

Wow, I had forgotten that my ultrasound showed that Derek's head was larger than Justin's. I was in labor with Justin in 1981 for 23 hours. Finally the doctor ordered an X-ray and determiend that Justin's head was 10 cm across and the opening of my pelvis was only 9, so I could labor for days, and he was not coming out. The doctor called for an anesthesiologist and I was given general anesthesia with a C-section. When Derek was born his head was 12 cm across. I remember the doctor seemed surprised, but the ultrasound showed that he had a big head, so why did my doctor not schedule a C-section? It would have saved me from 36 hours of labor!