-
Had my 39 week appointment this morning. Baby's head has popped out of my pelvis again (was floating at 37 weeks, was partially engaged at 38 weeks and is back out again this week).
Based on all the reading I've done, this is fairly inconsequential at this point, but I'm going to continue doing all that I've been doing to get baby engaged (hands and knees, sitting with wide knees and leaning forward, using the birth ball etc.). I think baby pops in and out, as some days I have serious crotch lightening, and other days nothing.
-
Hows everyone holding up? Here are my deep thoughts for the day....followed by a question for you all to help me with
I wish I was a person who really loved being pregnant, but if I'm being honest- It hasn't been great. And I know I have had an easy pregnancy!
I love feeling the baby move, its incredible to feel so much love for something that I only know through nudges and bumps & a few ultrasound pics. I have also experienced a deepening of my love for my husband- and feeling so close to him / experiencing this with him has been really special.
But man- I cannot wait to have my body to myself again. Part of the problem has been that I had some pretty terrible anxiety- but I just haven't felt like myself. And feeling awkward and big and puffy and uncomfortable has been difficult. It took a long time to feel comfortable in my skin, and to have it change so quickly has been really hard on me.
Those are my reflections as this journey comes to an end. I cannot wait to meet my baby.
I haven't had an internal checks, but I think I'm going to ask them to check me next week at my appointment (will be 38+4).
The appointment after that will be at 39+3 and I think I may ask them to strip my membranes if my cervix is favorable for that.
Part of me feels a little selfish about trying to do something like that before my due date- but I talked to a co-worker who used the same provider, and she said they were supportive of her choice and that it really worked well for her.I don't know- what do you guys think? I mean, I know that stripping membranes doesn't always work. And I know that the baby will come eventually, and at that point its likely only a week and a half that I would have to wait (at the most). And I know that these final days are important for baby's brain development.
But I feel so ready to get this going! Is that terrible?
-
Welcome Ella
Babies born!
Mrs Blue: Finn & Elliott born March 11
Jaguar: Georgia Elizabeth born March 30
Blackbird: Ella born April 5Waiting to meet...
Cheert16-E.D.D. March 30, baby boy (no induction yet)
AprilFool - E.D.D. April 1st, girl
Pumpkin Spice - Scheduled induction, April 8, girl
SSLM - E.D.D. April 9, girl
HerGreenApples - E.D.D. April 9, team Green
silvie_b - E.D.D April 17, boy
Silva - E.D.D. April 20, team Green
Bpaig - E.D.D. April 20, boy
Autumnlove - Scheduled c-section 4/29 (EDD 5/2), girl
nycbee - E.D.D. April 25, girl -
Had my last OB appt at 37 weeks. We are still to be induced on Monday at 6am. I am 3cm dilated and 60% effaced. Dr was able to rub the babies head that's how low and engaged she is. I'm a bit miserable but we only have two more days until she's here!
-
Silva, I was favorable for a membrane sweep (overdue though) and it totally got the rolling. I was having steady contractions Wednesday(30 seconds long and 8 min apart) most of the day. By the time they induced me Thursday, my body was quite ready and I ended up with only one dose of the induction med (cytotec) instead of 3 over 12 hours. It's a pretty minor boost I think-if it works, great! If not, oh well. If it's gonna work, my doc said it would within 24 hours
So I know it's not even been a day, but I'm already starting to feel like myself again. Just having her out, I guess. All my sciatic pain is gone, i can eat comfortably, etc. Such a big difference, so hang in there
And @hergreenapples, I 100% attribute Crossfit to making the 2.5 hours of pushing relative cake
time consuming but certainly didn't wear me the heck out like it would've otherwise. I was sleepy tired post labor (1 hour of sleep and all) but my body is not as fatigued as I expected. Weak from the epi and sitting in bed so much (my right leg took 12+ hours to totally wear off!) but overall far far better than I expected to fare.not to mention the mental aspect of "I've been doing this for an hour and have a ways to go" digging deep
-
@blackbird: that is very helpful, thank you! And congrats again- sounds like things are going really well!
-
@Silva: I am 41 weeks and still and not favorable for induction or membrane sweep- all has to do with how ready you are. I wish I had started getting cervical checks earlier as I was super disappointed when at 40 weeks I found out nothing was happening!
