[ursusarctos]

... ok, not that impatiently. I'm happy enough for baby girl to stay put for a few more weeks. But all this talk of cervixes effacing, prodromal labor, starting EPO, losing mucus plugs... is starting to make me antsy at times! And now that I'm 37 weeks I feel like I have permission to be antsy. Even though full term is technically considered 38 weeks here and I have no sign of impending labor

Who's with me?

Oh, one thing. Last night I told the baby that she could start getting ready and in position for labor... and woke up in the morning with her back SOLIDLY against my left side, head down.

Optimal positioning! I don't think she's done that before - I'm pretty sure she usually has her back to mine, or back and left. Anyway it was pretty cool. And I'm definitely feeling more reclusive and spacey, and having more BHs. I don't think labor is imminent, but it's cool to notice my body starting to gear up.

 

[veggiemomto2]

I can't decide. So I guess baby will have to decide! Some days I'm like "okay, yes...any day now" and other days I'm thinking "umm, I could really use these next 3 weeks!" So I guess what happens happens, right? It is exciting, though! Being full term does make you feel like it could happen ANY DAY!

 

[Baby_Cakes]

Yes, you have every right to be antsy! And when I'm 37 weeks (in two weeks) I'll be doing the same thing!!

Congrats on making it to term mama!!!

 

[Beckily]

I was doing my hypnosis CD last night and practicing doing it while moving. In it, they have you move your hips so I was in my tub, on my knees, leaning against the side, visualizing the birth and doing hip circling. I'm SO READY. It felt good and had he decided to pop out right then, man! Yeah That would've been nice (especially since there was no pain!).

I'll be 37 weeks on Saturday. And yeah, totally not rushing the guy, but if he were so inclined...!

 

[JoyFilled]

My last one was 2 weeks late (and then a c-section) and I was constantly telling her that she couldn't come out because I wasn't ready.

This one I have been telling that I am all ready and anytime is good with me. Starting July 29th, I will be having long walks and chats with this little one about coming out to play with us.

 

[Peony]

I'm 36 weeks now, next week really isn't a good week either. DD1 has a week long kayak camp that would be a pain to make work if baby was here. Once I get to 38 weeks then my schedule is better and baby can arrive. After having two at 38 weeks and 1 at 41 weeks (my last baby), I'm not expecting anything. I'm trying to think it will be after my EDD (the 7th) because then it will be a nice surprise if baby comes sooner but not torture if I go after like last time. After having earlier babies, and then not, those 3 weeks felt like I was WAY over my EDD even though I wasn't. I really don't want to do that again.

 

[Italiamom]

I don't think it would be good for this baby to be early. I might die of happiness!

Sigh.

I am in such pain with my pelvis, that I'm beside myself. I know exactly how little sleep I got with DS as a newborn, and he was a spectacularly crappy sleeper. I know that I'll be trading rest. But I just want to get this over and done with so that my hips and pelvis can go back to some semblance of normal. I'm looking forward to waking up to a crying baby, and not yelling in pain because I fell into too deep of a sleep and rolled over wrong.

I was ready to not be pregnant about 3 weeks ago. I've still got a few weeks to term, but if baby decided to come at 37+1, I would cry tears of joy for more than just her arrival. Although my mother's intuition says that she'll come in the 11th hour. No one wants to come out to a crabby mommy and a fit-throwing older brother!

 

[earth-mama]

I am pretty much ready: 37 weeks 5 days today. I will feel really ready after next weekend; my last weekend on-call. I have a massage scheduled for monday so I would like the baby to wait till after that, but monday night would be great! Pretty much I have been telling this baby that once my paperwork is done from this past weekend then he/she is welcome to come!! I can't wait. A week ago I told DP that if we had the baby at 38 weeks that it would be in only 1.5 weeks and he was like yikes that's kinda scary, but actually he is hoping the baby will come sooner rather than later and this one is our second. We are pretty much ready, but there are always things I would like to do before the baby gets here--non are necessary though and I feel good about that!

 

[Baby_Cakes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peony

I'm 36 weeks now, next week really isn't a good week either. DD1 has a week long kayak camp that would be a pain to make work if baby was here. Once I get to 38 weeks then my schedule is better and baby can arrive.

I love how matter-of-factly you worded this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italiamom

I don't think it would be good for this baby to be early. I might die of happiness!

Sigh.

I am in such pain with my pelvis, that I'm beside myself. I know exactly how little sleep I got with DS as a newborn, and he was a spectacularly crappy sleeper. I know that I'll be trading rest. But I just want to get this over and done with so that my hips and pelvis can go back to some semblance of normal. I'm looking forward to waking up to a crying baby, and not yelling in pain because I fell into too deep of a sleep and rolled over wrong.

