@cedarwoman, that's the part that gives me a serious case of nerves too, thinking about falling asleep next to that tiny newborn for the first time! Really interesting insight about the contractions as well.
@montessorimama, it's definitely time for me to start communicating very clearly to all parties involved what I want and need...
I'm worried about a possible UC...my active labor went VERY quickly last time until I got an epidural @ 7-8 cm at which time labor stalled for 12 hours at 9 cm. Well, I learned my lesson and do not plan on any interventions this time. I'm worried because we have a 2 yr old that needs to be cared for and we have no family close by (like within 3 hrs) or any close friends that do not work full time. In addition to getting him somewhere, we also have at least a 35 minute ride to the hospital birth center. Giving birth in the car in January is not my idea of a good time. We are planning a hypnobirth and I've tried to rid myself of these fears/worries....baby will come when he is meant to come. Plus, everyone has told me that hypnobirth and routine chiro speed up labor so we may have very little time. Hopefully my mom will be here when I go into labor so we won't have to worry about anything but the car ride. It could also possibly snow here. There just seems like so many more details to settle before we can even leave for the hospital.
I'm getting a bit freaked out that this baby's going to be EARLY... it has been dropping steadily and now its bum is usually 3-4 fingers above my belly button. MW couldn't even feel the baby's head at the 34 week appt it was so far down! I know this is normal for first babies... is it normal for them to be so LOW already? The BH contractions don't help, had them all night last night and they finally gave up this morning, I was thisclose to calling the MW at 3am when I went to go #2... though the baby was literally going to fall out the pressure was so intense. I'll be 35 weeks on Tuesday, and the thought of only having a few weeks to get everything together potentially is really overwhelming. I feel so unprepared, we are still "moving in" to our new place, I have a couple of exams left to go and I don't even have enough diapers!
yes, it's normal for first babies to drop that early.
Wow cedarwoman, what did your MW have to say about your experience? Maybe it would be helpful to you to spend the next week or so prioritizing getting all of baby's bare necessities ready to go. That way you have that peace of mind that you are mostly ready for baby at least.
She was pretty chill about it! They've always maintained "call if BH contractions get regular/won't go away after an hour or if you notice blood/change in vaginal mucous"... (It seems to take quite a bit to ruffle the feathers of these women, sometimes reassuring, sometimes I think "are you SURE this isn't a BIG DEAL?")
I would LOVE to spend the week doing baby stuff, but it will have to wait until the weekend. I have all of my final papers due this week :P
I actually went for a walk in the unseasonably warm (well, 10c) sun and I feel MUCH better. I also talked to my mom who essentially said she's at the ready to trek out here as soon as I'm in labour, and if there's anything that I haven't done yet she'll "take care of it" (If I'm half the mom this woman is, I'll be just fine)
cedarwoman, my baby has just recently dropped, too...like, yesterday. All of a sudden, the pelvic pressure is MUCH stronger, and when my husband tried to find my pubic bone to measure my fundal height, he thought baby's head was my bone--that's how low baby is now!! And now I'm measuring a couple cm's less than I was a few days ago because baby has dropped so much. I won't be 34 weeks til Thursday. It *is* normal, but I understand that it can be a bit freaky.
Also, I've been having pressure waves (BH's, contractions, whatever you'd like to call them) every day since 24 weeks, and they have gotten more frequent and stronger (but never in a preterm labor pattern...I'm not worried about that at all) in the past two weeks. I just bought a powdered calcium-magnesium-potassium supplement (the most widely recommended brand is Natural Vitality's CALM, but I bought Ionic Fizz) for my restless leg syndrome and it has definitely helped with my intense nighttime pressure waves, too. I take it between dinner and bedtime. Maybe something to look into?
Lately, I have also been feeling this baby will be a 38-39 weeker...but who knows...with my luck, I'll probably go over 42. 
Hmm maybe I should take some extra of mine... I have a liquid form that I love and works for RLS but I usually take it "as needed" - might be time to make it a more regular thing!
I'm glad to hear someone else is in the same boat in some ways, makes me feel less worried so thank you for sharing...
We are also now thinking 38-9 weeks, but I'm trying not to get too attached to that idea!
The New York Times recently posted an article about waiting to clamp the umbilical cord. Its fun to watch natural practices go mainstream: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/health/research/delay-in-clamping-umbilical-cord-has-benefits-months-later.html?src=recg
I'm 32.5 weeks and my baby dropped a little...enough to let me take a deep breath again. AAhhh!
The New York Times recently posted an article about waiting to clamp the umbilical cord. Its fun to watch natural practices go mainstream: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/health/research/delay-in-clamping-umbilical-cord-has-benefits-months-later.html?src=recg
Nice! At work yesterday, one of my assistants said she was watching "Sister Wives" which I've never seen...but one of the moms had a baby and they left the cord attached until the placenta was delivered. She thought it was so weird. I said "oh yeah, that's what you're supposed to do...that's what we'll do. That way the baby gets all the cord blood, O2, stem cells, etc". She is a young mom...about 22 with a 2 yr old who had a intervention filled hospital birth. She likes to listen to all my "weird" ways and is pretty receptive to it. She said it makes perfect sense and wondered why they didn't do that for her. Another of the young moms I work with told me that she wants to breastfeed next time...up to 2 yrs! She also said that she'd never circ a baby boy after seeing it done in nursing school. I'm very open about the way we do things without being judgemental of other's ways. It's so nice to see how far a little education can go. Most of these really young moms have never heard it any other way. 
Follow Mothering