Pessary...
As I mentioned before, taking out the pessary is a story I have to blog about.
Let me mention first that in the days before removing the pessary, I came across an article about the pessary in which women graded the pain with having the pessary placed at a 3 on a scale of 1 (less pain) to 10 (greater pain). However; in removing the pessary, women on average said the pain fell on the scale around a 7. 7. Great. Ouch. So, that freaked me out. I really wish I hadn't read it, and now I'm sharing it here...sorry for any of you that have a pessary and have somehow stubbled across my blog.
Dust and I made the trip to Kansas City and let me tell you, 3.5 hours in the car with a belly that was measuring well over 40 weeks was no walk in the park. It hurt, badly! I took a couple of pillows and stuffed them in around me, which helped some, but it was still uncomfortable. But, anyway, we made it!
Once we arrived at the doctor's appointment and were taken back to a room, a midwife came in and said to us, "why are you here?"...I'm thinking, are you serious? You must be kidding, right? But instead, I just explain that we are there to get the pessary out. She replied, "Right, but why now? We usually don't take them out until after 36 weeks or you are in labor." I told her this was when Dr. F asked us to come back. I specifically remember at the end of our last ultrasound that Dr. F said she'd see us back between 34 and 35 weeks to get the pessary out. In fact, we didn't look up the date, once Dr. F said that, the ultrasound tech looked up when that would be and told us what week to make the appointment for. So, when the midwife asked us that, we didn't know what to think.
The midwife said she wasn't really comfortable with removing the pessary at that point and left to find Dr. F to ask her why she had us come back then. We sat in the room for 10 minutes or so before the midwife came back. In the meantime, another person had moved an ultrasound machine into our room. Once the midwife came back, she explained she hadn't been able to talk to Dr. F yet, but wanted to do a quick ultrasound. Dusty and I of course didn't argue with that!
Once she started the ultrasound, it appeared to her that both babies were head down. Dust and I told her how surprised we were at that because Kanon had been transverse pretty much the entire pregnancy. She then admitted she wasn't that good at doing ultrasounds, but showed us what made her think that, and for what Dusty and I knew, we agreed, but still were pretty skeptical. Anyway, I'm pretty sure she was wrong because the following Saturday, as we all know, Kanon was still transverse!
Anyway, she finished having her quick peak and went to find Dr. F again. After sitting there for another 10 minutes or so, a different doctor walked in. This doctor explained to us that she spoke to Dr. F and that Dr. F apologized for the confusion and the mess up in scheduling us there and that Dr. F didn't know why we would have been scheduled back at that point in the pregnancy. All I'm thinking is, are you kidding me, we've wasted a trip up here?!? However, the doctor went on to say that she would give us the option of having the pessary removed now, or making another trip in two weeks. We asked her what the typical timeframe is from removal to when somebody goes into labor. She explained that removing the pessary isn't traumatic like a stitch removal and wouldn't cause labor to begin. Considering that, along with how enormous I already was and how miserable the trip was, we decided to go ahead and have it removed.
So, now the fun part...I laid back on the table and she reached up inside to remove the pessary. Let me tell you, that hurt! It was somewhat suctioned, and then, of course, being in pain, I tensed up, which really didn't help at all! In all honesty, at that moment, I seriously doubted my ability to deliver any more children vaginally. I thought, if I can't get this pessary out, how in the world will I push two babies out? It seriously hurt! Thankfully, it was over quickly, although not near as quickly as when it was put in. Once she finished removing it, she asked us if we wanted to keep it...uh, yeah! So, in my stash of pregnancy supplements (which I will post about), I now have an arabin pessary as well! In fact, we put it in our hospital bag and showed Dr. H after the babies were born.
I can't help but wonder if I would have still gone into labor three days later if I hadn't had it removed. I really don't know. In my mind, I am not sure, but I'm thinking maybe not. We asked my doctor his opinion, and although he's not sure either, I think he's leaning towards no. Now, that being said, do I wish I had held off having it removed so I wouldn't have had the babies as soon...I honestly can't say. I'm not sure my body could have handled the 7 hour round trip to my MFM any further along in the pregnancy. If anything, I would have asked Dr. H to remove it. Ultimately, I think my body was pushed to the max as it was, and was ready to have the babies, pessary or not. If I hadn't had it removed, I think something else would have caused me to deliver anyway. But, all of that is besides the point. What's done is done and I wouldn't change a thing!