I was ready to not be pregnant about 3 weeks ago. I've still got a few weeks to term, but if baby decided to come at 37+1, I would cry tears of joy for more than just her arrival. Although my mother's intuition says that she'll come in the 11th hour. No one wants to come out to a crabby mommy and a fit-throwing older brother!

I actually said that out loud to coworkers and they laughed at me, and said, "Can we quote you on that!?" I said yes please!!! It's so HARD being in so much pain. Hugs.

I honestly think you saying she wouldn't want to join your family is some kind of protective mechanism. I think you should welcome her into the chaos!! Tell her a party is ready and waiting for her!! I bet you she's a little spitfire, and that she's going to fit right in. Be positive, be strong. You guys are going to have such fun as a foursome! I think your son will find softness around the edges with his little sister, and be such a great protector in ways you never knew he could be. So hang in there! And be positive! She has to come out sometime, right?

 

[synepona]

I did figure out earlier that the 2nd or 3rd of August would be ideal (and only 4 or 5 days 'early'), so I'm certain baby will not arrive on those days! Late would be difficult for us now, a new weekend away (DH's work party) has come up, and families are invited ... it's the 19th-21st. If baby isn't here yet, then DH & DS can't go, they'll have to stay home with me. If baby is only a few days old, I may send them & have a friend come stay with me for company & support but I'd much rather take a 2wk+ old baby, than to stay home ... They haven't had a company summer party since 2008, so it's a bit of a big deal, and I know DH really wants to be there, even if all I do is hide out on our balcony with a nurseling while DH & DS hit the beach with everyone else!

 

[Italiamom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes

So hang in there! And be positive! She has to come out sometime, right?

I've had a couple of people ask me, "but what will your midwife do if you go past your due date!?" (like I'm a book report, come on people). And I tell them the same thing. "You do realize that all babies do eventually come out? No one is sitting around 12 months pregnant..."

Either that or, "well, I think if I go past my due date, my midwife will flunk me in baby-cooking."

 

[elove]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italiamom

Either that or, "well, I think if I go past my due date, my midwife will flunk me in baby-cooking."

that one made me laugh hard...just imagining some of faces you would get for saying that....

I was asked if I am going to make it !? Umm to what I asked back...the response was "most people are ready to kill themselves at this point".....aaahh, so i need to look more suicidal or less?? cannot decide. Anyways it was one of those older man thinking he is being cute in conversation type of deal...I must have given him a weird look so he tried to get out of saying..just glad it is you not me...to that I had to laugh and say "now, THAT would be scary!!"

today I realized, between this week and the due date I will not feel more or less ready for this baby. I guess that means she can come whenever she pleases (after 36 weeks of course which is this saturday).... 37 weeks is the cutoff for home birth in CA, and apparently that can be flexed for couple of days...I think it is time to meet her soon after 37 weeks!

 

[elevena true]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italiamom

I was ready to not be pregnant about 3 weeks ago. I've still got a few weeks to term, but if baby decided to come at 37+1, I would cry tears of joy for more than just her arrival. Although my mother's intuition says that she'll come in the 11th hour. No one wants to come out to a crabby mommy and a fit-throwing older brother!

oh, italia! i totally hear you on "the baby not wanting to come out to a crabby mommy and a fit-throwing older sib."

you know what i think is funny? when my soon to be middle was born, it was after the most beautiful, peaceful, relaxing day with dd. almost a testament to the fit throwing element! (on my part and dd's....)

but i totally agree with carrie. our babies surely know what they are getting into. i truly believe that babies pick their families. your little girly is going to nestle right into your family, making space for herself where she needs to be. and while there may be adjustments on everyone's part, but it will find it's harmony. and fall out. and fall back in. that is the nature of it, isn't it? at least, the pattern i see in my kiddos and family. we are beautifully in sync, and then horribly out of tune, then we find ourselves in harmony again.....just patterns of growth. tell that little baby to buck up, she picked this family, and she'll fit right in!

i defintely have moments where i am reminding my older girls that baby can hear them, and by fighting they are freaking him/her out. i even tell them sometimes that baby will feel scared to come out if they are screaming or yelling or bickering. my girls are older though, 4 and 7, so i know they can grasp the concept of that better then a toddler. it is good preparation for them to refrain from giving into bickering, at the thought of a tiny human they will be disrupting.

i look forward to babe being here, but i am in the camp that is willing to wait, so i can get other things done and just relax when baby comes. luckily, with my desire to do much at all at an all time low, my girlies are all set for my marathon nursing days. we have already read i think 5 chapter books aloud this summer, chapter by chapter, along with the piles and piles my little one (soon to be middle! oh my!) picks out each day. as long as we keep the books coming, i think baby bonding/nursing can go right along with big sister cuddling time. in fact, i think my older girl (7) is getting some babying with the snuggle times that she has been craving for a bit.....some aspects of her dynamic are mellowing out...... can i dare hope?? will babe actually make life easier in some ways????

