An external version

External version is what the medical world calls the process of turning a baby while in the womb. This is the procedure I had done yesterday. I wanted to write about it so I could remember this particular incident since I had never experienced it before.

At about 8:45 am, we showed up at the hospital to have an ultrasound to see if baby G was still breech. At 9:15, they told us we should leave for an hour and then come back. Our doctor was the on-call OBGYN that morning and already had three babies to deliver!

We came back at 10:15 am and the ultrasound confirmed that he was still head up. So, we went upstairs to labor and delivery to get settled in for a while in one of the triage rooms. First, I had to change into the lovely hospital gown. Then, I got an IV. Next, they set up a machine to monitor the baby's heart rate and one to monitor my contractions. They monitored me for probably 30 minutes to just get a baseline. During that time, the baby's heart rate was great and I was having non-painful contractions every 3 minutes.

Then, it was time for the meds. I got a shot of something to stop my contractions. I also got a combination of Stadol (pain killer) and an anti-nausea med in my IV. It took all of about 2 minutes for me to start feeling loopy from the Stadol. Can I just say that I HATE pain killers/narcotics? Unfortunately, I have had to take them before for different types of pain and I always try not to. I think I am too much of a control-freak to take them because I just hate feeling like I am not under control.

Anyway, I started acting loopy right away and couldn't do anything to stop. I know I was saying silly things and couldn't keep my eyes open. It also made me really, really nauseous. So, they made me stop drinking water and go to only ice chips until I went home.

After a while (I have no idea how long...I was really out of it), my doctor and a nurse came in to start the procedure. Even on the pain killers, this definitely hurt. My doctor did all sorts of crazy maneuvers to my stomach, making it go places and move in ways never before seen. It hurt badly enough that I was having to use my breath (thank you, years of yoga!) to get through it and needed to hold Nathaniel's hand. I think I tried to squeeze it, but my reflexes weren't working too well. After only a few minutes (I think it was 4 or 5), the procedure was over and successful! All in all, that part wasn't too bad. Going into it, my doctor told me she would only try for 10 or 15 minutes, so I knew it wouldn't last very long.

Probably the worst part (in my opinion) is coming off of the meds! We stayed at the hospital for 2 more hours so they could observe me and I slept most of that time. Everything looked great, so we were able to go home after that. After getting home, I slept for another 2 hours and then went to bed at 9:30 and slept wonderfully until 5:30am.

Today I feel all better and am very thankful everything went well yesterday. In fact, it went perfectly! Thanks to everyone for their prayers and thoughts and sweet messages. Now we are ready and waiting for baby Graham to come!