due date alert | pregnancy update: 40 weeks

This is long, but I just couldn't stop!

Today is the day. August 22. Our due date. I hoped our girl would come a few days early, so I could avoid the anxiety that I feared would come along with this day, but no such luck. I suppose I could still go into labor in the next 16 hours, and be one of the few people that actually delivers on their due date? But I'm thinking probably not. Luckily, I'm actually not that anxious.

 

One other random note before we get to the official update. I've been focusing, almost obsessing, over this pregnancy. It hit me today that holy crap- I'm about to just be me again. I know I will be a Mom, but for the past 10 months, I've felt like just a pregnant lady. Less a person, more like a baby carrier. I'm about to be upgraded to Mom, which also means I will be able to take off the Mom hat for an hour or two and go out with my friends. Drink. Scream. Laugh. Be ridiculous. And just go back to being my silly and social self. Every once in a while at least. I absolutely cannot wait to spend all my time taking care of this little person, but I also can't wait to go back to being just Brittany every once in a while too. 

Anyway. 40 weeks, here we go. This better be my last pregnancy update.

Size of baby: Same as last week. A baby. Somewhere around 7-8 pounds and 20 inches. Should I make it to Monday with little miss still cooking away, I will find out her size via ultrasound. But more on that later.

Weight gain: 42-45 pounds(ish). At my 40 week appointment (yesterday at 39 weeks 6 days) I hadn't gained any weight since last week, thank goodness.

Feeling: Good overall. I really didn't want to be overdue, but I think I have come to terms with it. Of course it's hard to get around, everything hurts, yada yada yada. I feel how I expected to feel at 40 weeks pregnant. Maybe even a little better.

Maternity Clothes: All day every day.

Nursery: Waiting for someone to come live in it!

Symptoms: Same as last week. Achy back, neck, etc. Nausea. Emotional. Difficulty getting from laying down or sitting to standing. I had a pretty fabulous pedicure yesterday including a stone massage and salt scrub and it. was. heavenly.

Labor Signs: Notta! No contractions, real or otherwise. She has dropped, and I feel a lot of pressure, but that's really it. I've been nauseous but who knows if that has anything to do with labor.

OB Appointment: Now for the good part. Yesterday at 39 weeks and 6 days, I had my 40 week appt. I was hoping for a miracle. That they'd say "Lady you are in labor!" and send me straight to the hospital. I was more so though prepared for the worst, aka no change from my last appointment.

They gave me a Non Stress Test right off the bat, and the results were acceptable, but not as much activity as would have been ideal. This slightly freaked me out, but since Norah hasn't been the most active baby the entire pregnancy, I'm just trusting that's her disposition and listening to the doctors. I'll definitely be closely monitoring her movements over the weekend. Hopefully enough to keep her safe without driving myself batty.

They also "checked" me. She is low and the doc could feel her head. I am almost 2 centimeters dilated, and 90% effaced! For some reference, at my 39 week appt I was 1 centimeter dilated and 80% effaced. So we've moved up almost a centimeter + 10%.

The OB said if I was 3 centimeters dilated he would have let me go straight to the hospital and get some help moving things along. As cool as that would have been, and though I'm not opposed to induction, I have no problem letting her hang out for a few more days to see if she will come on her own.

We are scheduled to go back to the OB Monday afternoon (if I'm still pregnant…which I feel like I will be) for another NST, internal check, and ultrasound. Hopefully we have a baby before then, but if not, I'm thrilled we will at least get to see her on the US. I haven't had one in MONTHS.

If all is well, they will most likely just schedule an indiction date for later that week to make sure I don't go over too much. If anything looks suspicious on the NST or US, I will get sent straight to the hospital to be induced on Monday!

Overall I have some mixed feelings about all this. Like a lot of mixed feelings.

-A little bit peaceful. I'm trying to remember we're not really in control at this point. She will come when she's ready, which could be any second. There is so much excitement in that. Calm, peaceful, excitement.

-A little bit worried. What if she doesn't have enough room? Enough fluid? What if complications develop? How could they tell me the NST wasn't ideal but just send me on my way? We know she's healthy now, let's just get her out!

-Anxious for the next three days. WHAT the heck will we do all weekend while waiting for her to come?!

-Nervous for Monday. OBVIOUSLY the number one priority here is Norah's health. Therefor, I want everything to go smoothly Monday at our appointment. But how awesome would it be to have them verbally tell me, for 100% sure, "It's go time- get to the hospital. NOW!" ?! Of course this would be bitter sweet since a) I'd like to have her before then, and b) it'd mean there is potentially an issue.

I am going to do my best to stay calm mentally and enjoy what is basically guaranteed to be my last weekend before becoming a Mom. If we don't have a baby by bedtime Monday, there is a VERY LARGE chance that by then, I will at least know when we will have a baby. And that is something I can sign up for.

Or my water could just break in like an hour. That'd be great.