Counting the hours until we meet
Yes, I’m still pregnant. Thanks for asking.
It’s been a bit of an emotional day for me as I really didn’t want to have to walk back into the doctor’s office with a baby still on the inside versus outside of me. I had been given the approval to go to my due date (which is Tuesday officially, so I still have a few hours) but no one was quite sure if I’d be allowed to go past it.
I brought Rich with me for moral support. I’m not sure if I have a note in my chart now (WARNING: May burst into tears! Ixnay mentioning the ueday ateday!) or if bringing the 6’5″ dude with me helped, but everyone there was super nice to me and treated me with kid gloves.
Baby boy has a great heart rate, plenty of amniotic fluid, good movements, lots of hiccups and a mommy with stellar blood pressure (seriously – 120/77). But he still hasn’t made any motions to come out quite yet.
I’m still 80% effaced and 1cm dilated but not much more than that. The baby has dropped quite a bit, though, so all those squats have been helping. Dr. D did a bit more “encouraging” of my cervix to dilate so we’ll see what happens.
My OB obviously has been rooting for me to go into labor on my own this past week. And she obviously is doing everything she can to give me the birth I want without chemicals or surgery. But the longer he stays in there, the larger he gets and the more concerned she gets.
I’ve been given the go ahead to stay pregnant for another week until my appointment next Monday. If at that point he hasn’t dropped significantly more, I’m not more dilated and we still don’t have a baby in our arms, we will cross the bridge on what to do next. I’m hoping that isn’t the bridge to Cesarean Mountain without at least trying over the one to Induction Valley, but I’m trying not to think about that yet and focus on the seven days I have before then.
So light a candle, say a prayer, sacrifice a chicken, spit over your shoulder or do whatever else you can to convince our son he wants to come out this week. Rich and I are doing our parts as Operation Squat, Walk and Screw continues apace. Wish us all luck!
I’m going to light a chicken and spit on the fire truck, just for you. Hang-…not tight. Hang loooooose.
“Operation Squat, Walk and Screw” Now that’s a triathalon that sounds worthwhile.
I, too, like the sounds of those events. Well-minus the squatting part. Or, okay, the walking too. I am glad that your OB is so willing to try to allow things to come about naturally; I hope it works out that you go into labor all on your own and no other interventions are necessary. And if that isn’t the case, with hope you feel like you were heard and did the best you could.
I’m happy that your doctor and health care team in general has heard you. Crossing bridges one at a time is a good way to go about all of this… He’ll be here shortly… one way or another. Try not to worry; he’s on his way, he’s just enjoying the comforts of home for as long as possible!
Oh my goodness. I am cracking up over here. You have the most fabulous moments of pragmatism in your writing sometimes– Operation Squat, Walk and Screw. Love it. And I remember having that assignment myself. There are worse kinds of homework. . .