@Pumpkinspice: yay!! You are so close- send some of that good baby vibes my way!! At this rate he is never coming!!
@blackbird: glad to hear your labor went so well!! I am still waiting for anything to happen!! Your little girl is so cute! -
@blackbird: So glad to hear that! When people at the gym make comments like, "I can't believe you're still coming to the gym," I really want to respond with, "I'm TRAINING for labour!"
Off to my last pre-baby pedicure. Hope everyone has a lovely Saturday!
-
@Pumpkinspice: so close!! Hope you're enjoying your last weekend without a newborn
@blackbird: so glad you're already feeling like yourself. I can't wait for that! Hope little Ella is doing well
DH and I are majorly nesting this weekend. We cleared out our closet and have about 3 bags full of clothes to donate and so much more closet and drawer space
Our neighbors lent us their bassinet so we have that set up in the corner of our room. The nursery just needs a little tidying, we have been given a few more things since I last did baby laundry. I also bought a crib mattress cover that needs to go on!
Hard to believe this could be our last weekend as a twosome!!!! (I am, however, feeling extremely pessimistic and thinking she's not making her appearance any time soon...)
-
@hergreenapples: oooo! Enjoy the pedicure! I think I might book one for our due date
-
@sslm: eeek! I'm so excited for you!!!
-
@sslm: the lady who gave me my pedicure was CONVINCED I was hurting the baby by using the massage chair. I said, "Listen, if it were to miraculously induce labour I would be okay with that!"
I hear you on not expecting baby to arrive any time soon. I have no evidence tht anything is imminent. At my 40 week appointment my midwife will talk about post-dates management.....hmph.
-
@blackbird: congrats! Love seeing all the April babies starting to arrive!
-
Holy crap I'm only going to be pregnant one more day!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
-
Yay yay yay more April babies coming!!!
Grab one of the hospital bed protective pads, ladies....even with gigantic pads, it's easy to bleed on the bed. Use it to protect your bed or couch for sure!
So I don't want to write a whole new thread for this, but now I am SO grateful I was induced when I was. Ella ha pulmonary hypertension and they said it was likely due to some placenta breaking down (which my doc was concerned about-I guess after 39 weeks, it can get less efficient), so she has to stay in the special care nursery for a few more days, so we can't take her home with us tomorrow. We're both so sad! She's in a special bassinet and has all kinds of wires on her. But hopefully she isn't there for too long and doesn't need a transfer to another hospital to get a nitrous oxide flush. The pediatrician said that some babies don't make the transition from womb to real life right away and need a little help.
-
@blackbird: Congratulations on Ella honey! I'm sorry I was late. xx Hope her stay in special care is short and sweet.
-
You guys, we are HOME! After staying in the special care nursery for a week, Georgia came home with us at 8 days old. She is beautiful. We've had a lovely day together and I'm so thrilled she is here.
Having some issues with my boobs (holy painful engorgement, batman) but she's perfect. Even with the scary start, I wouldn't change a thing.
-
@blackbird: I hope you are all headed home soon. Sounds scary, but like you are in good hands
-
@jaguar: love thie pictures! Thank you for sharing!
-
41 weeks and I don't think this baby is ever coming.
@Silva: You can only ask the doctor and see what they say. I see nothing wrong with a membrane sweep at 39+3. If it's not favourable they won't do it.
@blackbird: How scary! Hoping Ella's stay is a short one and she is home with you soon.
@Pumpkinspice: Good luck today!!
@jaguar: So good to see you guys home and she is beautiful!
-
@jaguar: she is so precious! So happy you're all home now
@AprilFool: I hope baby comes soon!!!
-
@jaguar: She is way too cute! Glad you guys are home and enjoying life as a family of three
@blackbird: Sorry to hear about the complications baby E has encountered. I hope everything gets taken care of quickly and she can come home soon.
@AprilFool: Come on, baby! How are you feeling? What's your doctor saying in terms of next steps?
@sslm: Can you believe we're due TOMORROW??? I definitely can't. I also am about 99% certain this baby won't be coming for awhile yet. How are things with you?
-
@hergreenapples: I cannot believe it!!!! I feel the same though, nothing happening here. I feel like I'll be at least a week late, just a gut feeling. It's a little frustrating not to have any signs!!!!!!!
