39 Out of 40

Full gestation is considered 40 weeks. I am at 39 weeks. However babies can be born safely from about 37 weeks to 42, though most doctors don’t like to let women go past 41 weeks because of dangers that can present. So here I am at 39 weeks and still pregnant, knowing if nothing else, in about 2 weeks, we’ll probably have to have an induction, which I don’t want. The problem with estimated due dates is that they are just that, estimated! And it’s impossible to know exactly when you conceive, unless you only have sex every few months I guess! So I could be a little bit farther along or a little bit not as far. AAAHHH! It’s all just too much guess work for me. I am a planner, I like to plan. It’s hard to plan for having a baby when one has no idea what day he will decide to make his appearance!

So we wait. And wait. And wait.

And every day seems longer than the last. I am trying to enjoy these last few days of no baby when we can sleep freely and play games and read and whatnot, but I must say, it’s not easy. We want to play with our baby! We want to hold him and wash him and feed him… and MEET him!

Andy has read his book for fathers about birth and delivery. So he’s ready now. As ready as he can be.

I am trying to keep up with laundry and dishes so they don’t backed up. I’d hate to be at the hospital trying to enjoy the birth of our first child with the weight of dishes in the sink and dirty clothes waiting at home! Especially since they won’t be getting done for at least a few days when we return home!

We have our bags in the car ready to go just in case we are out and something happens.

We’re playing games before bed while we can.

But it just feels like we are in a limbo. Like we’re waiting to be born as well!

I tell the baby everyday his lease is up and he needs to get out and join the world. We have so much to show him! He has so much love to be given from family and friends!

We see the doctor tomorrow so it’ll be interesting to see what he says. He didn’t seem to think we’d make it to the next appointment at our last one. And I guess we still might not, there is a whole night between now and then! I’m just afraid he’ll want to start talking inductions. I have a fear of inducing. It’s not the natural course but sometimes nature does need some help. I have read plenty of birth stories – PLENTY! And some of the inductions went quite well, but all involved an epidural, which I do not want either.

I’ve been thinking about some actions on my own here to get some progression. I have been reading up on Evening Primrose Oil and that seems to help ready the body, though it doesn’t cause labor. I don’t think I want anything that will cause labor, I want that to happen on its own, but anything I can do to help ready the body for when it starts will help it to progress faster and easier – especially if we end up needing an induction. The other thing I’ve read about is raspberry leaf tea. So I may get those two things today and start a regimen and see how it goes. Since the doc doesn’t do internals until labor starts I have no way of knowing if I’ve had any progression yet and if these things will increase it. But I figure it’s worth the small investment since they don’t hurt and are good for women’s healthy anyway!

Meanwhile, back at the Goin Home…

We’re too excited to even express in words. It makes my heart melt when Andy talks to my belly or tells me how he can’t wait to do his part to help out. He really wants to take such an active role in his son’s life. He doesn’t want to miss a thing! I know he can’t help me feed him for at least 6 weeks, maybe even 3 months depending on how I am feeling! But he wants to help with every other process he can. And even during feedings he wants to help! I understand how women say they fall even deeper in love with their husbands after they have a child together! And we don’t even have the baby in our arms yet but already I feel my love for him growing.

I worry about our cats. How will they react? They are good adjusters to change when we move and bring in new things to the house or have visitors, but this will be quite the big change for them. Especially for Andy’s cat Thunder. His relationship with that cat is like it’s his first son. He will almost have to treat the situation like that as well. We’ve been discussing how to make sure Thunder gets special time with his daddy so he doesn’t get jealous of the baby. Though I am hoping he won’t. The way I see it, he will either get jealous or he’ll recognize it as something that comes from Andy and be protective of it. I also fear because he and Sami have their claws. Thunder has decent claw control but Sami has none. I would feel horrible if they lashed out at the baby and scratched him. Wait, I will feel horrible any time that child gets hurt and yet it will happen and I can’t and shouldn’t try to stop it! But with the cats, I feel it is something we can try to control. If anyone has any suggestions about cats with babies please email me.

My mom came to visit the other night and had dinner with us. It was great to spend some time with her though it wasn’t long enough. Feels like every time she leaves I remember at least one more thing I meant to discuss with her! She was sweet to drive the 45 minutes to our place this time since she knows we are scared to leave our hospital’s town. I know labor isn’t an instant thing in most cases, but if my water breaks or something we want to be as close to our hospital as possible. While she was here she agreed to take a few pictures of us together! We don’t have many of Andy and me and the belly, especially at this late in the game. I am putting up two though I think I am making a goofy face. Mom doesn’t know how to give a count down and I was talking or laughing trying to tell her how to use the camera through most of the shots! :D

Andy looks super cute in this one! I look silly in both of them - but it's not about me, it's about daddy and the belly! Although the shirt doesn't do it justice, the belly feels bigger than it looks!

Here it is in all its glory! Relative to the size of my hands, you can get a feeling for how big this thing is getting! Time for him to come out now!

Please keep sending us positive labor vibes and energy for this to come quickly and go swiftly and smoothly and ending with a healthy baby and healthy momma! If I am having labor pains that are going to last for a while, I plan to make a blog post about it, a short one, to let everyone know the moment is at hand.

Also, please email me if you want a phone call and we haven't already discussed it with you. We're happy to make sure everyone gets contacted. All are welcome to the hospital but no flowers please. Just bring yourself! If you feel the need to get a gift, Walmart gift cards will help us tremendously with groceries. But we really just want our family and friends close in this time. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers!