I'm 39 weeks pregnant. Full term and dancing for joy. Soon enough I will meet my little girl. 12 days being the most time because at 5am on March 23rd I will be induced if I do not go into labor in my own. I'm really hoping I don't have to be induced this time. This is most likely the last pregnancy I will experience and I would love to know what it feels like to go into labor sponaniously. To all the sudden be in labor! It's such an exciting thought. Even though I had a very smooth induction last time and it was nice to wear makeup and plan it all out so thoughtfully. There's something magical about the idea of all the sudden it being go time. I know most women labor at home during the early portion and it can be hours. We shall see how it all goes. So far on my March baby board only 3 out of the 12 babies born have come spontaneously. All the others were induced for either medical reasons or post dates. It's kind of nuts if you think about it but it's the way of the world these days. if I were not so concerned about the placenta and my age I would beg to be allowed to wait but I've heard both sides and it seems like going more than a week overdue wouldn't be wise so I will be induced if need be.
Here is the part where I get graphic about labor signs so now is your chance to either stop reading or continue on knowing you've beem warned.
Unlike with my son where the signs were few and far between this time I'm having a lot of labor signs. After my first check at 37 and a half weeks where I was 60% effaced, 3cm dilated externally and 1cm internally I lost bits of mucus plug and had some cramping immediately. Although I do believe my plug regenerated I was also a 4 externally, a 3 internally and 75% effaced by the time my next doctors appointment came at 38 and a half weeks so clearly things had been happening. The doctor said I have a very favorable cervix. Nice and soft, very dilated and effaced. Her biggest concern was baby's positon. At the time of my last appointment baby was head down but she was turned sunny side up. This means her face was facing my front instead of my back as it should. This position can cause intensely painful back labor and make it very difficult for the baby to drop into the birth canal. I've been doing a lot of exercisea such as inversions and widening my pelvic stance in order to hopefully turn her around. This morning I have a doctors appointment and I'm hoping she has turned. I have no idea. Sometimes I worry I am making it worse not better. Another strange but coon thing about second time pregnancy is that baby doesn't drop until labor is imminent. For this reason I'm told many women can't really turn their babies until they are already in labor with second time and I'm also told many do turn once labor starts. I've also heard stories of women delivering sunny side up babies vaginally with no problem. The pain scares me and so does the idea of vacuum or forceps or c section. Hopefully none of those will be necessary. Another development in my labor progress is that I started losing a lot of plug again Monday. This time it was blood tinged and a lot more than last time. It also didn't coincide immediatly with my cervical checks so I feel that it might be more of a genuine sign that things are moving. I also have had some nausea and looser bowel movements. A lot of cramping and back pain. Not a lot of Braxton hicks which is funny because I've had so many during this pregnancy but I did have a few here and there. We shall see at my appointment today of any of this has made me progress further. Right now it's a crap shoot because I've heard of a lot of women losing big pits of plug and still not going into labor for a week or longer. In any case I know it will be soon.
I finally put together the bassinet, packed bags for myself, baby, and my son. My friends and mother are on high alert and my mother in law will be here in 3 days. I would be seriously shocked if this baby came before her due date. Even with all the signs I still expect to go over and yeah I'll probably make it to that induction. If I do it will be hard on my physically. My body really aches these days and I feel tired from not sleeping well. And yet I will also enjoy more time to go out and do things. It's supposed to rain a lot in the coming days but it will still be mild temperatures. I want to go on little lunch and play dates with my son. I want to sleep more than two hours uninterrupted. I want to go on a date with my husband. I want to get my place cleaned up and stocked with food. There are things to do with this time. So I'll try to be wise about it. I'm not able to sleep more than 5 or 6 hours a night lately but I am resting when I can and savoring what I can. I'm also trying to soak in pregnancy. To appreciate this big round belly and the kicks and the doctors appointments and all the fun and specialness. My sister is pregnant for the first time right now and I'm so excited for her! I love watching her experience it and I am glad that we get to be pregnant together but also glad that soon I will be done and pregnancy will be hers and hers alone for a while. She is due the same day as my son was with a sweet baby girl. It's just wonderful. I think I will feel relieved and happy to have my body back and no longer be in her position but also joyous and nostalgic in watching her go through it all. And about 5 months after I have my daughter she will have hers which will also be exciting. And that's the other ridiculously exciting thing about all this, and really the crux. I will get to meet this sweet person residing in my uterus. I will be able to kiss her and smell her and gaze upon her. I wonder what she will look like, what she will be like. I wonder how she and her brother will get along. It's all a bit intimidating but also an exciting adventure. When they first put her on my chest how will I feel. With my son I was in such an epidural haze and it was so surreal. He was such a funny little stranger. Then the love starts gushing from your heart.
Above all sweet baby girl please get here safe and healthy. You have a wonderful family awaiting you. We can't wait for you to join the tribe.
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