Daily check-in thread for 1/4

[zenma]

Since I'm up in the middle of the night, with contractions that subside as soon as I sit up... how's it going today?

With a due date one day away, and days of off/on contractions, I'm in limbo-land. My bag is packed for laborland, but I can't seem to catch a ride there I am learning patience and think the waiting isn't too awful so far.

I had a midwife appt yesterday. I see a group of CNMs who are awesome. They have one OB/GYN on staff, and yesterday was my day with her. She's ok, but it definitely more medicalized in her approach. Where some of the CNMs would be very positive about my declining a VE, she pressed me about why and tried to sell me on one. No thank you! (I can understand why some mamas opt for VEs, but I'm super shy of one, for a few reasons, and would especially have a hard time if I ended up with an accidental membrane stripping. Which I didn't even mention as a concern to her, because I knew it would feel like a point of debate/pride. I just said I didn't want to get my hopes up falsely - another true concern for me.)

Anyway... she's got the next three days off, I found out through chitchat, and that's a relief, because she won't be the one on call if I birth w/in the next three days. All the other midwives have been especially awesome this pregnancy, and have made statements that are clearly supportive of my decision making. We've had intelligent exchanges, and they've provided a lot of information in the way of informed consent that I wasn't even expecting. Even the OB/GYN has been helpful, and I feel like I'm going into this birth in a more powerful place than I was with dd.

My affirmations:
We have no need to hurry.
My dd will be well taken care of while I labor (I stole this from someone who posted yesterday - it took me awhile to realize that, despite my many laid plans, this has been my biggest concern and now it's time to trust all of those plans and my awesome support system.)

[To-Fu]

I'm also up a little late, and glad to see this thread. Hooray for Zenma!

Tomorrow (Saturday) I'll be full-term.

Really trying to hunker down and prepare my brain for what my body will just somehow know how to do.

Being a first-timer, I've read about all the signs of labor, but I'm still worried I won't recognize them or ever really be sure. I'm worried I won't get to have my peaceful home birth. And more than anything, I'm still paranoid that the baby won't make it out OK for some reason.

So, it's time for some affirmations (stolen from here):

I will have a strong and healthy baby
I trust my body to know how to birth this child
I am a strong and capable woman
My body knows how to birth my baby

[muttix2]

I am up entirely too late tonight. I have to run errands in the morning and can't get out of them, which means I have to get up at 8. It is 5:25 right now. But, I got the play yard tonight which is what the baby will be sleeping in next to my bed (the bassinet part) so I wanted to put it up. That lead to me needing to get some laundry done as I also finally found an outfit to take her home in. I still have more cleaning to do but I'm so tired and I know I need to sleep. Last night I was up so long that I felt like I was drunk today. I'm hoping that I can get my errands done quickly and then come home and get a quick nap before my appointment with my midwife.

[BeanyMama]

MW appt today. sleeping was on/off. feeling nesty!

[rosie29]

Good morning! I had an appt yesterday and learned that my GBS test was negative! Yay! I'm so glad I don't have to be on abx (I was + and on abx during DS's birth).

Affirmations: I have prepared my body, mind, and spirit for my baby's safe and healthy birth!

As I look forward to my baby's birth, I take one day at a time. I am calm. Whenever Baby is born, it will be the right time.

[Peacemamalove]

I am still here. Last night everytime I turned over or got up I had a BH : Of course I woke up this morning by having a horrible nightmare....and crying Hopefully I won't have anymore ....

Affirmations:



My body contains all the knowledge necessary to give birth to my baby.



Birth is a safe and wonderful experience.

[momonthebeach]

Good morning all! 39+ and nothing interesting to report. I feel like I may be here a very long time still (at least in the mind of someone who is 9 months pregnant!!)
Katie

[aaronsmom]

I'm having pretty strong contractions again today. Hopefully they'll go somewhere!!

[HardCoreMom]

well, many thanks to DH, i was able to exercise earlier in the night and actually got a decent amount of sleep. i feel pretty good today!

not sure what we will do today- my "to do" list is still pretty long, so i should pick away at that.

anyway, gotta get bfast on the table.

no exciting pregnancy symptoms to speak of. and i'm totally ok with that.

affirmation- my body knows what to do and when.

later,
hcm

[happymomma]

Zenma- had to laugh when you said you are all packed but can't catch a ride to laborland. My second was 11 days late and I felt like maybe I had missed the bus or something.

momonthebeach- I feel the same way! Maybe I am just in denial or something but I just don't feel close.

