37 week midwife appt

I'm officially full-term and allowed to go into labor and birth at home. It feels wonderful :) Granted, I still expect to go past my due date, but in case she surprises us it's good to know we'd be ok.

My appointment was great, blood pressure still nice and low, like 98 over 56. Honestly I attribute a lot of my healthy normal pregnancy things to how comfortable I am with my caregivers. I can not emphasize enough how important I think that is. If you aren't comfortable with your caregiver, whether midwife or OB, how can you be comfortable with them during one of the most intense experiences of your life? Trust is essential. Anyway, we all know I love my midwives <3

They don't do cervical checks unless you ask, and I've been having pretty consistent practice contractions on and off for a couple weeks and I've been dying to know if anything was changing. Last month on my birthday I had a bout of ligament pain combined with a lot of braxton hicks contractions (BHC) and she had checked me at that point. My cervix was about kind of cone shaped, about a 1.5 at the front but still closed in back. When she checked me at my appt, first she reached a little too far posterior (toward the back) where she kind of expected my cervix to be and actually had to pull back a little because it was lower than she expected. Said it's still a bit of a cone shape, about 2cms int he front but a 1 all the way through. Cervix is nice and soft, about 65% effaced and she could actually feel Cadie's head. That also did not surprise me, because ever since I had a round of contractions the other day that lasted for 5 hours I've been feeling like I was going to squish Cadie's head between my legs! I've been measuring about 2 weeks ahead for the majority of my pregnancy now, but since she has dropped so much I'm actually measuring a week behind now. I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that my body is ripening and getting ready. I'm already more dilated than I was when I went in to be induced with Victor! I count that as major improvement.

I basically have BHC on and off all day, usually an hour or 2 where they get a little closer together but still pretty irregular and then they taper off. They are starting to get a little more intense too, at this point I'm more likely to call them early labor contractions than just BHC. More and more of them require me to pay a bit of attention to them rather than just poking my belly and saying "oh there's another one.." I love it though, I love knowing my body is gearing up and getting ready. I'm hoping that I'll slowly dilate the first couple cms over the next couple of weeks and that when I finally hit active labor it'll be a little quicker than if I had to have hours of early labor. I've also decided that I want my active labor to start in late evening and have her in the middle of the night. That way Victor is asleep for all of it and we won't have to worry about him handling mommy in pain or people touching me or trying to take him over to the neighbor's house for who knows how long. That also would give us some time to clean up and have little sister to ourselves for a little bit before we introduce them. Of course, I obviously have no say in the matter, lol, but if she wants to listen then that's what I want! Ha!

So that's all my updates, at this point it could be tomorrow or in 5 weeks.... The surprise is all part of the fun!!

36 Weeks

36 Weeks! It's crazy, this whole pregnancy has just gone by so fast. I've definitely got a waddle and feel a little like a whale, mostly when I'm trying to stand up or rolling over in bed. But I think at this point I'm allowed to be a little large :-) I figure that since Victor was basically 9lbs, if she is anywhere close then she's already right about 7lbs. In 2 weeks Angy said she'll try to give me a estimate, she's usually pretty close. I've only gained 23lbs this time, as opposed to my 55lbs with Victor so I'm pretty happy with that. Still have great blood pressure and am boringly normal :-) They also did my GBS test (actually, I did the swab myself, that was fun) and drew some blood to do a complete blood count. I'll get the results of that next week.

I really hope (and really I think she will) wait till after my due date to get here. I need a few more weeks to finish getting stuff done around the house and to finish mentally preparing myself!! In 6 days when I turn 37 weeks I am officially "allowed" to go into labor and birth at home. I've been telling myself all pregnancy that she won't be coming till after 41 weeks so I am totally prepared to go past the EDD. Now, because I keep saying that to everyone I'm sure she'll decide to come early. Stinker. But I need her to wait! My mom will be here in 3 weeks and then she and Victor need time to get reacquainted and comfy with each other. My next-door neighbor is fabulous and has volunteered to be my backup watching Victor in case I do go earlier than that, but I'd just rather she wait and go by MY plans. Ha! I know.

Had a great appointment today with my lovely midwives. They came to see me again, all three and they were here for about an hour and a half. Matt was here for this one and we talked through a blow-by-blow of what to expect from when I think I'm in labor to actual birthing to after-birth steps, etc. I think that really helps Matt particularly have a better idea of what to expect.

Let's see.... my birth kit arrived this morning as well, that also had my birth pool liner in it. Angy actually had the pool in her car so she went ahead and left it with me. Again, it's just crazy to me that I have all this stuff now and it's really going to happen! I remember saying before I went to the hospital for Victor "oh my gosh, I really have to do this..." and I still feel that way! But this time instead of being anxious and worried, I'm EXCITED and filled with ANTICIPATION! I honestly can't wait to go into labor and to get to experience this in a whole new way, the way I feel like I'm meant to.

Ah...

Mission Hair cut?



Accomplished.



Yes, there was MUCH screaming involved,but this was resolved quickly with a nice big bubble bath and a little bit of ice cream. Works every time.

Random Victor Post

He needs a hair cut. That is all.


I love this pic, he looks like my little angel...



Yep! That is a picture of pee pee in a potty. I'm so proud I had to post it.

Saturday night and Sunday night he peed in the big potty. *yay!* and then Monday he was diaperless all day and peed in his little potty 3 times. Tuesday evening he even came to me, fully dressed and handed me his potty seat so I undressed him and put him on the big potty and he went! He's been wearing a diaper too, I was so proud I could burst <3 I don't know if he'll be fully potty trained by the time Cadie gets here, but he's off to a good start! I will also welcome any tips about ways to encourage him!







I love my bubba.