This week is the one I've been waiting for. Being 36 weeks pregnant means that if I were to go into labor now, we could have our midwife attend an out-of-hospital birth. The midwives cannot legally attend a birth at home or at the birth center before 36 weeks. So, this was a big milestone. Not that I thought I was actually going to have the baby that early, but it's good to have reached that marker.
(Only because I know many of you are in Ohio, I have to mention that the laws in Ohio regarding midwives are much different than here in Oregon. CPM's (certified professional midwives, like the one I have) are technically legal but not regulated in the state of Ohio (they are only legal and regulated in 27 states). I know home births happen in Ohio, and they are not technically prohibited, just not legally defined or regulated. This means, among other things, that it is hard for a midwife to get physician back-up or to even be treated respectfully by hospital staff if a hospital transfer were necessary. This is, of course, bad for mamas and babies. Moral of the story: our health care system is really screwed up and women should have the option of out-of-hospital births with a regulated, licensed midwife. I haven't spent much time on this site, but here is a resource to look at if interested.)
Anyway, we're just one week from being considered full-term. Wahooo! I'm mostly at peace, but also a little tiny bit stressed about getting a few more things done around here. Obviously, whatever needs to get done will be done and whatever doesn't... well, whatever. At least we'll have another baby when it's all over, regardless of if I finished my latest knitting project. ;-)
My appointment this week was great. It was a home visit, so I had the luxury of getting to stay right here while the midwives came to us. I baked chocolate chip cookies for everyone and we went over some necessities (hospital transfer info in case it's necessary, newborn prophylactic protocols, etc.) My vitals were good, my iron results from my last bloodwork were great (YAY!) and baby is measuring just fine (if not a week or so behind, though fundal height measuring is notoriously inaccurate). He's been measuring about a week or two behind for the past 12 weeks, and +/- 2 weeks is well within the normal range. So no worries, there. I'm actually just glad he's not measuring super huge. I guess my GD is indeed controlled.
Speaking of that, my numbers have been awesome and I can start testing just 1-2 times a day rather than 3-4. This is great news. They do not think additional testing (BPP or NST) will be necessary, but I let my midwife know that I wouldn't mind a BPP at term. We'll see. I go back and forth about it- I know that size measurements are, again, notoriously inaccurate even in something like an ultrasound, so if they were to say he was "large for dates" I know not to necessarily trust it. However, IF they said that, I am afraid it would really get in my head during labor and I'd fear that I couldn't birth him. Now, I know women- small-framed women- who have birthed 8, 9, 10 lb babies, without meds, even. I know if our body can grow it, we can birth it (within reason, and regardless of what a doctor might tell you, unfortunately). But I suppose the medical mindset (specifically, to just cut a mother open if a doctor decides that a baby is "too big") has permeated my subconscious, even though I know better. So clearly, I need to think more about it..... and keep affirming my body's ability to birth him no matter how large he may be! (I do not think he will be large. But an ultrasound might (inaccurately) tell me he is, and then there's the "white coat" effect and blah blah blah...)
Kraig and I have made some of the necessary decisions regarding the birth and such, and we're slowly but surely getting our supplies ready for our birth bag. It's funny how much you forget what to do.... even if it's only been 2.5 years. I suppose having an older child adds a whole different dimension to planning and decisions regarding what to do when I go into labor. We're feeling prepared, though.
Speaking of that older chid, look how helpful he is! Future midwife, right here ;-)
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| measuring his baby brother |
I am feeling very patient regarding baby's arrival. I know I'll be more uncomfortable at the end (well, maybe. I'm still feeling pretty great!) but I also know every day spent in the womb is so great for baby's development. Even if that means I go past my so-called "due date". We need the next few weeks to keep preparing, anyway. I feel so much different this time around- I could NOT wait for Owen's arrival. It's not that we don't want to meet our new little man, we just know that birth happens when it happens and there's nothing we can do to speed it up or slow it down. We're much more at peace. It also helps that we don't have a nagging induction "deadline". Hospital induction is pretty much completely off the table (barring any emergencies), and knowing that really changes our perspective. Nobody is going to force our baby out at a certain time, thank goodness.
Let's see some pictures, shall we?
36 weeks, hello bellybutton.
Baby is very much tipped forward and therefore off my cervix (sorry, TMI?) which means he has not dropped yet and is therefore not putting pressure on anything *down there*. So, no dilation or anything is happening yet. The issue is, a lot of women who have been pregnant before have less abdominal tone and thus baby stays tipped forward (his bottom is pushing on my bellybutton) and this obviously doesn't help get things going, you know? So I am taking a tip from some other mamas and midwives and I am going to start wrapping my belly with my moby wrap to try to get him tilted back a bit. Plus, him being tipped so far forward really strains my abdominal muscles and, well, that hurts.
He's ~5.5 lbs according to generic fetal development estimates. This is the month of rapid weight gain for baby- about half a pound a week. Maybe that's why I'm suddenly more hungry (not that I can eat more because, um, he's still taking up a lot of room. Please drop, baby!)
We are so ready to meet him! (But please, take your time sweet baby.)
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