37 Weeks Pregnant

My appointment with the obstetrician this week was pretty much just the same as usual.  Everything seems to be coming along nicely.  Baby is in position and could come at any minute.  At my last visit the obstetrician mentioned that he may induce me, however we've decided against this now and will just play the waiting game.  The main reason this was suggested originally was because the baby had had two major growth spurts over two weeks and the doc was worried that if he continued to grow so rapidly it may have been hard for me to deliver, which could be particularly dangerous when I have a lot of scarring on my uterus from previous fibroid removal surgery.

This week though, bub had slowed down in terms of growth so he felt that there was no need to take matters into our own hands and that we would just wait for bubs to take the lead.  I have to admit I was a little excited when he first mentioned induction because I am at the point now where I just want it all to happen, but at the same time I was having second thoughts and strongly believed that we should just wait for things to happen naturally, even if that means that my obstetrician may not be there to deliver the baby himself since he is due to go on leave when the baby is due.

I had to do the standard 37 week Strep test which was interesting considering I had a toddler in tow.  I'm sure that when I had the test when pregnant with Ella the obstetrician actually performed it but this time he handed me a little kit and a discreet bag, explaining that I simply needed to go to the bathroom, pop the top off the test tube, remove the cotton bud looking device and take a swab from the "lower vagina".  I was a little surprised that it was considered a lower vaginal test considering the length of the thing!  I am carrying so low at the moment and feel so much pressure between my legs that sometimes it feels like the baby is literally so close to just falling out, so I was sure that inserting that thing was going to poke the babies eyes out or something!

Off I waddled to the bathroom with Ella and my discreet little bag (that really wasn't very discreet).  We entered a cubicle and I had a job trying to get Ella not to put her hands into the toilet bowl or touch anything else while I had my pants around my ankles, trying to do the test.  "What are you doing mama?" she chirped whilst simultaneously unlocking the door so it swung open.  Thank God nobody else was in the bathroom otherwise they would have received a nasty shock!  I don't think she was too scarred by the experience because she immediately just went on singing Incy Wincy Spider as if it was all completely normal.

***

On friday night Tim went out for drinks with a work mate who had been made redundant during the week.  I knew he would be having a few drinks but was hoping that he would be home just after dinner - at least that's the impression he gave me.  However, dinner time came and went and there was no sign of him so I knew he must have been having a bit of a big night.

I went to bed late (9.30pm is considered late for me right now!!) and after a little while laying there I started feeling dull aches and cramps and could feel the beginning of contractions.  I lay there for a while and the pain didn't ease and I quietly panicked.  If I went into labor, what would I do?  My mum and dad were away for the long weekend so couldn't take care of Ella if I had to go to hospital which means that I would have to ring Tim's parents in the middle of the night to get them to come over and then I'd have to drive myself to the hospital since Tim most likely wouldn't be able to drive because he would have been over the limit.  As I lay there in the foetal position myself trying to ease the cramping and aching it all suddenly seemed so real...and I did not feel ready at all!

Tim eventually came home and I fell asleep as the cramping eased and I was able to rest.  The following morning I decided that it was definitely time to get my butt into gear.  I packed my hospital bag and tidied myself up - I have to admit that I had let myself go in terms of grooming since it's been so cold and my legs haven't seen the light of day in quite some time.  Two razor blades and a full tank of hot water later, my legs and armpits were clean shaven and I had managed to hack at my bikini line to make it look a little more respectable as well - it's incredibly hard to maintain anything going on down there with a massive belly in the way.  Although nothing progressed in terms of labor, at least Tim can't call me a wookie any more!

I can't say that I really feel any more ready now than I did on friday.  Every night since then I have had the same cramping/achey sensations but so far it hasn't turned into anything.  Ready or not though, this baby is coming.