Update: Week 40

Had my regular weekly appointment today. No change from last week in dilation or effacement. We are set to induce labor on Friday morning. We have to be at the hospital by 6 am. I'm really nervous about it now, but glad that she will be here in less than 48 hours. I am glad that my doctor will be there. Well I guess by Sunday we'll be at home with a baby!

Baby’s due date: December 25, Christmas Day

Well, we had a very eventful Christmas, but it did not involve the baby being born. I woke up on Christmas morning at about 1:30am, very sick. I had violent vomiting and barely made it to the bathroom. I’ve never throw up like that before, my whole body was convulsing and shaking. After the first time I left better, and went back to slept. But it wasn’t over. Over the next few hours I was sick again and then the diarrhea started. After about 4 hours of this Tony called the doctor on call and she told us to go ahead and go to the hospital, so they could monitor the baby and give me fluids.

We got there about 6am, and checked in. I was still really sick, but the baby was still doing fine. They strapped two monitors around my waist. The baby’s heartbeat was very good, in the 150’s. They could also tell that I was having very minor contractions. I had wondered about that, because my stomach had been hurting so bad. I just didn’t know if it was contractions or from being sick. These contractions were only lasting about 10-15 seconds, and occurring about every 20-25 minutes. They were probably brought on by my vomiting. I still can’t believe how sick I was and that it didn’t cause my water to break. Once I stopped vomiting the contractions stopped.

I tried some jello and Gatorade, but was not able to keep it down. So they had to give me an IV with fluids and some anti-nausea medicine – Phenergan. I’ve had the Phenergan before, it puts me to sleep like magic. This was at about 8am, and I slept until almost 11. Then I tried more Gatorade, and was able to keep it down. So they let us go home about 11:30am. Then I slept the rest of Christmas day and night. Not exactly what I had in mind for Christmas. I am feeling better today, just really tired. I either had food poisoning or a virus, we don't know what it was. But Tony never got it, thankfully. He was the best in taking care of me and fielding all the calls from family.

This afternoon I go back to my doctor for my regular weekly checkup. Hopefully she will still agree to induce labor on Friday.

Update: Week 39

Still here. Still waiting on baby to arrive. Yesterday was my weekly appointment. I'm dilated to 5cm, and almost 100% effaced. No weight gain from last week, thankfully! The baby's still doing good, strong heartbeat in the 140's. But she really has not dropped significantly. And I guess that she may not, this might be one of those times when you really need the contractions to move the baby down.

We scheduled induction for the 28th, in case she doesn't arrive on her own before then. I was worried about that, because trying to induce can cause other problems and it can fail. But my doctor said that since I've progressed so far on my own, that I shouldn't have any issues like that. It's when you try to induce when you aren't dilated or effaced that it can fail. But all I'm lacking is contractions to get this baby moving, so if we do have to induce she said that I'd have the baby within 12 hours. But she also said that she doesn't think I will make it to the 28th since I've been progressing so steadily on my own over the past 3 weeks. Maybe she will arrive right on time? Her time that is, my time for her arrival has definitely past!

So within the next 8 days we will have our baby girl! It feels very good to have an end date. Tomorrow is my last day at work too. We really don't have any plans for the weekend, just more waiting. I am still getting a few things done, there is always something you know. But the bags are all packed and in the car, the baby's room is ready, everything major is in place.

38 weeks & 5 days

Here's me on December 15, at 38 weeks and 5 days. Not the best picture, it's from my cell phone.

Update: Week 38

I am really dragging this week. Yesterday was my weekly doctor appointment. I've dilated another centimeter to 4cm, and I am 90% effaced. And the baby has dropped a few centimeters, according to the doctor's measurements, but I can't tell because I've had more difficultly breathing this week than ever. But I guess that makes sense, I'm exhausted, she's only getting bigger, and even if she is moving down some she is still taking up a lot of room.

But without contractions these little steps of progress it don't mean a whole lot! Basically the baby could arrive tomorrow or any time over the next two weeks, meaning that we could go past the due date. We are just waiting on whatever it is that triggers labor to happen. Funny that we still don't know exactly what that is with all the advances in science and medicine.

But it is good in way because the dilation is progress that I won't have to make during labor when I'm contracting. So it's kind of a little head start for me. But it doesn't necessarily mean that labor will be shorter or anything. Also, it's good that she is dropping, because if you start contracting and the baby is still high, then you basically have to wait for the contractions to move her down that much further. So again, it's a little head start that she's moving down before labor starts.

So we are just waiting. My next appointment is the 19th, and then after that if she is still not here, I'll see my doctor again on the 24th. At that point, we'll discuss options for if I do go past the due date (25th). She's already said that she will want to induce within 7 days. So at my appointment on the 24th we'll discuss when I would want to come in for inducement. But hopefully that won't be necessary, and she will arrive by the end of this weekend!

I wish this was my last week of work, but I've said that I would work until the 21st. I am just so tired, went to bed last night at 8pm!

Baby Face

A couple of nights ago I dreamt that I saw our baby's face. She was so tiny! A cute round face with round cheeks, lots of dark hair, the deepest blue eyes, and a sweet smile on her lips! Well soon I guess we'll find out exactly what she looks like! Two weeks and one day until Christmas and the due date, but I really hope and believe that she arrives by this weekend!

Update: Week 37

The baby is now officially full-term! Had my weekly appointment yesterday. Everything is great, my doctor says that I'm having a text-book normal pregnancy. I've dilated a bit more to a total of 3cm. The baby's still head down but she has not dropped yet. I only had a slight weight gain since last week, just 1 pound.