PART 31, TRYING FOR ANOTHER BLOG SERIES
I’m sitting in the Safeway parking lot by my kids' school, getting a little writing in while I have some minutes to spare. I’m 39 weeks and 6 days today. I just left Kaiser's 40 week appointment, and started feeling contractions right when I got up from the table. So far I’ve had 4 in a row: 10 mins, 10 mins and 7 mins apart. Nothing to go crazy over, but worth noting. I haven’t told anyone yet. This has happened many times over the last few weeks, but not during the day that I can remember.
I’m excited. It would be fun to be picking the kids up as I’m starting early labor. This would be a perfect time of day in fact. I’m occupied. I will be home in 1.5 hours, which should be plenty of time before the intense part kicks in. I’d get to share the experience with the kiddos. And, I’d get to do labor and call my mom and doula at a reasonable time of day!
Again, it could just be poop cramps. It could be prodromal labor. It could go away and lead to nothing.
This is what my days consist of now. The rush of a contraction that will possibly lead to labor.
Everything went well in my Kaiser appointment. They scheduled my 41 week appointment and an NST, in case I go that far. They also suggested scheduling my induction if I know I have an end date in mind, which I don’t really, but I want to talk to Bee about. The OB I just saw said that the risks of meconium and fetal distress go way up after 42 weeks, and that it can be difficult to schedule an induction if you wait until the last minute.
Waiting for labor is like waiting to go on the most exciting, thrilling ride of my life.
Ok, the contractions seem to have subsided and I need to shop before getting Ella…. See! Nothing again. Good thing I didn’t notify Luc. He’s more on pins and needles than I am at this point!
My doula, Bee, just left after doing some more body work on me. How lovely to have someone come take care of me during this time- someone who cares about me and my baby, and knows ways to make me feel cared for.
Today she did cranial release work. I wasn’t expecting much from it, but, I felt quite a release afterwards. Funny because just this morning I was thinking about how my mom is very much in her head, and not so much in her body. I feel like I’m more attuned with my intuition and body than she is, but I know I can really rationalize and intellectualize things at times too. As Bee was working on my head, I felt this release of tension and/or need to be in my head- to let it all go, and to trust my body. A perfect prelude to labor.
It’s been so nice to have this week at home by myself, without work. I love my work, but not having to show up for anybody is a welcomed break. I have been cleaning the house, baking, going on walks, and doing some resting as well. I’m watching the Jeffrey Dahmer docuseries, which is probably the worst thing to ingest before baby! But at least I make sure to not watch it right before bed.
I think baby will come either this weekend, or Monday at the latest. That’s my prediction folks! We’ll see!
I’m still feeling fantastic and in no need of the many suggestions that people are offering on how to induce labor: spicy pizza, spicy hubby time, dates, raspberry leaf tea, etc. I’m happy right where baby and I are.
Ok, so it’s Sunday now- right before I post this. I’m 40 weeks and 2 days today. I’ll admit, I’m a little eager to get this done now. I haven’t been feeling much of anything in the last two days. Maybe a couple of contractions each day, but that’s it. So, I feel like I’m going backwards, even though I know I’m not.
I’m hoping that by this evening thinks start ramping up, and by the end of tomorrow we have our baby. But, yeah, who knows. And I still have time to spare.
If I don’t feel anything happening by tonight then I’m going to email my OB asking to get an induction scheduled for 42 weeks, because risks to baby go up dramatically after 42 weeks, and I want to have something in the books, just in case. I would be getting regular non-stress tests to makes sure baby's ok up until then, and may not end up using the induction even if I get there, but.... just in case, I want to have the option.
Let's hope for tonight. 10/10/22 sounds like a good birthday.