Birth Story Part 1 - Weeks 40 and 41, The Waiting Game

As my due date approached, Nick and I were getting more and more anxious for things to pick up and get started.  When we went in for my 40 week appointment, my midwife Louise was reassuring saying that most babies come between 38-42 weeks and that there should be nothing to worry about.  At that point, we began having non-stress tests done at the maternity ward every couple of days.  Baby girl did great and my blood pressure and other vitals were good.  She just wasn’t ready.  At my 41 week appointment, Louise offered to check my cervix and see how far along I was.  She hadn’t done this before and I was glad.  At 41 weeks, I was still completely closed; no dilation at all.  This was a little discouraging for me, since we had been waiting for what felt like forever.  Additionally, the baby was right on my cervix, which caused the cervix to be really high up.  Needless to say, this was a VERY painful internal exam.  I had also been walking a lot and doing other things that are supposed to get your cervix ready.  No such luck.  At this point, my Mom and Dad were both up here waiting for the birth.  We spent a lot of time together, walking and eating spicy food and hanging out trying to keep me calm.  Nick wound up taking a couple of days off to be with us, too.

Shopping with Mom and Dad during my 41st week!

The non-stress tests after the 41 week mark were a little different.  Baby girl would get sleepy every time that we went.  We would have to wait there and try having me lay down differently to see if her heart rate would get up.  On Saturday May 5^th, my midwife was at the hospital when I was having my NST done, and offered to check me again.  Cervix was still totally closed at 41 weeks 5 days.  Also, this exam was even more painful than the time before.  At this point, we were planning for an induction to happen on Monday morning.  When we met with the midwife, she said that we could actually come in on Sunday night to begin induction.  This way, I would likely be in labor during the day instead of the middle of the night.  Nick and I agreed right away and planned to head to the hospital on Sunday night.

One of many non-stress tests

Trying another position to get baby girl to move!

Now, since I had been planning for natural childbirth, the thought of induction scared the crap out of me.  From everything that we had read, and the childbirth classes we took, we knew what some of the effects of the induction drugs were.  I was very nervous that something wouldn’t work, or that it would make labor too difficult for my body to handle.  Contractions that are induced with pitocin are known to be stronger, quicker, and more irregular.  I just put my faith in my body and my midwife and hoped for the best.  There was no way for me to know what was going to happen, so I had to just go with it and see where it took me.

Hopefully a Final Pregnancy Update!

How far along?: 41 weeks and 4 long days

Baby is the size of a:  human baby

Total weight gain/loss:  +30

The Bump: My bump is huge and round at this point, since I am carrying a VERY full term baby.  My belly button never popped, but a couple of times this week when she was pushing right up against it, I thought it was going to.  I only have just a couple of stretch marks, but none of them are really on my bump.

Symptoms:  Pelvic pain still.  It's still very painful to turn over in bed.  Also, sharp shooting pains into my cervix, which I thought would be causing me to dilate (but since as of about a week ago I wasn't dilated, I assume that this is not the case).  Also, I am getting frustrated and anxious for this darling girl to just hurry up and join us already!

Food Cravings:  Today, I wanted Sesame Noodles from a local market.  Other than that, I have been trying to eat really spicy food to kick start labor.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Other than watching the chefs on Chopped All-Stars cooking tripe, chicken feet, and whole octopus; no.

Sleep: I have generally been sleeping pretty well, without having to wake up during the night other than to roll over.  I do generally wake up in some pretty serious pelvic and leg pain now though.

What I miss:  Not feeling this pelvic pain when I lay down.  Wearing my wedding rings.

Weddings Rings On or Off: Off.  

Any Names Picked Out Yet:  She is named.

Movement: Still lots of movement, unless I am at the doctors office.  The other day, she was still during my ultrasound and during the non-stress test.  I had to move to either side twice to get her to move around.  This makes my pelvis hurt more.

Maternity Clothes: At this point, even the maternity things that I have are starting to get uncomfortable.  I find myself in pajama pants and Nick's t-shirt when I am at home.

Labor Signs: BH contractions. I thought I was having real contractions last night, enough to even call my midwife.  Alas, went to bed and they totally stopped.  

Best Moment of the Week: Spending time with my Mom and Dad who are up visiting waiting for their granddaughter to be born.  It's been great to get to spend so much alone time with them just running around.  Usually when they are here, there is a million people to see and things to do.  It's been nice just to relax with them and have them around.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to:  I cannot wait to finally be holding this baby in my arms.  If I don't have her on my own over the weekend, then I will be induced on Monday.  I really, really, really do not want to have to go through and induction, so I am so hopeful that this super moon that's supposed to happen tomorrow will have some kind of effect on my uterus!!

11 Days "Overdue"

For months, I have convinced myself that I would not worry about being past my due date.  I know that they are sort of arbitrary, and based on a couple of factors.  Since I wasn't sure exactly when my last period was, it was difficult for me to say for sure when I thought we conceived.  There was about a 2 week window that I thought it might have been.  Also, since Nick and I are both so tall, the ultrasound that we had to date the baby could have been wrong since she's likely to be pretty big.  I know these things.  And I know that MOST babies do not come on their due date.  There is a 4 week window where most babies are born.

But now that I am 11 days past that date, I am getting pretty frustrated.  I was really hoping that she would get here just a couple of days after her due date.  My parents both flew in 2 days after that day, so I was hoping that nothing would happen until they got here.  Now, my Dad has already had to extend his trip another week, since we weren't going to let him leave without meeting our baby girl!  My Mom is here until we buy her a return ticket.  They've been really good at trying to keep me occupied with other things, but it's starting to get tough.

At this point, I am going to the hospital every 3 days for Non Stress Tests.  Our baby is doing quite well at each of these.  Her heart rate is steady, my blood pressure is perfect.  She just doesn't seem ready to come on out.  So now, I find myself being one of those people that I didn't want to me.  Wishing and hoping that this baby will get here soon and feeling semi-miserable waiting.  Physically, I feel pretty damn good.  Emotionally, I am about to lose my mind.  I've seen 2 of my friends have their babies while I am still waiting.  They were both due after my date.  I am heading toward an induction date on Monday, and I am dreading that.  I know that each intervention that I have is going to make the natural birth that I want to have more difficult.  I know that induction can take time, it's not immediate.  I just am REALLY hoping that this baby is going to come on her own this weekend.  Tomorrow's a full moon, so here's hoping!


How did you feel once you got past your due date?  Were you discouraged about being induced?