Excited for Tomorrow! 38 Weeks Pregnant

I had another appointment yesterday (38 weeks).  Everything was the same as the week before.  No progress, but I still wasn't expecting anything to be different.  My doctor tried to ask me about a c-section at 39 weeks again.  I told him, "No! I'm waiting until 41 weeks...". He said he thinks that is a great idea, but that he is legally required to ask me about it since there was no cervical change.  Whatever. 

I'm still feeling really good.  And I am so thankful for that!  My blood pressure is great, and Wesley is moving a ton.  My only problem is negative thinking.  I'm really trying to make myself think positively about labor and having my VBAC. Your mind can do crazy things, and stalling labor is one of those things.  

Tomorrow morning I will be driving an hour away to meet my doula! I am so excited!  I've got my list of questions ready for her, and a little cliff's notes version of Tanner's birth story.  I'm only hoping Tanner sits still long enough for us to talk.  Ever since he turned two, he's gotten a bit spunky.  I re-read her doulamatch.com profile and it looks like she has a TENS unit rental.  I've read about them in nursing school, but never actually have seen or used one.  But after some research it seems like they are amazing for back labor!  I'm definitely going to be asking her about that.  

I will write another post tomorrow after our meeting.  I'm so looking forward to meeting her! I still can't believe my friends did that for me!  And I'm actually a little blown away that I'm 38 weeks pregnant now, too.  3 weeks max until Wesley is here.  AHH!!!

38 Weeks!

Only 2 weeks until D-day!  It's so close, but still enough days to be so far away!  I'm so ready.


I hate to be that pregnant chick who complains about being pregnant.  Honestly though, I've enjoyed it. It was really, really hard while I was working (and to be honest I bet I would have gone into pre-term labor if I had continued to work).  But I am ready.


It's getting hard.  I can hardly walk.  I can barely put on my pants, let alone my shoes and socks.  I have to have help to get off the couch. And the swelling...oh my gosh the swelling!  When I look back at pictures of me and my belly at the beginning of the pregnancy, I get really depressed.  I was so self conscious of the way I looked before I got pregnant, and now I look back and want to kick myself.  I had blinders on.  Sure, I could have lost 10-15 pounds but I looked okay.  Now, I see pictures of myself, and I see the scale go up every week and I can not wait to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight!  I know it's all worth it, but it's still hard to see these changes in myself.


Now, back to baby.  He continues to drop.  He's very low, to the point where I don't think he will go any lower until I'm in labor.  I'm waddling like mad.  I've also been able to pop my back for the first time since probably the beginning of the summer!  It was only twice, but it felt amazing!  I also haven't been having the terrible indigestion that I had been having.


Sleep has been so-so.  When I can fall asleep, I sleep well.  But lately my mind is just going crazy with thoughts.  Thoughts about going into labor, my water breaking, being in labor at the hospital and Nick is out flying and I can't get in touch with him.  I know these thoughts are all normal, but they come flooding in when I try to sleep.  I don't mind the thoughts of holding my little boy though.  I imagine his little newborn cry, rocking him in the glider, and seeing him sleep on Nick's chest.


I know it's going to be very difficult having a newborn.  I bet I will be overwhelmed many, many times.  But I have such a supportive family and great friends who will be there for us.  My mom is coming out on Sunday!  And my mother-in-law will be here shortly after Tanner is born.  I can't wait, I know they can't wait.  But we have to...Tanner will most likely take his time.

Here is the 38 week bump picture.  It would be AWESOME if this were the past belly pic before Tanner came!

And here is the comparison that makes me depressed.

And here is a super random picture of what the cats and I have been watching all morning.  It's only noon and I've filled that bird bath 3 times already and it needs to be filled again.  I suppose the birds are gearing up for winter! (It is the first real chilly day so far...43 degrees.  The windows were open yesterday).

38 Week Appointment

Well, still no progress.


My doctor even tried to open my cervix a little, (which was pretty uncomfortable) but it's just not ready.  He did say Tanner's head is even lower and how that's really good.


Heart rate was 144, still pretty normal for Tanner.


I had a few questions this appointment.  The first one was when does he start talking about inductions.  He said he will induce anyone who is 3 cm dilated and past 39 weeks.  But he wont really push it until 41 weeks (which would be December 7th for me).


I asked when I should go to the hospital.  He said if my water breaks, to go ahead and come in to get labor started to avoid infection.  If that happens for me, I will probably shower and eat before I go in, ha!  I was wondering if he followed the 5-1-1 rule or not. Contractions every 5 minutes, lasting for 1 minute, for 1 hour.  I told him I was thinking about trying to labor at home as much as I could.  He said that would be perfectly fine.  But with the last question I asked him I may not want to wait too long anymore...


That last question was about his stance on episotomies.  I have learned through reading online and through school that it's much better to tear naturally than have the doctor preform an episotomy (a surgical cut).  You can heal faster, and there are less complications in the future.  My doctor says he does not do them.  He said it has been years since he's done one.  And what he said next is the reason I think I'm changing my "birth plan".  He said he likes epidurals so much because the woman can stop pushing during a contraction so he can lift the babies head and avoid tearing.  I originally was worried about getting an epidural because a lot of the time you can't feel that need to push feeling and by pushing when your body isn't ready can cause tearing. But with the help from my doctor, I feel a lot better about it.  And also, after watching so many episodes of a baby story on TV and videos online, the women with epidurals seem so much more pleasant!  Don't get me wrong, I still want to feel what it is like, just so I know what natural labor is.


Like I mention in my last doctor appointment post, my doctor drives a brand new Boss 302.  So last week and this week my husband has worn a mustang shirt to my appointment, trying to get a conversation started about cars with my doctor.  Last week Nick was a little bummed out because my doctor was a little preoccupied with the medical student and he didn't look at Nick's shirt.  But today was different.  My doctor mentioned Nick's shirt and they got to talking.  It was pretty awkward, being I was still sitting on the table with a paper blanket covering me while my doctor and husband talk about cars and drag racing.  I learned a lot about the Boss, and about my doctor.  He drag races cars with friends who have sub 10 second mustangs.    We also learned about the features of the Boss and what it does and does not come with.  Other than being awkward, it was pretty cool.  Nick enjoyed it.


So I need to get use to the idea that I will most likely be pregnant for a a long time.  I need to stop being so anxious and enjoy it (as difficult as that is). I need to try to take my mind off of him.  I'm constantly thinking about him.  Tanner will come when he is ready.  Even though my doctor will be out of the state from Dec. 3-5 for a football game.


  Monday would be nice, Tanner.  Your Grandma will be here and your Daddy can take Monday-Wednesday off. Thursday and Friday he has off already for Thanksgiving and then there is the weekend!  Plus, you can join us for Thanksgiving dinner! Just sayin'...