-
Hey ladies! So I went in again for an OB appt, and I'm at about 3cm dilated (and he could feel the baby's head!). He mentioned membrane stripping and inducing labor early, as I think he's being cautious about the baby's low weight (not sure if there's an underlying cause), and said delivery should be ok at this point b/c the baby's full term.
Before making any decisions, we want to see how the U/S goes tomorrow to see the weight gain progress which apparently has a large margin of error anyway, and that doesn't help with being definitive! The Dr. pointed out that the baby won't likely go from a worrisome percentile to a solid percentile, so the reason for inducing would still be there. Then we have another check-in on Thurs to see if I'm any more dilated (last week I was between 1-2 cm so I'm def. progressing).
I'm a bit torn between letting her hang out longer and having her out. Will need to discuss a bit more with the dr on Thurs.
@silva - you speak so eloquently about what's been a tough process. appreciate you sharing that with us.
my coworker asked her dr to induce as well b/c she was pretty much ready for the baby to come out. i don't think it's selfish, esp since you're so close to your due date!@sslm - you're so organized! glad to hear you got so much done this past weekend. you must be in such a state of anticipation.
@jaguar - LOVE the pics!! Your baby is so precious.
It's so crazy to think that you're now part of the mom crew! Hope you are having a blast with Georgia. @blackbird - it's great to hear what it's like "on the other side" and glad to hear it's good that you feel like yourself again. sorry to hear about ella not being able to come home right away. you must be dying to be with her! hope her stay in the hospital is short!!
@cheert - so sorry to hear about you not being favorable for induction or membrane sweep! sheesh - 41 weeks must be feeling like an eternity for you!
@aprilfool - hang in there! i hope things start percolating for you down there soon!
-
Hi ladies! So many of you are sooo close! I'm so excited to hear how it all goes!
Ella's doing a little better. They changed her cannula type and she is eating more. They said it can take a bit for the blood vessels to relax, so we're just waiting as patiently as we can! This special care nursery was redone about a month ago and it's so nice to have private rooms!
-
@blackbird: So glad Ella is doing well. Those special care nurses are worth their weight in gold - well, the good ones anyway. We went back for a follow up today - Georgia hasn't gained much weight, so we'll be back and forth for a while. Sending lots of love and hugs.
Guys, we need some more babies. I want to cluck at sweet newborn faces. Georgia has grown so much already. 10 days old already!
-
@sslm: Happy due date to us! Totally agree about it being frustrating not to have any signs. I have my 40 week midwife appointment tomorrow and we'll talk about postdates management then * le sigh *
@nycbee: Hope everything goes well at your appointment tomorrow. Do keep us posted!
@blackbird: Glad to hear baby Ella is doing better. I hope that she can come home really soon - must be very nice to have private rooms though...they definitely don't have that in our hospital.
@jaguar: Jag - those photos are really beautiful!
-
Just a quick update - baby boy arrived Saturday just before midnight, two full weeks early. Difficult labor as he got stuck in my pelvis on the way down, but managed to have him at home and he's worth it all. Dealing with lots of sucking issues as he is trying to learn how to nurse, but all in all, doing well.
-
@bpaig: Congratulations on the arrival of your baby boy!
40 weeks today and no end in sight.......
-
@blackbird: I'm glad she's doing better!!
@jaguar: Bah! So precious!!!
@bpaig: Congrats!!!!
@hergreenapples: Looking awesome though
-
@hergreenapples: I'm headed to my 40 week appointment soon! I guess we'll probably discuss that too. Boo. Everyone is starting to take guesses on when she'll come. My mom thinks Thursday, DH thinks Friday, and my sister thinks Saturday. I put my vote in for never... haha... or next Wednesday.
-
@sslm: My DH devastated me the other night when I asked when he thought the baby would come and he (based on zero medical knowledge) said, "I think you're going to have to be induced." I told him to keep his unhelpful comments to himself
Good luck at your appointment! From what I understand from discussing this very early on with my midwife, they will start with more conservative approaches (like stripping the membranes) before moving on to more natural induction methods like a Foley catheter. A pitocin induction would require a transfer of care.....hoping to avoid that one.
-
@bpaig: Congratulations on baby boy!
