Great news... and a really long answer

...my blood test results from yesterday came back with an hcg level of 0! That means that everything has for sure passed and the miscarriage is "complete." So with my hcg level back down hopefully the rest of my hormones will get in check so these dang headaches will stop! I've kind of had one constant headache today.... but at least I know the main physical part of things is over!

I have had a lot people ask me, "why not just get a D&C? What is so bad about a D&C?" That is a good question!

Let me first explain something about myself..... when I get into a situation I haven't been in before the first thing I do is try to find out everything I can about it. I bought or read about 10 different how to get pregnant books, then the pregnancy books/websites, then the new baby books, the how to get your kid to sleep books and forums.... then the miscarriage info.... so....

At the ultrasound where I found out the baby had stopped developing the ultrasound tech kind of freaked me out and made it sound like I'd need to get a D&C that day. We talked to a different doctor there who said I could definitely wait till the next day and talk to my doctor, Dr. Savage, about it.

I went home and googled "have a d&c or wait to miscarry" and found lots of interesting links, especially this one. I also read a lot of details on what a D&C actually is and what it entails on sites like this. The description of the procedure kind of scared me - just the thought of it makes my knees weak....

This info here helped me think about the decision....

Do I want to wait for a natural miscarriage?

Advantages: If you wait, you can feel certain that there was no mistake made. When the baby comes you will know that nature has run its course. You can go home instead of going immediately to a hospital or office procedure. You can take a little time to say goodbye and gather loved ones around you.

Disadvantages: This can take several days and be extremely painful and scary. You may have to have a D&C anyway if everything does not come out (called an incomplete abortion). It may be distressing to think of walking around with your baby who is no longer living. Having tissue come at home may be frightening and you may feel awkward trying to save it, although you must if you want any testing done.

Do I want a D&C?

Advantages: This is mostly painless and will get you back on track to start trying again much sooner. The physical part of the ordeal will end.

Disadvantages: There is some risk of damaging the cervix during dilation, although that has mostly been taken care of by using laminaria, or seaweed sticks to dilate you gently overnight. Some doctors now use a cream to begin dilation. (If this will not be done, ask if you are going to be dilated (very early pregnancies may not need it), and how. Mechanical dilation is riskier. Some women also worry about punctures or perforations of the uterus. While this is a possibility, the risk is small. Even if this should this happen, the uterus will usually heal without complications or harm to your next pregnancy. The main disadvantage to this procedure is that you will not get to see the baby, ever. If you are pretty far along, this may be very important.

If your doctor does not agree with your decision to either wait or to have a D&C, GET A SECOND OPINION. This is your baby and your life. If you need a second opinion, a good place to go is a women's hospital or clinic, where they usually focus on you, not the procedure, and help you make the best decision based on all the information available.

**I bolded that last part because I think it's a very important point!!!

The next day I called and talked to Dr. Savage and we discussed my options. Let me just stress - THAT is the sign of a good doctor. She discusses my options with me. I am shocked to hear, from lots of people, that their doctor decided they needed a D&C but didn't even explain there was another choice, or their lack of choice. And depending on their situation there may not have been but unless signs of infection (from the tissue that hasn't passed) are imminent that is unlikely. (Not that I'm a doctor or anything but from everything I've read and discussed with my doctor there is no medical reason to not have a few days to wait if you want to try and let it pass naturally if infection isn't a concern yet.)

It was hard for me to decide - I told Dr Savage I was nervous about having a D&C (I've never been under general anesthetia and there are always risks with that along with the other risks with a D&C) but that emotionally it would be hard to wait a long time... she said she'd be ok with me waiting a week, maybe two, and I decided that if I didn't start miscarrying on my own after the weekend (it was Thurs when we talked) that I'd have a D&C Monday morning.

I started to miscarry naturally Sunday night... I was grateful to miscarry naturally but yes it was very hard. If I'd had a D&C right away the physical aspect probably would have lasted only a couple of days, but again there are some risks which could've meant more long lasting negative physical effects. Also, a D&C would have been expensive for us, even with our insurance. A D&C is a major surgery and shouldn't be taken lightly. Looking back there were moments when I thought maybe it would've been better to just have had a D&C so that it would be over faster, but at the same time I can know for sure my body did what it needed to do and in it's own/natural way.

There are definitely times when a D&C is the best thing, like if the tissue will not pass by itself and is causing infection, or ultimately if a woman feels that's the best choice for her. Dr. Savage said when she had a miscarriage she had a D&C right away because she was in med school and felt like the best thing for her was to have the procedure and get it over quickly. D&C's are very common and most people I know who've had them had good experiences. It just didn't seem like the right choice for me.

The important thing is that a woman should know her options and be able to choose if at all possible. Sometimes you need to speak up and force your doctor to give you the information you need but you should always be treated with respect!

Even though it was awkward I switched doctors 2 different times (so, a total of 3 doctors) during my pregnancy to find a doctor who really cared about what I wanted. The reason I love Dr. Savage (who is a family practice doctor, not an OB) is because she just really cares about what the woman wants - if you want to go for a non medicated birth, great! If you know you want an epidural for sure, great! She gives you information to make good decisions. So if you need a good doctor she's awesome. You can find her info here.

Ok, sorry for this ridiculously long post.... I have a problem with being concise and not sharing all of my feelings and thoughts. Hopefully this all made some sense....

and a post w/o pictures is boring but what pictures exactly go with this subject? so sorry!