K.R. asks from Taft, CA on November 21, 2008
Without Ultrasound What Else Could It Mean?
I know, the only way to really know is to have an ultrasound. But here's my question anyhow. I am 18 weeks pregnant, my 5th pregnancy (including one miscarry), I was 122 lbs at conception and at 18 weeks already weigh 147 lbs (I've never gained this much weight while pregnant). I am almost 30. Twins do not run in my family (that I know of). And I seem to be measuring about right in fundal height for my due date (self-exam).
Now because of the increased weight, double morning sickness, extra fatigue I began to entertain the thought of twins. I have never gone to the doctor for any pregnancy as I birth at home unassisted (It just works for me, so I do it). I have never had an ultrasound. But at the chiropractor today. He said he would use the doppler to hear the heartbeat. After he listened all over my belly for a bit and checked it against my pulse he put the headphones on me and said listen to this. He placed the monitor on the left side of my belly in the blob of "jelly goop" when I heard a loud, rapid swish-swish, swish-swish. Then he moved across the top of my belly to the other side. As he did the sound faded to gone and suddenly reappeared on the right side of my belly just as loud and rapid but didn't seem to me to be in the same beat with the previous beats. He exclaimed, "I think I'm hearing two placenta's, you had better get and ultrasound in a couple weeks to make sure"
I do not want to get my hopes up it would be great if I were having twins but tell me if you know anything about this or can give advice on his findings. I need something to read over while I wait my "couple of weeks" to find a midwife with an ultrasound machine.
Thanks!
So What Happened?™
I am completely disappointed in most every response I have received. I have been called ignorant, stupid and uneducated. This is not a blog where I can go in depth as to why I have chosen the road I have chosen and just because many women have come to rely on man and his inventions does not make it the only way. I believe doctors do good and are here for those who are sick and have emergencies. I also know enough to recognise that they are trained to intervine and help in emergencies which numerous times, during a healthy normal birth can create more problems than if the pregnancy was left to the woman and her child to do what they were created to do. I have gone through leterally 1000's of hours of research over the years to make sure I know what is going on with me and my children and my love for them makes me do what I know is best. Just as you do for your children. If you did what I do I would not think very highly of you as I understand you believe the best and most comfortable environment for you is with a doctor or in a hospital. When I said "it works for me" was my way of trying to express that even though I feel natural healthy births are not made to take place in a hospital I do not judge or look down on the woman who relies on them because she is doing what she thinks is best for her child.
I came to all of you for an answer on what you thought of the chiropractos results and if you had any experience similar with a doppler. I know that the chiropractor is not trained in that field and is not an expert, otherwise I would have just taken his word and not brought this to you women who may be able to share your thoughts. My chiropcrator did it for free because he just purchased that equipment and I asked out of curiosity. So he was not out of line, I requested it knowing he would not be able to give a deffinative answer.
Also, I understand that twins are higher risk and I have plans in place for just such an event. I know how far I'm willing to go with a homebirth within the safety of myself and my babies and all the signs and symptoms to watch for. I am probably more in tune with my body than most women because I have no reliance on someone else to peer into my body and tell me what I am feeling. I also know there can be unknown complications that are diagnosed with specialized equipment they are known to produce false positives too, resulting in needless intervention and further complications. And if a real problem exists and is diagnosed properly there is usually little one can do about it because the baby is not properly formed or you are not being responsible for your health. If there were something very wrong with my baby I would not end my pregnancy over it I would still continue with birth. I've read the research. I own a library of pregnancy and health books. I'm currently studying to become a doula.
Ultimately, I put my trust in YHWH God, our creator. He made my body to do what it is supposed to do.
When I had my miscarriage there was no baby. Only a placenta and sac. I monitored my temperature and was very aware of my whole state of being just in case the baby just didn't happen to come out and had caused an infection. Either my body abosrbed it or there was never a baby (which happens) there was something wrong with that baby to begin with and no doctor or specialized equipment could have saved or helped create that child for me.
If my reliance were in man I would be sterile today and I would not have my beautiful healthy 17 month old baby boy or this current pregnancy and who knows how many more our heavenly father will bless me with.
