Tomorrow is 40 weeks and little girl is still snuggled in tightly. She has no visions of going towards the light yet.
The pain I feel in my pelvis is incredible. When she moves, I feel like my pelvis on the back side is literally breaking. During dinner last night, she was so mobile that I was doubled over in back pain and ended up not being able to eat my dinner. I don't know why the pain is so bad there when she moves, but generally, the later in the day, the worse the pain gets which makes for some terrible sleeping. I finally got to bed just after midnight only to be woken up with tailbone burning and pain -- that is a new addition.
So today is not 40 weeks -- tomorrow is. But at this rate, I might not get out of pajamas and put real clothes on. Even putting on pants/underwear/shoes is a struggle. Cleaning the house? Non-Existent. Surprised my family hasn't formed a mutiny. Food for them -- I have been still preparing it but I struggle with that too. Standing for long periods has me exhausted. I wanted to go to bed at 6 last night - but yet when I got into bed, couldn't sleep. Its a vicious, sleepless cycle. I need my body to get in tune with the fact that I don't need to be acclimated to exhaustion -- I am not raising this baby. So if it could get on board with me getting a little sleep so I am well rested for delivery, that would be fantastic.
So here is my 40wk belly shot -- hoping this is the last one besides the hospital photo -- I don't want a 41 week belly photo.
This morning we all met at the doctor's office at 0730. My doctor so kindly came in after she had just completed a 12 hour labor and delivery shift and saw us. She played a little show and tell of things you might see on the L&D deck (vacuum, Intrauterine Contraction Monitor, Internal Fetal Monitor) and told the guys about different things to expect from spontaneous onset of labor to what an induction might look like and of course we talked about cesarean. Our doctor was clear that she didn't think we would need a cesarean -- but like we always do with our clients, it is better to talk in advance than to talk in the moment of. We all got a chance to ask questions and really let them get an in depth idea of what to expect. We talked about birth wishes ...
Then we had an ultrasound to make sure little bug was still head down. Yep. She checked her fluid to make sure that was all safe -- 2.3 and it needed to be more than 2. And she checked her heart rate -- 140s. She also said she is not great at guessing weights but felt like baby is not a 9lb baby -- she guesses around 8lbs right now.
After all of that was done and questions were answered, the guys went on their way and she did a cervical exam on me as well as took another GBS test sample to send to the lab. Nothing to report in the cervix. Not much change -- still around 2 cm, not effaced and she says that her head is not that low. Which is unfortunate knowing that all of this pain I am having in my pelvis is not from an engaged baby head -- so that means the pain could get worse. She also attempted to strip my membranes but again, my cervix is always very posterior (even during labor) and it is hard to reach it. Kinda felt defeated walking out of that office knowing that nothing has changed. No progress. But the doula in me also knows that at any moment, my body could go into labor and all of the progress happen then.....
So what did we learn today? What to expect. Expect the unexpected. And if baby is not here by April 12, we will induce -- May be with foley bulb but our doctor said most likely, since I have had 4 babies vaginally before that we would start with pitocin because my cervix isn't unfavorable -- we know that my body knows what to do when exposed to pitocin.
So a long winded update to say .... We wait.