I'm here and happy. Back to my normal, non sick, giddy pregnant self. And very happy its Friday. I think I might pack a bag today, just for kicks, I've never packed a bag pre-labor before. Also wanting some brownies...mmm. (Weight gain what?) Um, need to finish off this mountain of laundry and would really like to get a few things for the babe this weekend. I have boobs and diapers so really I have everything I need but I saw a pack and play at Target with a high changing table on clearance so I would like to pick that up. I remember bending over to change #2 killed my back the first month or so until my muscles snapped back into consciousness. I was also thinking about getting a baby book for footprints in the hospital. I had one with the other two but I am ubber picky about baby books so it will involve a trip to Hallmark which means either duct taping the boys hands together or having dh watch them while I run in.

Yep, definitely giddy and talkative again.

[silkiemum]

Still pregnant, still really itchy... I'm 39 weeks tomorrow, and I'm slowly accepting that this babe has her own schedule. I'm losing gobs of birth cork, so I'm still hoping for a before-EDD arrival, but really, I will be happy as long as I am not induced like last time. I told my doc that if I were scheduled to be induced, I would run away and hide in a cave rather than go through it all again.

I'm a little bummed that because I am GBS+, I can't labour at home after my water breaking. And my doc is concerned that, as my "real" labour last time as so short (5 hours from 3cm to birth) I shouldn't be lingering anyway. So I will be fighting to have as natural a hospital birth as possible--and hoping that I won't get caught up in the "too long since ROM" trap and end up on pit.

My affirmation for today: My DD will not resent her new sibling, I will love this new babe as much as the last one, and I can handle having 2 children under 2.

I realised that the reality of being a family of four is freaking me out more than pushing this babe out. So I'm hoping to make peace with it so as not to inhibit labour.

Andrea in NS-- DD March 06, EDD 13 Jan 08

[KittyTheCat]

Still around, too. And I'm either 3 days overdue, or still have 3 days to go... Two options, both of which suck. I'm truly - truly - ready to have this baby.
Had another prenatal with the mw today, everything's fine and dandy, now all we have to do is wait (haha). Some veeeeeery mild contractions every now and then, but that's about it. Doesn't look like this baby will come out anytime soon... *grmbl*

zenma ~ Sending you lots of labour vibes so you'll get to avoid the stupid CNM. :
To-Fu ~ You'll know. Believe me.
zahirakids ~ Oh yes, the BH. Isn't it fun? Ugh.
silkiemum ~ Birth cork! *rofl* Made of win.

[SharonAnne]

Morning everyone

38 weeks, 2 days and I'm still here. Baby's head was really low at my appt last night, and my uterus was down to 36cm (it was at 37.5 last week). This morning, my belly is visibly lower, and I'm not getting any cervix shots/low movement. All this leads me to believe I've got a fully engaged head in there.

What a lovely thing to be able to breathe again :

Pretty nasty that I had to trade off the ability to walk for the ability to breathe, though :

I'm not really traditionally nesting right now. So far, I've been wanting to bake, bake, bake (DD and I made toffee the other night. It's yummy, but I didn't cook it quite long enough...so its color is off and it's a mite chewier than it should be ). Also, I'm really focused on getting things done at work (DH and I own our own business), I've been bringing things home with me, etc. And finally, majority of my nesting energy is going towards helping prepare DD and getting her all set up for sibling's arrival.

She seems to be looking forward to it so far. So different to be pregnant with a little girl to look after, too. My last pregnancy was just all about ME in my mind, but this one is so much more about her.

So, to those who are afraid they'll never know they're in labor: You'll know. I know how that sounds, and I hated hearing it too. I was always like "Fine, but HOW will I know?" : But really, you'll just KNOW. I knew from the first contraction with DD that I was in labor, even though my mw was like "Well, it might be early labor, or it might not be, it's too early to tell right now" I said "Get ready. I'm in labor." And I had backlabor, which is supposed to be harder to tell if it's real or not.

My best friend had prodromal labor for weeks....contractions for HOURS at a time, good strong regular contractions, that would just fizzle out. But she woke up one morning at 4:30 and said "I'm in labor!" : She just KNEW.

I wish I could explain it. But please trust yourself. You WILL know.

Okay, I need to get some office stuff done and then I'm thinking of going home early to get some home stuff done, if I can.

"Birth cork" nearly knocked me on my ass I was laughing so hard :

[Chavaleh]

happymomma: I'm thinking about picking up a Pack-N-Play too. It just seems really strange not owning anything other than my bed for the baby to sleep in. A neighbor is supposed to be loaning me her Amby Hammock but she hasn't brought it over yet. Anyone used one of those before?

SharonAnne: Just call it Toffamel! I'm sure it's delicious.

