Few more days of silence. . . .39 weeks!!

 

I didn't think I'd make it this far but we had our 39^th week appointment this morning. Johnathon went with me, knowing that we would have to make a decision on what we wanted to do from here. Baby is still sounding healthy. I’m dilated to 5 cm. So I gained 1 cm over the week. Midwife is still impressed with how my body is responding to my early labor. But I still have half way to go. . . . With that being said, we decided that we will induce on Friday. We’ll go in on Friday morning, they’ll start their thing and if everything goes accordingly we will have a baby girl by afternoon. This is not how I envisioned it would all happen but with Johnathon’s full schedule it is a little nerve racking to wait around for baby to come at any moment. Leaves me alone with the possibility of having a quick labor and delivery. . . . and the possibility that by the time I got someone to take me to hospital that baby would come in car. . . . I know that that may have been the way is happened years ago, but as a nurse and this being my first child I am not really enthusiastic about having a baby in my car. But I guess it would make a good story to tell later in life. . . . So as the saga continues, you most likely will get a phone call on Friday, May 3^rd. Until then, have a good week!!!

Maternity Photo Shoot

Here are a few photos I'd like to share from my maternity shoot with my close friend, Summer. I was about 7 months pregnant when she took these photos . . .

Waiting. . . .Waiting. . . .Waiting. . . . 38 weeks

Baby girl and I are 38 weeks today and still playing the waiting game. . . . As of our last appointment on Friday, midwife said I was to deliver over the weekend. She said I was ripe and ready. At our 38 week appointment today, this is still the case. We are to continue to play the waiting game. I am now just over 4cm dilated and practically 100% effaced. So we gained a cm of dilation and 10% effacement over the weekend. She is still surprised I am not having “contractions” or really feeling the contractions. I told her all I am really feeling is tightening and hardening of my belly which is uncomfortable but not painful. Her response was that MY uterus seems to be very strong and this "tightening" alone is allowing my cervix to dilate. . . . crazy! She said I have cut probably 12 hours off my labor just by my body responding this way. She has only seen this with first time moms a few times. Apparently my strong willed uterus is not a common thing. . . .ha! So with that being said, she knows she doesn’t have a crystal ball but she thinks that once my water breaks it will be a fast labor and delivery. She said the baby’s head at this point can’t get any lower without my water breaking and me going into full labor. We had a hard time getting her heartbeat on the Doppler because she is so far down. Her heart is almost covered by my pelvic bone. So we will wait and baby girl will come when she is ready. But if I make it to my next appointment next Tuesday, I will have to discuss with her about being admitted to the hospital and them breaking my water on purpose. She doesn’t want me walking around at 6-7cm dilated and full effacement because that could leave open the possibility of me having the baby at home. She thinks that it is going to happen that sudden for me. I wouldn’t want that and I am sure Johnathon doesn't either! Could you imagine Johnathon delivering a baby? Ummmm no. He would freak!! And I would freak!!

Well our saga continues. . . . We will continue to keep everyone posted with any updates.

Ripe Peach and Ready to Go. . . . 37 weeks!!

I'm a ripe peach and ready to go, alright. . . . No more counting down for me. I went into my 37th week appointment today and my midwife said I'm ready any day. This babe will probably come this weekend! I'm 3-4cm dilated and 80-90% effaced. I'm very uncomfortable, mild pain but not any sharp continuous contractions. My midwife continues to be amazed at how well my body has and still is adjusting at the pace it is. Today she continued to remind me that "most" first time mothers carry baby's to due date and beyond. I on the other hand will be 2-3 weeks early. I will chalk this up to me working as long and as hard as I did. I'm very proud of myself for working as long as I did, in such an intense fast paced environment. There were times when I literally was on my feet for 8 hours at a time. I am proud of my poor litte body for holding strong and having a healthy pregnancy. Now I just hope for a smooth delivery. I know it will be very painful but I just hope for no complications and a healthy baby. We are ready for her. Her nursery is complete, as you can see in the previous blog post of the pictures posted. Laundry done, house spring cleaned, new comfortable couch, dogs washed, hmmmmm what else can I say I have done in this last week. Johnathon and I have been working hard to get everything in order before baby girl comes because who knows when we will get the time to do it once she is here. It's nice to say I can actually now sit on my new couch, relax and not think of all the things I need to do.