Let me mention first that in the days before removing the pessary, I came across an article about the pessary in which women graded the pain with having the pessary placed at a 3 on a scale of 1 (less pain) to 10 (greater pain). However; in removing the pessary, women on average said the pain fell on the scale around a 7. 7. Great. Ouch. So, that freaked me out. I really wish I hadn't read it, and now I'm sharing it here...sorry for any of you that have a pessary and have somehow stubbled across my blog.
Dust and I made the trip to Kansas City and let me tell you, 3.5 hours in the car with a belly that was measuring well over 40 weeks was no walk in the park. It hurt, badly! I took a couple of pillows and stuffed them in around me, which helped some, but it was still uncomfortable. But, anyway, we made it!
Once we arrived at the doctor's appointment and were taken back to a room, a midwife came in and said to us, "why are you here?"...I'm thinking, are you serious? You must be kidding, right? But instead, I just explain that we are there to get the pessary out. She replied, "Right, but why now? We usually don't take them out until after 36 weeks or you are in labor." I told her this was when Dr. F asked us to come back. I specifically remember at the end of our last ultrasound that Dr. F said she'd see us back between 34 and 35 weeks to get the pessary out. In fact, we didn't look up the date, once Dr. F said that, the ultrasound tech looked up when that would be and told us what week to make the appointment for. So, when the midwife asked us that, we didn't know what to think.
The midwife said she wasn't really comfortable with removing the pessary at that point and left to find Dr. F to ask her why she had us come back then. We sat in the room for 10 minutes or so before the midwife came back. In the meantime, another person had moved an ultrasound machine into our room. Once the midwife came back, she explained she hadn't been able to talk to Dr. F yet, but wanted to do a quick ultrasound. Dusty and I of course didn't argue with that!
Once she started the ultrasound, it appeared to her that both babies were head down. Dust and I told her how surprised we were at that because Kanon had been transverse pretty much the entire pregnancy. She then admitted she wasn't that good at doing ultrasounds, but showed us what made her think that, and for what Dusty and I knew, we agreed, but still were pretty skeptical. Anyway, I'm pretty sure she was wrong because the following Saturday, as we all know, Kanon was still transverse!
Anyway, she finished having her quick peak and went to find Dr. F again. After sitting there for another 10 minutes or so, a different doctor walked in. This doctor explained to us that she spoke to Dr. F and that Dr. F apologized for the confusion and the mess up in scheduling us there and that Dr. F didn't know why we would have been scheduled back at that point in the pregnancy. All I'm thinking is, are you kidding me, we've wasted a trip up here?!? However, the doctor went on to say that she would give us the option of having the pessary removed now, or making another trip in two weeks. We asked her what the typical timeframe is from removal to when somebody goes into labor. She explained that removing the pessary isn't traumatic like a stitch removal and wouldn't cause labor to begin. Considering that, along with how enormous I already was and how miserable the trip was, we decided to go ahead and have it removed.
So, now the fun part...I laid back on the table and she reached up inside to remove the pessary. Let me tell you, that hurt! It was somewhat suctioned, and then, of course, being in pain, I tensed up, which really didn't help at all! In all honesty, at that moment, I seriously doubted my ability to deliver any more children vaginally. I thought, if I can't get this pessary out, how in the world will I push two babies out? It seriously hurt! Thankfully, it was over quickly, although not near as quickly as when it was put in. Once she finished removing it, she asked us if we wanted to keep it...uh, yeah! So, in my stash of pregnancy supplements (which I will post about), I now have an arabin pessary as well! In fact, we put it in our hospital bag and showed Dr. H after the babies were born.
I can't help but wonder if I would have still gone into labor three days later if I hadn't had it removed. I really don't know. In my mind, I am not sure, but I'm thinking maybe not. We asked my doctor his opinion, and although he's not sure either, I think he's leaning towards no. Now, that being said, do I wish I had held off having it removed so I wouldn't have had the babies as soon...I honestly can't say. I'm not sure my body could have handled the 7 hour round trip to my MFM any further along in the pregnancy. If anything, I would have asked Dr. H to remove it. Ultimately, I think my body was pushed to the max as it was, and was ready to have the babies, pessary or not. If I hadn't had it removed, I think something else would have caused me to deliver anyway. But, all of that is besides the point. What's done is done and I wouldn't change a thing!
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