@hergreenapples: you look great! I have been continuing my giant, ridiculous pity party for myself- but try to remind myself of you & @sslm - you are both such models of patience and positivity!
baby has spun around and is posterior. I think it happened a couple nights ago- I felt a lot of crazy, weird, painful movement up against my pelvic bone, which I imagine was the head moving. I'm doing lots of hands & knees (I already sit on a yoga ball at work, always sleep on my left side, don't recline on the couch, etc). I know usually babies spin in labor, I'm just worried about it prolonging everything! (Again, with the pity party).
-
@hergreenapples: @sslm: I also wanted to ask....I know you guys both keep mentioning that "nothing is happening." Are you noticing any kind of cramping at all? Are you carrying any lower than you were?
I'm just wondering because I have some dull cramping several times a day (although none yet today), & it is often accompanied by cervical twinges (those lovely shooting pains). I'm just wondering if this is all sort of what it feels like to be this pregnant and I'm just a baby?
-
@Silva: aw thanks! I don't feel very patient! Glad I'm coming off as such though
I've had some cramping off and on but that's been happening since about 36 weeks and has meant nothing. Hope that doesn't burst your bubble too much, it can definitely be a good sign!!!!!!
-
Congrats bpaig!!!!
Jag those photos are precious!!! I can't wait to get Ella home for her newborn photos!! I love chunky babies. Gah so cute.
They dropped her IV fluids and oxygen down way low today, so hopefully her echo tomorrow shows some dilated blood vessels and we can take her home Thursday!!
-
@Silva: Hahahaha! I'm glad I at least convey the semblance of patience. In real life I'm a grumpity grump all the time lately. When people told me that last couple weeks were hard I always thought they meant physically but I'm discovering that, for me at least, it's the mental piece that's hard. Every morning I wake up wondering if today will be the day, and then I go to bed at night feeling kind of defeated when it isn't.
Sorry to hear your baby is posterior. Thankfully there's still time to move, but I understand it causing some anxiety.
As for the whole "nothing happening" thing, I guess it's mostly been prompted by being told at my 39 week appointment that the baby's head wasn't engaged at ALL (it had been a little engaged the previous week). I think it pops in and out of my pelvis, because some days I feel twinges all day long, and some days I feel nothing. My midwife doesn't do cervical checks until active labour, so I have no idea if I'm effaced/dilated at all, but I would kind of guess not.
The baby has not visibly dropped and I've had no other symptoms of imminent labour (e.g. loss of mucous plug, bloody show, strong BH contractions). Although, apparently my mother didn't have any of that either...she just woke up one day and was in labour.
So....who knows what's going on in there?! Evidently not me!
-
She is here! After all my complaining we went in labour about 6:30pm Monday night at 41 wks. After spending hours in the shower and bath we went to the hospital about 3:00 where I was a 5. She was born at 7:11am. I did it all completely natural and it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was having back labour and unlike the contractions that pain was always there. Towards the end when I wanted an epidural I knew I couldn't stand the wait or to get out of the tub so just had to keep going. She wouldn't rotate properly so came out slightly sidewise which meant she got stuck. Had to have a epi which turned into a pretty nasty tear so am sore and uncomfortable but she is so worth it. Utterly amazing!! I have never been more enamoured with anything in my life. I am in shock I think. We came home last night and our first night was pretty good. Am just waiting for her to wake up to feed now.
Anyway.... meet Harriet
-
@AprilFool: Congratulations! I absolutely love her name- its one of my favorites (husband vetoed it early on for us- boo).
she is beautiful! thanks for sharing
-
So many new babies!
April babies already here:
Mrs Blue: Finn & Elliott, born March 11
Jaguar: Georgia Elizabeth, born March 30
Blackbird: Ella, born April 5
BPAIG: Baby boy, born April 6
Pumpkin Spice: Anna, born April 8
April Fool: Harriet, born April 9Waiting to meet...
Cheert16-E.D.D. March 30, baby boy (no induction yet)
SSLM - E.D.D. April 9, girl
HerGreenApples - E.D.D. April 9, team Green
silvie_b - E.D.D April 17, boy
Silva - E.D.D. April 20, team Green
Autumnlove - Scheduled c-section 4/29 (EDD 5/2), girl
nycbee - E.D.D. April 25, girl
It's so crazy to think that you're now part of the mom crew! Hope you are having a blast with Georgia. 
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite2
1697 comments