 

[Italiamom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elevena true

i look forward to babe being here, but i am in the camp that is willing to wait, so i can get other things done and just relax when baby comes. luckily, with my desire to do much at all at an all time low, my girlies are all set for my marathon nursing days. we have already read i think 5 chapter books aloud this summer, chapter by chapter, along with the piles and piles my little one (soon to be middle! oh my!) picks out each day. as long as we keep the books coming, i think baby bonding/nursing can go right along with big sister cuddling time. in fact, i think my older girl (7) is getting some babying with the snuggle times that she has been craving for a bit.....some aspects of her dynamic are mellowing out...... can i dare hope?? will babe actually make life easier in some ways????

This sounds so heavenly! I love the idea of your family peacefully reading chapters together, with a little tiny baby snuggled at the breast, little girls occasionally stopping to get snacks... It sounds so beautiful!! If I thought that there would be any moments of tenderness and tranquility after the baby was born, I'd probably be all the more anxious to get this show on the road!

 

[ursusarctos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by veggiemomto2

I can't decide. So I guess baby will have to decide! Some days I'm like "okay, yes...any day now" and other days I'm thinking "umm, I could really use these next 3 weeks!" So I guess what happens happens, right? It is exciting, though! Being full term does make you feel like it could happen ANY DAY!

Yes, I have some of this ambivalence too. It seems like every other day I go from impatiently wanting to experience birth and meet the baby to thinking "can I change my mind?" The thought of being totally responsible for all the needs of a new little human is a bit overwhelming to conceptualize sometimes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes

Yes, you have every right to be antsy! And when I'm 37 weeks (in two weeks) I'll be doing the same thing!!

Congrats on making it to term mama!!!

Thanks

 

[Mama Ana]

I had a dream a few weeks ago my water broke after a shower. I had bent over to get my towel and it broke. Every morning when I take my shower and get my towel I think...is this it?! Nothing yet. Blergh.

I'm with a few of you PP, some days I'm like "yeah let's do this! let's get the ball rolling!" and other days I'm like, "no stay put a little longer. I want to savour these last few weeks where it's just us and I don't have to share you."

The other impatient part of me just wants to experience birth. I want to know what it's like to go through that. Will I be strong enough? Will I get my water birth? Will everything be okay? Will I end up with a c-section? I just have all these things I want to know and I can't know them because they are events, not plans. I want to share my story with people. I want to grow from it. I think that's my biggest thing. I just want to experience birth, call me crazy but I do! The good, bad and ugly parts.

 

[Beckily]

I keep worrying that mine will break in the bath - then how would I know??

 

[Rach]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beckily

I keep worrying that mine will break in the bath - then how would I know??

Last time, mine broke in the birthing pool. I felt a very big pop. It was enough to move my belly and body a bit. The midwives attending both commented on it immediately after it happened. So I'm thinking there's a good chance you'd know.

Also, with my first, my water was broken in the hospital and I leaked and leaked, especially with each contraction. So perhaps if you didn't notice, you would be leaking after getting out of the tub with your regular body movements, like bending, etc..

 

[Peony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beckily

I keep worrying that mine will break in the bath - then how would I know??

Oh you would know! The water isn't clear anymore. I've had mine break twice while laboring in a tub, never felt it or anything, but noticed the change in the water, stuff is suddenly in there. Little floaty things, and the water is murky.

 

[*Jessica*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Ana

I had a dream a few weeks ago my water broke after a shower. I had bent over to get my towel and it broke. Every morning when I take my shower and get my towel I think...is this it?!

My water broke almost exactly the same way with both of my boys' births. I woke up to pee and my water broke as I got back into bed the first time. The second time it broke as I stood up from peeing. I have that same "is this it?!" thought every time I pee in the middle of the night. I'm only 35 weeks, though, so I need to stop!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beckily

I keep worrying that mine will break in the bath - then how would I know??

You'll get out of the bath and probably wonder why water keeps trickling down your leg as you try to dry off. Seeing floaty bits in the water is likely, too. It isn't all going to gush out and that's it. Once it breaks you'll probably be leaking fluid until after the birth is over. You'll need a pad to catch it all if you're walking around in labor, or a chux pad under you if you're in bed or on the couch or wherever.