I had a prolapsed uterus and I knew how to handle it in an at home situation. Protocal for that situation in a hospital, as was described in detail by a woman working maternity ward for 25 years, "The doctor shoved his fist up into her uterus and rushed her on a gourney immediately for emergency hysterectomy". The doctor attending you in pregnancy and birth is liable for you, you can sue this man, and this is always on his mind. When it comes to a decision like that he will do what is in his best interest regardless of your desires, unless you are very educated to begin with and flat out refuse. But doctors with they big buildings and pretty white coats and shiny beeping equipment have a way of convincing you that this is what is best for you and it must be done this way and now. You have no time for a second oppinion when you're right in the middle of it. I know the statistics of laboring women in a hospital and let me tell you that very little goes in your favor if you have a normal pregnancy. The things doctors can do can and have messed many healthy women up for life and cause problems for their healthy baby. Most women are not aware that many hospitals (not all, but many) have a quota of epidurals to administer to keep the anesthesiologists on staff. This means that even though there are several risks to you and baby that they will not be as open about the complications of epidural and will actually encourage it. This kind of information is not in your best interest. The list goes on!
I was just informed by a nurse that the rate of ceserean births is up to 1 in 3 where she works. I belive the average is 1 in 5 nationwide it could be higher now. This means that 1 in 5 births had such severe complications that the woman had to undergo major surgery to accomplish birth. I hardly think that complications of this magnitude are really the case here. Ceserean section is very, very dangerous to the most healthy baby and causes many side effects and can cause many complications to the woman and/or her future pregnancies. Many complications that doctors claim require c-section to save the baby are not helped by the opporation whatsoever and the baby would have faired just as well in vaginal delivery. It is only the most extreme cases where the baby or mother will absolutely die if the procedure is not performed. Many homebirths deliver breech and cord around the throat babies that are fine and healthy after birth because they took the time to educate themselves on what to do in that event (and it is quite simple). A pinched cord can be properly cared for and resolved if the midwife or couple knows what they are doing. Placenta previa is however a problem and is an emergency that fits the requirment for ceserean.
My step mom birthed in a hospital... that was her first and last birth despite years and years of trying. The ignorant doctor IN THE HOSPITAL grabbed her cord and yanked her placenta out of her uterus. This caused scaring so severere it filled her uterus up with scare tissue and now overflows out of her uterus causeing constant bleeding. She went and had a D&C. They removed all of it but now it's back and now she has some kind of ovaian cysts because of one hospital birth 20 years ago. You still take great risk in going to a hospital.
In closing, I was advised by several midwives to wait a few more weeks as it will become very apparent that I would be carrying twins and go in for a checkup so as to avoid any unnessesary ultrasound (as longterm effects are still unknown) and if it discovered by this particulaly experienced midwife that I am carrying twins then to proceed with the ultrasound to find out the status and positions so we can decide from there the route to go. I will have a midwife with me if it is twins and I carry them long enough to birth at home. I will go to the hospital if the birth is to early or the midwife advises that their positions, etc... are out of her scope of expertice. I will birth at home myself if it is in fact a singleton and no complications arrise that warrant a trip to emergency.
I do want to thank those of you who do understand me and offered your support. Those few of you who understand that we all have a right to do what we know as best for us and our children even though it may vary from someone elses thoughts and beliefs.
Shalom and be well!
More Answers
S.B. answers from Redding on November 22, 2008
Dear K.,
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I'm all for doing things as naturally as possible, but that just didn't work for me with either of my successful pregnancies. I know things have worked out fine for you so far doing things the way you have, but pre-natal care is so important for the health of you and your baby. Or babies as the case may be. I'm sure there are clinics in your area that staff midwives who can be sure that you get whatever tests you may need and follow through with you and help you prepare for your home birth. Gestational diabetes is a concern, even if you've never had it before, it can still occur. And you should be getting your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. It's non invasive and a change in your pressure can signal other things. When I was "surprised" by the pregnancy with my son, I was gaining 7 pounds a week. My doctor was freaking out. I didn't eat anything unhealthy, but I was drinking at least a gallon of whole milk every single day. I was eating a dozen oranges, I craved fish, I couldn't help myself. I'm a small woman and in a 6 week period had gained 42 pounds. I was tested for everything under the sun. To make a long story short, I guess my body knew what it was doing because I became critically ill and spent the last 4 full months of my pregnancy in the hospital unable to eat and barely hanging on. My son and I survived, but only due to the diligence of my doctors and nurses who never left my side.
Get yourself to a midwifery center as soon as you can. I'm sure you'll find someone you feel comfortable with.
Please be sure to let us know what you find out.
Best wishes!
