If you go by the due date the midwife has on file - December 31 - I'm officially 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant. Never in a million years would I have guessed I'd still be pregnant this far in with no real signs of labour even approaching. I had my last appointment with Pooja this morning, well last meaning the last one before I'm officially overdue, and she genuinely can't figure out how I haven't had this baby yet. I asked for yet another stretch-and-sweep and Pooja sheepishly told me that she couldn't do a stretch because my cervix is already *that* stretchy. I'm sitting around 3-4cm but she could get me to 6. I didn't even feel any tugging or cramping at all when she was digging around. My cervix is 75% effaced and the baby is at -1 station so his head is still floating around a little but he's moved down since last week when he was at -2. My membranes are bulging and I joked with her not to break my water. She said it's happened before during an internal exam (not to her). Even though the membrane is quite strong, mine are receiving a lot of pressure from the baby so they could go at any time. Well, come on already!!
Sadly, we had to have the talk about what we do if I go overdue. I have yet another appointment on Tuesday morning next week if baby still hasn't come and at that point we'll basically book me in to the hospital. If I go into labour on my own before next weekend we can still do the homebirth but if I get to next weekend and still nothing, they'll do an ultrasound and NST and then likely I'll get admitted and they'll break my water. The only reason that would be done in the hospital is because of the higher risk of meconium in overdue babies. I wouldn't be able to have a homebirth if there was meconium and with my body seemingly being so ready for labour, potentially I wouldn't have much of a chance to get to the hospital if my water were to be artificially ruptured here and there was meconium in it. I think I'd feel more comfortable at the hospital given the risks of going overdue. I'd still have a drug-free birth, of course, but with the benefits of a team of doctors for baby.
So, that's the news of the day. I wish it was something more to the effect of: I'M IN LABOUR!!!!!!!
3 comments:
It's classic "3rd kid stubborness"! That's what it is! I had 3 false alarms with Pierce (resulting in hospital visit and everything). You would think by the 3rd kid I would know what labour was. Well, Pierce was messing with me even before he was born, and (unfortuanately for me) that part of his personality hasn't changed one bit!
Lacia, more than one midwife has told me that the third child is always the one that 'humbles' the mother. Whether it be a long, difficult labour when the first 2 were relatively easy, or a late baby, or whatever. I don't mind going a little overdue as long as it's quick!!
It's nice to know that an experienced mom like you had false alarms too. I don't think labour is ever the same twice even though my grandma swears it is!
He just wants to be the first baby of the new year... either way, I'm hoping for a safe, quick & healthy delivery for Mom & Baby!
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