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July 11, 2005
D-Day
So today is my due date. Not that it really has any relevance, what with it being an estimated date that I statistically have about 3% chance of actually giving birth on. Or at least those were the statistics that ninemonths.com.au's site gave in their week 39 or 40 newsletter, but I doubt the statistics would be that much more different in the US than they are in Australia. And then there's the next 2+ weeks that are still within the range.
Do I think I will be giving birth today? No, not really, though of course I might end up eating my words now.
Two midwife's visits since the last update. One the day after the second batch of bloodwork, just before the holiday weekend, and the other this past Thursday. Both fine and uneventful. My test results from the papsmear and Group B Strep tests came back clear, and the bloodwork also once again came back normal, so no gestational diabetes, and no more bloodtests. For some strange reason I did lose weight between the two visits, no idea how seeing as I'm still eating lots. But then I guess variances in fluid retention, fluid intake and bowel movements could account for that. The fundal height hasn't changed between the two visits, and measures around 36cm (which equates to 36w), but seeing as I'm term, she's neither that worried or concerned with either the weight loss or the fundal height. Plus the baby's also moved position over the last week, and is starting to drop, so that would account for some changes too.
Within the last 2-3 weeks I've definitely started to feel the pregnancy. The heavier bulkier feeling. Especially in the last week there has been more pressure in the pelvic area. No waddling, but I'm definitely not that inclined anymore to want to move around loads and do stuff, it's all become harder by a few degrees, including just turning over in bed. I'm glad this was saved until the very final stretch though, I wouldn't want to have been like this for the last few months.
I often sound like someone's stomping on a box of Rice Crispies, with everything snapping and crunching even more. It's been increasing over the months, all because of the hormones that are released to stretch the ligaments and such, but it's gotten really ridiculous lately. Small movements now elicit pops and cracks, and not minutes after a certain area has been cracked, I can probably crack it a second time. Just call me Cap'n Crunch...
In the last 3-4 days I think the baby's moved position too, aside from just starting to move further into the pelvis, because I'm feeling movements on the other side. Since at least week 28 the baby's been head down, and had its spine lying along the right side of my belly, butt in the top right of my belly, legs on the left side, and by and large it stubbornly stayed that way up 'til week 39 or so, and I would always feel movements in the same places. Now it feels like the butt is up top and center, and hopefully this also means the spine is along my belly (anterior). Because I'm not entirely sure that the baby's positioned this way, and because I would really prefer that position, I've been spending time leaning on my birthing/exercise ball to help encourage the baby to either get or stay in that position.
Spine along spine (posterior, aka "sunny side up") is the position I really want to avoid, it's the worst rotation for the baby to be in, because it's the primary cause of back labour and pressure on the tailbone. The reason is that when the baby's aligned that way, it presents the forehead in the birthcanal, which is a large immovable piece of bone, that doesn't mould. If the baby presents anterior, it presents the back of the head, which due to the fact that the baby's skull isn't yet fused, is malleable due to the plates being able to overlap, and can squash to fit through the birth canal better (this is what makes babies have coneheads when they come out). So I'm doing my small part to try and make sure that this is what happens, it'll help cut down on labour time and the amount of discomfort.
We have all our baby stuff ready. The diapers arrived earlier in the week, which was good. They got their several rotations in the wash cycle to fluff up and have the starches and whatever rinsed out, so that they'll be nice absorbant when we get to use them. I got a great deal on unbleached indian prefolds through a co-op buy organised by an online vendor, but damn did the whole thing take a lot longer than I anticipated, because I joined up when I still had 5-6 weeks to go, and everything arrived in week 39. That's the real downside of co-ops... between finding enough people to join, then getting people's money, then the items get shipped to the main person, then shipping needed to be determined and everyone needed to cough up their part in the shipping to their homes, then the shipping process. Yadda yadda. I wouldn't recommend it if you're on a deadline or in a hurry, it can add some worry that you probably don't need.
And now the waiting game begins, or intensifies really, as it's always been a waiting game and especially at the 37 week marker it became more serious. It's weird really, you walk around with that feeling of having the Sword of Damocles over your head... waiting for the other shoe to drop. Ah well, enough still to do around here to keep me occupied.
Posted on 04:08 AM to: Pregnancy