Wesley's Turn Day

31 Weeks

The story of Wesley's birthday actually starts a week before the day he came into the world. Wesley was breech. "Frank Breech" they call it. Why do they call it Frank Breech you ask? Because, Frankly, it sucks. This type of breech means A. They will want to perform a "Version" and B. If that doesn't work, they will deliver the baby via c-section. Oh what's a "Version?" Don't worry, we'll get to that fun topic later!

 So, Frank Breech. This is where the baby is head up (instead of head down) and in a piked position with the feet up at the head. Wesley is one flexible little guy! The picture below is of the baby facing forward, but Wesley was actually facing to my left. So if you were to look at me straight on, you would have seen his profile (if you had X-Ray glasses on and wanted to look through a pregnant lady's clothes and skin...ew, and, weird). Anyway, I think his position actually made my belly appear to be smaller, so there is an upside! :)

I found this funny illustration on someone else's blog, but it captures my sentiments at that time. :)

 By the time I reached 38 weeks, Wes still hadn't flipped. So they scheduled a Version. This is where they try to flip the baby from the outside. I was admitted to the hospital and given an IV (in case the stress from the procedure sent the baby into distress and/or started labor). They gave me some kind of medicine that made me feel like I had just downed 5 shots of espresso and 2 Red Bulls and then told me to relax. Haha. My heart was racing. They oiled up my belly and got to work. One doctor held the ultra sound wand to my belly to monitor the baby and the other started pushing/pulling on my stomach. He grabbed Wes (on the outside) by the foot and tried to pull his feet down while at the same time pushing the back of his head forward so that Wes would hopefully flip down. The doctor tried this 3 times. It felt like Wes got about half way one of the times but then flipped back up into his breech position. After the third try the doctor gave up and said, "Good luck with that one, you've got a stubborn one on your hands."

There are some moments when I think he is right.

 Because of the unsuccessful Version, they scheduled me for a c-section the following week. The doctor's office had to call me later that day after they were able to look at the c-section calendar. I had gone back to work after my appointment and received the phone call at my desk. They said they had scheduled my c-section for the following Tuesday, August 31. At first I had a hard time accepting this. Not because I was having a c-section but because I was having my baby in August. My due date was September 7th. I was supposed to have a September baby. I was even thinking I would go late and I would get to have my baby on September 10th, so that my baby would have the birthday 09.10.11. (Yes, I was a crazy pregnant lady who thought I could plan this all out). For some reason it was just so weird to think that my baby was going to be an August baby and not a September baby, even if it was only by 24 hours. The doctor even checked the schedule again and called me later that night to let me know they couldn't get a later date. (I have a pretty awesome doctor, yes!).

And so, I finished out that week at work. Helped throw a baby shower for one of my best friends on Saturday and prepared to have my baby on Tuesday, August 31st, when my whole world would open to a newness and refreshment of life and love.