*vegetarians avert thine eyes*
I had a great night of sleep except that I had this elaborate dream about cooking fried chicken so I woke up this morning desperately wanting fried chicken and creamy pan gravy over rice. Not a chance on earth I'm going to be able to get that today. Dangit. I want the kind that you soak in buttermilk over night, coat in heavily seasoned flour then fry in an old cast iron pan. Good Southern food. Mmmmm. *sigh*

Anyway, no progress here. Anyone else have a giant bump on the side where baby is jabbing their feet out? I can practically grab hold of a foot sometimes. Cracks me up when I'm not squealing from it hurting.

[HardCoreMom]

chavelah, yes, i have that exact sensation/pain/delight of the foot out my side. i know the baby's head is down, but i can't for the life of me figure out how the baby is contorted in there. there's little "mama" in the way of feeling the baby (if ykwim), i just can't make sense out of the limbs that seem to poke me all over. and those jabs are getting REALLY painful. it's cute to feel the feet trying to stretch out all up in my ribcage, but sometimes it really hurts my already-extended uterus.

but on the other hand, feeling a little foot sticking all-up-in-my-peace is a neat little reminder that what i'm carrying in my womb is actually a little person and not just a gigantic brick.

hcm

[MrsAprilMay]

Morning everyone!

I'm excited to report I had some show this morning. I'm 39 weeks today. I know it could still be a while, but it's nice to know that things are progressing.

I called DH at work to tell him, and was instructed to go on bedrest so he doesn't miss the birth. Silly husband thinking that mere gravity can stop a baby when it's ready to be born.

Well, I'm off to eat pineapple and drink some RRL tea. Can't hurt, right?

BTW, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one up all night!

[leafwood]

Hi ladies! Officially 40wks1d today and we just got back from the MW. I was on the monitors for about 15m and the baby looks great. They caught a few contractions (so at least I know that they are really happening) and baby was fine. Still 80% effacted but almost dilated to 2cm. Baby's head is lower as well. MW told me I am "ripe" so I'm hoping for this weekend when she is on call. Had a great discussion about Hypnobirthing and she is so on board.

Dh is working from home today so we are planning to go out to lunch. I never left the house yesterday for my pedicure so I may try to get it today.

Mom is coming to spend the weekend so we are all looking forward to that. Planning to DTD tonight to try and get things going.

Hope everyone has a great day!!!

Affirmations:
I surrender my preconceived notions and accept that my labor and baby's birth will happen perfectly.
I trust my body. It is strong, healthy and was created to give life.
I trust that I have support and will not be alone.

[my kidlets and me]

Wow, I was amazed to see 16 replies to this thread so early in the morning! (Although I am on the West Coast, so most of you are further along in your day).

No change in how I feel today, 40+1. I wanted to buy some fresh pineapple yesterday, but the store was all sold out! I'm going to go again today - dd loves pineapple and will happily share it with me.

My affirmation: My body knows how to birth this baby by itself, as long as I give it the time it needs.

[kehliouise]

well i know that i am really setting myself up for something that is probably not going to happen for a few more weeks. i had a few contractions in the middle of the night the other night, and i have had mild ones since about 5am today. i have said for a really long time that i thought this one would come around 38 weeks, but i guess it is stupid to think that you would know. i'm sort of mad at myself for thinking that because 38 weeks will probably come and go and i will be really disappointed. i have been really really nesty for a long time now. cleaning organizing making stuff. my sister and her son are coming to visit tonight and i'm spending all day today re-cleaning the house for the nine millionth time. it actually needs it though. i can't believe how dirty a house can get with just a few people living in it. ds insists on trashing the living room with all his toys, and we don't really have anywhere else for him to play so we just sort of constantly live in the midst of toy cars and trains. he just got an easle for christmas so tonight we are setting it up in the living room as well.

i really wont this baby born this week because of dh's work schedule and what not but it is obviously not up to us to decide. i have also become increasingly worried about something happening to the baby which i haven't worried about in several months. now i feel like if i don't worry then something terrible will happen. like i have to plan out all the bad scenarios so that they wont happen.

i will have this baby and whenever and whatever happens will be the best thing for my family.

[MamaFern]

Originally Posted by Chavaleh

*vegetarians avert thine eyes*
I had a great night of sleep except that I had this elaborate dream about cooking fried chicken so I woke up this morning desperately wanting fried chicken and creamy pan gravy over rice. Not a chance on earth I'm going to be able to get that today. Dangit. I want the kind that you soak in buttermilk over night, coat in heavily seasoned flour then fry in an old cast iron pan. Good Southern food. Mmmmm. *sigh*

so funny! i was raised vegetarian and was totally vegan pretty much till i got pregnant with my son.. since then ive been eating a bit of organic meat, but lately all i want is friend chicken i dont think ive ever even had real southern friend chicken, but i want it! can i come over and it fried chicken with you?