41 weeks.

We’re still pregnant and hoping not to be one week from today {that’s when they would medically induce labor}. Michael’s patient parents have been in town since Tuesday just putzing around with me during the day and we’re all feeling ready for something to happen.

It was a great last weekend we had {way back, almost a week ago}, friends in town and some warm weather, so we’d be OK with that being the last weekend…aka, having the baby tonight would be alright. So let’s get this update started.

How far along: 41 weeks – I was wrong last week; “post term” pregnant is for 42 weeks and beyond {yikes}. I’m just pregnant, albeit beyond my due date.

Symptoms:

·      I forgot to mention this last week but in a cruel twist of timing, the final weeks of my pregnancy have brought me some stretch marks on my tummy, kind of around my belly button. Dear Stretch Mark Fairy, way to wait until the end.

·      I’ve noticed Braxton Hicks contractions, it feels like my whole belly tenses up and tingles and they don’t hurt.

·      I believe I’ve even had some real contractions; they feel almost gassy in and around my lower back and belly.

·      I’m still hungry all the time.

·      My carpal tunnel is very crummy.

·      I’m kind of tired, but for a few days I was out and about quite a bit so I think that was it. After an appointment this morning I was supposed to come home and rest {thank you midwife Dorothy} but I haven’t felt like it, despite having a hard time waking up this morning.

Wait gain: 169 to 173…I saw it all this week; this morning was 169.

Size of baby: there are no more produce comparisons! So sad! I guess that baby is the size of a baby?

Exercise: some good walks in the neighborhood and then when temperatures plummeted yesterday {& the winds were howling – thanks a lot Old Man Winter, you’ve really given us a special season} we mosied around one of the museums for a bit {Natural History}.

Milestones: we had a Non-Stress Test this morning which measures baby’s heart rate for 20 minutes; as an active human outside of the womb, her heart rate should’ve been going slightly up and down according to her movements and any possible contractions I was having – and it did!

My membranes got swept twice. I won’t explain this beyond it’s meant to kick start labor.

If I make it to Monday, we’ll have a Bio-Physical Profile, which is a detailed ultrasound to check on baby and amniotic fluid levels as well as another Non-Stress Test. If that goes well then we see the midwife each day to attempt some more non-medical induction techniques before the looming deadline of Friday March 21^st – Medical Induction Day {something I’d like to avoid}.

What I miss: nothing really. I miss not waiting for a Momentous Occasion to occur at any moment, actually.

Sex: it’s s girl!

Movement: she’s still at it, which is good and what we want.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: let’s have this baby!

Sleep: it’s been the same as before, I’m up each two to three hours for the bathroom and some water.

Goals: not be medically induced.

Random: Is this our final Friday night without a baby? I keep wondering “is this our last ___________?”  

And…might we have an Ides of March baby? A March 16^th baby? A St. Patrick’s Day baby? I think a March 14^th baby isn’t in the works but I’m hoping in the next few days…