Well I am not in much of a chit-chatty mood. Just wanted to update everyone with how we are progressing. Who knows maybe the next time you hear from us baby girl will have made her arrival. . . . I'll leave you with this picture and ask, "What is wrong with this picture?" Ouch!!!!

The Nursery!!!

The Nursery is pretty much complete!! All we have to do is add window treatments, but I wanted to share some pictures before I run out of time! Enjoy. . . .

Pop. . . .Pop. . . .Pop. . . .Pop. . . .36 weeks!!

 

I’m just going to cut to the chase with this blog update. My belly is popping out like a balloon!! It is huge. It should have its own moon orbiting around it. Babygirl and I are 36 weeks and ready to be done. . . .I am ready to have this weight off my body (my poor little feet hurt!) and babygirl is getting ready to enter this crazy world. We had our 36 ½ week checkup with the midwife this week. I walked in thinking it was going to be a no big deal routine check up like normal and walked out with a very different story. . . .kind of in a panic. My latest symptoms have been a lot of pressure in the downward position and it feels like babygirl is trying to “root” her way out of my body. The midwife examed me and said (and I quote) “You are ready to go, you are 2-3 centimeters.” My response, “what does that mean, dilated?” Of course it means dilated. . . .but when I start to panic I ask stupid questions. I am 2-3cm dilated and 80% effaced. My midwife said my cervix looks as if I have had a previous kid before, not normal for a first time mom! Just goes to show that every body is different and continues to show that this pregnancy of mine continues to amaze me. . . .how my body has learned to adapt. So with that being said, babygirl will most likely be entering this world in April. . . .probably in the next 10 days. My prediction of an early delivery date seems to be coming true. Not bad timing, since my last work day was Friday, April 12^th. I was just hoping to have a few weeks to settle down and get the house ready before a “tornado” hits. Hence why I walked out of my appointment in a panic! I still had laundry to do, get her room done, get her carseat cleaned and in my car, etc. . . . Now I have settled down and am enjoying every last milkshake I can before I pop this baby out. Once this baby comes out, I’m going to enter the dairy-free zone again.  The funny thing is, for the last week Johnathon has been bugging me to get my hospital bag packed, I can recount at least 4 times of him telling me to do it. If anyone knows me, they know I HATE packing. I would rather clean a dirty toilet than pack a bag. I kept telling Johnathon, “Ya I’ll do it honey.” When in the back of my mind I was thinking, I have time, I don’t need to do this today and kept putting it off. After my appointment I had to laugh because Johnathon was right, I really do need to pack my hospital bag. Now with that being said, a couple days have passed, and I feel less panic-ee now that my laundry is done (words from a true Newton)!!

Johnathon is developing a phone tree of some sort. That way everyone is aware of the happenings when it comes time. It’ll just be the two of us in the labor/delivery room. We don’t want a lot of commotion from family while everything is happening, especially since I am one that does not tolerate pain very well. I will be having an epidural if time permits. Babygirl will be delivered at my place of work, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Johnathon and I haven’t decided on a name yet. But I’m really not too worried about it. She’ll get named eventually, when the right name comes to us. I’m hoping to only be in the hospital for a day, then home to get settled. We’ll take visitors once we are settled in. . . .this is going to be a big transition and change for John and I, I’m hoping we don’t get too overhwhelmed. If this kid is anything like me, she’ll be a rascal. Oh the joys of motherhood. . . .this pregnancy glow is starting to wear off. . . .

Until next week. . . . let’s see where this week will take us. . . .