Extra Skin Question -labor beginning

July 28, 2004

Hi Diane,

Don't worry about not knowing when it's real labor. My first two pregnancies

were before WLS and I was heavy. I could still feel tightening deep inside.

Also the contractions started out uncomfortable then got more intense/painful.

I've never heard of a natural labor without some pain/intensity. You'll know

because the intensity of the contractions will keep getting stronger and they

won't let up when you change activities or positions. When it's real labor

you'll feel it going on inside and the cramps/tightenings will keep getting

stronger and closer together.

Now when it's time to leave for the hospital is another issue... I was dialated

to 3 cm with regular contractions (every 3 min.) for hours at a stretch for two

weeks with my first baby. With my second baby it was 4cm for two weeks with the

regular contractions. I bounced in and out of the hospital a few times with

each pregnancy until labor decided to progress. Don't be embarassed. All of my

friends took a few practice runs to the O.B. to to see if it was " time " before

the actual birth day.

Message: 5

Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 14:01:05 -0000

Subject: Re: Extra skin question

It's nice hearing from you e - we are so familiar with Adam and

feel like we know you too. My question for you is with all of the

extra belly fat and skin still how can you tell you are actually

having a contraction. I am only 2 weeks behind you and am not sure if

I have had any BH contractions or not and I too was not too far out

fron surgery so I still have quite a bit more to loose. The nurse

said I would tell when my abdomen gets hard bu with fat and extra

skin covering it how can you tell. People think I am crazy but I fear

that I will go into labor and not even know it until it gets real

intense. Oh well glad to hear from you too - Keep posting - Diane

__________________________________________________

July 28, 2004

That's what's so nice about homebirth. :-) No false alarms, no

'embarrassing " trips anywhere -- in fact, no embarrassment of any

kind! You call the midwife, she talks to you, she comes over to see

how you're doing. Midwives don't believe in making you feel stupid, as

so many OBs seem to take pleasure in doing. I don't understand why so

many women put up with such demeaning health care, some even defending

their doctors because they " know more than I do " -- maybe about a few

things, but not about how to nurture mothers!!

My midwife said she'll definitely do my prenatal care and will assist

me at a homebirth if I get pregnant again (my first two super-easy

pregnancies make her feel fairly confident that any other pregnancies

and deliveries I have are also likely to go well). My only issue now

is a partner, but I'm working on that. LOL

Don't automatically rule out midwifery and homebirth after WLS. I know

several gals who have gone that route and who have been very pleased,

and I know another half dozen gals who did low-intervention hospital

births after WLS (using midwives) and they were also happier than most

gals I see who have done the high-risk OB thing. Really, as long as

nutritional and hydration issues are watched closely and you don't

have other underlying health problems that didn't go away after WLS,

we are much healthier and have healthier babies (as a general rule)

than we did when we were SMO. My last homebirth took place at BMI 53,

and was a straightforward five hour labor with minimal pain and

anxiety. My first birth, which took place in a hospital at BMI 22 in 8

hours was much more painful and anxious because of all the unnecessary

interventions that they pushed on me. I'm hoping to have a few more

babies with my BMI in the 20s! :-)

Z

Alan 02/11/84

Joanne Natasha 01/13/00

Open RNY 09/17/01

Plastics 07/22/02

Re: Extra skin question