1 mom found this helpful
R.W. answers from San Francisco on November 22, 2008
K.-
Wow, what a brave mama!!! For the sake of your health and the well being of your other children, please go see a doctor as soon as you can. (they need a strong healthy mom) I am thrilled for you that your previous pregnancies have been easy and that you were able to deliver at home without complications, but without a proper medical screening there is no way to know that this one will end as well. You do not have to make any plans about labor and delivery right now, you can just go to get information. I had an extremely high risk pregnancy and would not have lived through delivery without all of the excellent medical help I was lucky to have. I would never have know there was a problem without an ultrasound. Just think of it as getting educated about what your choices are.
1 mom found this helpful
N.C. answers from Sacramento on November 22, 2008
What training does a chiropractor have in ob/gyn? How can he hear 2 placenta's, shouldn't it be heartbeats? My best friend is a chiropractor and she has had no training in this area. I would dismiss what he said and get an ultrasound. If it is twins, your risks for pregnancy related problems goes up. You can still birth at home by yourself or with a midwife, but I would retain a ob/gyn and get in for the testing you need. Increased weight gain is a concern for other conditions, other than twins. Congratulations on your pregnancy and best wishes.
1 mom found this helpful
K.L. answers from Redding on November 22, 2008
Maybe you have good reason to not want to see an OBGYN. Maybe youve had a terrible experience with one in the past or maybe you just want to do things on your own terms just because you can. Youve already lost 1 pregnancy so you might be considered high risk. If you are carrying twins, you are high risk and need some extra attention and advice. Im sure a mid wife can handle twins if all goes well, but who can predict the future and know for certain everything is alright? You trust your chiropractor, but not an OBGYN? Extra weight gain can mean gestational diabetes, or a larger baby. Heart beats can be heard all over the abdomen and doesnt mean twins everytime. Would you risk the health and/or life of a baby by not seeing a medically trained doctor whos specailty is delivering babies? As for "it works for me, its what I do", Thats an odd statement since a small helpless child is involved and each pregnancy is different so you dont really know if it "works" for you this time. Why is knowing if its twins the most important thing to you instead of making sure you and the baby are in the best health? Get some prenatal vitamins and eat right, and get plenty of rest. But most of all, call a doctor and have an exam to make sure it is all going right. Then go with the mid wife if you choose and be relaxed in knowing you showed how much you care for your children. Best wishes in your pregnancy and have a safe delivery and healthy babies. (o:
1 mom found this helpful
S.R. answers from San Francisco on November 22, 2008
Congrats on the pregnancy!
Chiropractors do not have training in listening to heartbeats, or any prenatal care. Your chiropractor was out of line with his training, and frankly irresponsible.
if it were me I would
a) ignore everything your chiropractor says about the pregnancy
b) switch chiropractors
c) get a test for gestational diabetes
Prenatal care is important. I hope you find a midwife soon!
Good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
K.G. answers from San Francisco on November 22, 2008
Does seeing an OB to get an ultrasound somehow prevent you from going forward with your birthing plan if everything seems okay from the ultrasound? I would take what the chiro said with a grain of salt, but if you are having twins, you need to consider giving birth at a hospital because twins often come early. I did not have twins, but I did give birth to my son at 29 weeks. Thank G-d I was in a hospital with an excellent NICU set up to care for premature babies. While some twins stay in for a full term pregnancy. Twins also need to be monitored more carefully in utero in case one is not getting enough nutrition, etc. Please get good prenatal care and then follow the birth plan that works for you and your family.
1 mom found this helpful
J.M. answers from Sacramento on November 24, 2008
Well, congrats on your coming bundle!
That said, I would definitely think about seeing a Dr on this, even just to confirm that it's a single. Twins are/can be a can of worms. They tend to be small at birth and because of that, sometimes need more care than a single baby. Think of it this way. Say all your other babies averaged 7# at birth. So twins together would only be a lb or so more... so 8# between two babies. And twins tend to be born two weeks early, triplets three, etc... at best... and the lungs fully developing is one of the last things that happens... so you could conceivably be at home and have two babies who need respiratory care... if you get up to 39 weeks and the dr says you're fine to have them at home that's one thing, but to not know and chance having twins at home when there can be all sorts of complications... that's just scary. I had a midwife with my second, so I do believe in calmer, more relaxed births, but I know enough about medical science that I wouldn't dream of having twins without some sort of medical care on hand and knowing exactly what I was going into. Good luck!
K.U. answers from San Francisco on November 22, 2008
Hi K.,
I'm ALL for home birth with low-risk pregnancy, I hope to have one myself if I ever get the opportunity, but that doesn't rule out pre-natal care, which is how one ascertains the risk level. I really hope you'll find a competent mid-wife who will make sure you're on track. Good luck!
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