Stripped

Today I went in for my weekly OB appointment, at 40 weeks 1 day. Baby is doing fine, ultrasound showed plenty of fluid so there was no need for any serious induction talk just yet. I was still only 1 cm ("A nice, loose one," the midwife said. To which Hubs replied, "That's what I said when I met her!" Wah-wah...) so she wound up stripping my membranes. OH MY GOOD GOD was that unpleasant. Apparently this procedure is supposed to get the prostoglandins going and help start labor, and combined with the sexin' we did this morning maybe something will actually work. So far I just feel crampy and extra uncomfortable. If she holds out another week we go back next Monday for another ultrasound and more fingers in my hoo-hah.

I've been getting plenty of sleep this weekend and today, as folks are always advising me to do before the kid arrives, and I still feel tired and grumpy. Hubs got the afternoon off today, and is also off tomorrow, so lucky he will get to experience my moodiness to the utmost. He handled it pretty well today and got me a tub full of hot water for a nice peppermint foot soak to help relax me. Smart hubby! 

I decided to risk the migraines for the past week or so and start eating all the crap I want again, and what do you know, I got a migraine yesterday. So now I'm back to getting to have no fun at all limiting my sugar intake. Dammit. I'm planning to stock up on frozen fruit tomorrow so I can at least make some smoothies and pretend they're ice cream.

So the wait continues, as do my bland posts. Hopefully I'll be able to share some excitement soon.

Leaving and waiting

I wish I could say this with more energy and enthusiasm, but I'm on leave!  WOOHoooooooooo... 

Yeah I didn't get much sleep last night and I am about ready for a nap.  Baby girl has been head-butting the ol' cervix which is a very uncomfortable and shocking sensation.  Ouch.  Oh, and she's positioned a little farther back than is ideal, so reclining for any length of time eventually results in a similarly shocking sensation to the ol' poop chute.  On top of that, not only are my hips sore from spreading and side-sleeping, but my shoulders are getting sore at night too.  There is just no comfortable position anymore.  So I guess it was the perfect timing to go on leave!  I just wish I had better hopes for getting some rest before the big day arrives.

Tomorrow is my EDD.  I can't believe it.  And now that it's almost time, I'm starting to get scared about pooping this baby out!  I don't feel prepared.  I've been, shall we say, less than diligent about performing the exercises I learned in my birthing class, and I'm really starting to regret not doing the perineum massages they recommended.  Especially after hearing about my SIL's EIGHT stitches following the birth of her first.  What can I do, though?  I will practice my meditation techniques and keep reminding myself that the epidural is there if I want it!

My boss asked me what I'm going to do while I'm at home waiting for the baby.  Personally I think it will be a thrilling time of cleaning the house, napping, eating, watching crappy daytime TV, and putting the finishing touches on the baby's room.  (That's a lot!  I am going to be extremely busy.)  I spent last weekend working on a little art project for baby VonD - a somewhat creepy owl made out of cut-out pieces of scrapbook paper.  Hopefully it doesn't give her nightmares.  It's the eyes, they are giant and I think the paper I used for the pupils was a little too busy.  I'm hoping to soften it up a little by making a couple little woodland creature friends to go along with him - maybe a squirrel and a snail.  I figure I can't possibly screw up such innocuous animals enough to freak out an infant, right?  Let's hope.

Also this weekend is going to be particularly action-packed!  Today I'm getting a pedicure and having lunch with my friend T, and tomorrow I'm having coffee with my friend J, and then picking up my sister's rocking chair to borrow for the kid's room.  Monday I go back to the doctor to get felt up again AND get an ultrasound, and then Hubs actually has Tuesday off so that will be nice for us to get to hang out.

All assuming no baby of course! :)

A whole centimeter

Went to the doc today and found out I'm dilated one whole centimeter. I was all excited about it until I googled it later and saw nothing but a bunch of bitches bitching about being only a cm at 39 weeks. Well fine. So now I'm impatient too, thankyouverymuch, internet bitches.

So now comes the time where I try anything to get this baby out. Hubs and I did some sex yesterday; who knows, maybe that's what got me to the 1 cm point today! Either way, it's supposed to be the best natural way to get labor going so I'm gonna try that again. I'll also be having a spicy dinner tonight (if nothing else maybe it will get some other things moving if you catch my drift (you're welcome)), and going for a nice long walk tomorrow. Oh and bouncing on my yoga ball, but just cuz that's a generally good time.

I somehow managed to get it into my head a few weeks ago that I'll beat my due date by a couple of days. No reason for it, just a hunch, and I'm still hopeful that it will happen. But I'm also realistic enough to be afraid of having to get induced. It's hard to keep neutral and positive as the end draws near! I'm more like swinging from one extreme thought to another, with my moods following closely behind. Hubs keeps me in check most of the time though. Truly, what's a couple more weeks of waiting in the scheme of things, especially after years of waiting?

I have more or less decided this is going to be my last week at work. This weekend was brutal - I'm not sleeping well and I only got about 5 hours on Saturday night. (Don't judge me, I need a solid 8-9 hours when I'm not pregnant!) Then Sunday was really busy and by 5:00 p.m. my entire body was aching all over, and I was ready for bed before 8:00. (By the way this product: Hot Cherry Therapeutic Pillow gave me immediate relief for my super achey legs; I highly recommend it!) If I make it through the rest of this week, I just know it has to be my last at work. I'm spent! And really, it's probably not the smartest thing to continue working if I do go past my due date. I'm not really keen on the idea of soiling my office chair with amniotic fluid...

Time for my spicy dinner! If you see me back here I didn't go into labor. Probably. Unless it's a really slow labor, then I might come back and post just to pass the time.

Just a little update

The countdown is on!  I just wish I knew how long that countdown was going to be.  My EDD is in 10 days, but of course we know that doesn't mean much.  I could go into labor tonight or I could be waiting for another 3+ weeks!  Well, we know that, but everyone else seems to think they know better.  I've had people tell me I'll definitely be going into labor early (judging by how far I've dropped I guess), and others tell me to sit tight because I'm going to be late (judging by the fact that my mom went past her EDD with all 4 of hers, and that this is my first).  Ah, science!  It's amazing how many people turn into medical professionals when there's a pregnant lady in their midst.

I've been spending a lot of time overanalyzing every little twinge and hoping it means labor is nigh.  In reality, though, I have no signs of impending labor.  At my doctor's appointment on Monday they'll check me for dilation for the first time, woo!  Here's hoping for some progress!

Nothing much else has been going on; I am the epitome of boring.  I'm still working but not doing a whole lot other than that.  There's still a few things left to do baby-wise, number one on the list being to pack my hospital bag!  Yeah, yeah, the procrastination never ends with me.  But her room is more or less ready and we have everything we need to start raising a baby human.  Including some super cute new outfits that I couldn't resist buying last week!  I already had enough clothes for the first few months, but I hadn't picked any of them out myself with the exception of her coming home outfit.  So I just had to buy a few things and put my own touch on her wardrobe, and I'm so glad I did.  It was really fun.

So yep, that's about it!  Keep your fingers crossed for a delivery that's sooner rather than later, and I'll keep you posted. :)