37 Weeks

Friday, 15 November 2013

How far along: 37 weeks (!!!)

How big baby is: Average is 6 ⅓ pounds and 19 inches long, but baby A is probably about 7 ½ pounds. The doc didn’t give me measurements yesterday at my appointment.

Baby is the size of: a baby… but apparently, also the size of a bunch of Swiss chard. Whatever. :)

Baby’s development: God is just putting the finishing touches on this sweet girl. Just a little more brain and lung development and she will be ready to leave my womb and join us in this great big world!

Mommy’s belly:

Baby’s movements: She is still super active. Yay!

Symptoms: Nothing new. Everything hurts, I waddle instead of walk, and I am hungry a lot.

Food cravings: Nothing specific. I’m still trying not to go overboard on sweets. It’s hard! And I want sweet tea... all the time.

Emotions: I’m doing pretty well. I have let a little fear creep in again this week. After our second pregnancy loss I started going to a support group which was very instrumental in my healing. I continued going through the following two losses and have even been a few times during this healthy pregnancy. However, most of the women there lost their babies at 37 weeks or later. So although statistically it’s not accurate, in my mind, 37-40 weeks is just as dangerous as the first trimester. I can’t help but feeling that my Ariana will be safer once she is finally out of my womb and in my arms. I know that I can’t think that way - it’s not helping anything. So I’m praying that God will calm my fears and keep my baby girl safe and healthy. I have to simply trust Him!

Sleep: I’m afraid to nap because it often means I don’t sleep as well or as long at night. So most days I don’t nap anymore. I am sleeping about 7-8 hours each night, waking at least once an hour to sore or numb legs. But the sleep I get is pretty good. I can’t complain.

Anything else: I have told myself during this entire pregnancy that I do not want to be induced this time around. With my first daughter, I was induced three days before my due date and it was a terrible experience. However, now that I’m nearing my due date, I’m getting so tempted to schedule an induction. I knew that would happen. So yesterday my doctor asked me what my plan was. I confessed to him that I am torn between wanting the baby out but not wanting a terrible labor experience again. He assured me that he would never induce a mommy for any reason whose body is not ready for labor. He said that a lot of my issues last time were most likely because I wasn’t dilated or effaced enough and I was a first time mom. We ended up deciding to schedule an induction since I can always cancel that but I can’t show up at 39 weeks and request one that hasn’t been scheduled.

He did check me today and I am pretty sure that he said that I’m 70% effaced and dilated to a 2. (He goes so fast sometimes that after he leaves I am thinking, did I hear that right?) He thinks I’ll be ready for an induction at 39 weeks if that’s what I decide I want. And he also said that if he checks me at 39 weeks and doesn’t think I’m ready, he won’t go ahead with the induction. He just won’t induce a mommy who isn’t ready. And that does put me more at ease with the idea.

Of course my brain is going back and forth. I know that the worst part of being induced last time was that I tried to do it without an epidural. Pitocin with no epidural is just ridiculous. Don’t ever try it. But I’m planning to get an epidural regardless this time, so I’m thinking that having a baby on December 1st sounds pretty good! In the meantime I’ll talk to my husband and pray about it and I know God will show me what to do.

What I am looking forward to: Having the baby!!! What else?!?  :)  A couple of nights ago my husband patted my belly and said longingly, “She needs to be out.” Of course I assumed his motives for wanting her out were different than mine - maybe he is tired of me being so tired and huge or something. But he said that he just really can’t wait to see her and hold her. It was so sweet! (If you know my man, you know he’s not very mushy. This was pretty unusual.) Even Penny is ready to meet this baby. Just a few more weeks and she’ll be here!!!