Spicy Food-- tried it, delicious avocado curry dish, no contractions.
Bouncing & rolling on an exercise ball-- nothing, except my neighbors' amusement when they peer into our living room.
Long walks/hikes-- everyday, nothing!
Sex-- awkward, yes, but tried it a few times, nothing!
Raspberry leaf tea-- not all that desirable on a 90 degree day, but drank it nonetheless, nothing!
Membrane stripping, 2X-- by my OB of course, ouch!
Warm bath-- that was nice, didn't work!
Couple sips of wine-- also nice, also didn't work!
Mow the lawn-- lawn looks good, baby still in belly!
Accupressure points-- great excuse for nightly foot massages, still nothing!
Baby C is just flat out happy & comfortable in my belly! Meanwhile, I have grown increasingly UNcomfortable. While I completely disagree with Octo-Mom & her irresponsible choices I now feel sorry for her physical condition as she neared the delivery of 8 babies. My stomach doesn't feel like it can stretch another millimeter & if it does, it might just explode. In fact, it is sometimes hard to tell if I am having a contraction or if it is just my taut tummy! I laugh at this post because it is truly a remarkable problem to have, I am ready, & baby is cooked, but he/she just isn't quite ready for the real world. I suppose I can't blame Baby for waiting until the last minute to grace the world with it's presence.
Part of me also wonders if our Angels are purposely waiting for October to send us this Angel. We are coming up on the 1 year anniversary of our loss and as it stands right now Dr. B said he will induce me on Monday, October 5th (yes, I know, crazy... that is the exact day our girls were born angels 1 year ago). While I think it would be an incredible sign from above, if the baby were born on that day, it is just not a day I want to "pick" for our Baby's birthday. It is Raphael & Lailah's day. A day I will never forget, a day that changed me forever. So as it stands we will induce on October 6th. However, if I make it through this weekend still pregnant I wouldn't be surprised if our girls selflessly share their day with Baby C!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Paradigm Shift
No matter what due date I pick from (first day last period, date of conception, first ultrasound measurement, most recent ultrasound measurement, etc.) Baby C is officially full term! It is an amazing feeling to have made it this far & to know that every additional day of pregnancy is just an added bonus. I actually commented to Frank that "this pregnancy has gone by so fast"! He almost fell out of his chair. That being said, I am SO ready to have this baby that these final days/weeks seem to drag on like months.
As of my appointment last Wednesday I am 4cm dilated and 75% effaced! Frank and I were convinced that Baby C would make it's grand entrance this past weekend, but here I am writing this blog entry on Monday. While I am ever grateful that we are at a point where we can wish for signs of labor, I find myself having a hard time with this dramatic paradigm shift. I spent the majority of this pregnancy preventing labor and here I am eating spicy food, going on hikes, taking baths & having Frank give me acupressure foot massages. Considering my fairly advanced cervical dilation with no signs of active labor, I sometimes wonder if I have been so mentally focused on preventing labor that my mind is actually preventing my body from going into labor?! I'm sure I am over thinking it all, and probably giving my mind over body control a little too much credit, but it is a bit coincidental that the woman who spent almost 2 months on bed rest & took a pre-term labor hormone for 13 weeks is now typing while bouncing on an exercise ball, hoping to induce labor.
While it is easy to get frustrated that the baby isn't cooperating with my desire to move from pregnancy into the next phase, I do remind myself that each day means stronger lung capacity, better sucking reflexes & a fatter, happier newborn. It is also a humble reminder that no matter how much we want things to happen a certain way, our body & mother nature truly know best & may have different plans. While knowing that almost all of the labor inducing tricks are mere wives tales I have still tried them all, to no avail. In fact, I have pretty much given up any hope of influencing when I will go into labor. So paradigm shift or not I have figured out that, like everything in life, our destiny lies in hands far greater than our own & baby will come when baby is ready.
As of my appointment last Wednesday I am 4cm dilated and 75% effaced! Frank and I were convinced that Baby C would make it's grand entrance this past weekend, but here I am writing this blog entry on Monday. While I am ever grateful that we are at a point where we can wish for signs of labor, I find myself having a hard time with this dramatic paradigm shift. I spent the majority of this pregnancy preventing labor and here I am eating spicy food, going on hikes, taking baths & having Frank give me acupressure foot massages. Considering my fairly advanced cervical dilation with no signs of active labor, I sometimes wonder if I have been so mentally focused on preventing labor that my mind is actually preventing my body from going into labor?! I'm sure I am over thinking it all, and probably giving my mind over body control a little too much credit, but it is a bit coincidental that the woman who spent almost 2 months on bed rest & took a pre-term labor hormone for 13 weeks is now typing while bouncing on an exercise ball, hoping to induce labor.
While it is easy to get frustrated that the baby isn't cooperating with my desire to move from pregnancy into the next phase, I do remind myself that each day means stronger lung capacity, better sucking reflexes & a fatter, happier newborn. It is also a humble reminder that no matter how much we want things to happen a certain way, our body & mother nature truly know best & may have different plans. While knowing that almost all of the labor inducing tricks are mere wives tales I have still tried them all, to no avail. In fact, I have pretty much given up any hope of influencing when I will go into labor. So paradigm shift or not I have figured out that, like everything in life, our destiny lies in hands far greater than our own & baby will come when baby is ready.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Mumus
OK, I get it! I totally "get" Mumus! Never in the past has such an obviously hideous fashion trend appealed to me as much as a Mumu does these days. They are comfortable; they hang just low enough to cover up those parts that need not be displayed yet they are short enough to provide ventilation on even the hottest of days. They come in all sorts of bright colors & obnoxious (some might call them "fun") prints, because heck if you are going with a Mumu, why not stand out in the crowd? You never have to worry about having "fat" clothes or "skinny" clothes because a Mumu always fits just right. They are great for vacation, working around the house, or you could even belt it & wear it to work. They are fancy enough for an evening out but casual enough for leftovers at home. Front, back, side, the silhouette is the same, so no need to worry about angling your "good side" toward the camera for a picture. They make accessorizing easy & getting dressed fun. Don't ever worry about crossing your legs, the Mumu has you covered. They are economical, easy to wash, & the Mumu designers never change the style making them a timeless classic. With so many upsides it's hard to know why this fashion staple hasn't made it into my closet yet. So forget the Diane Von Furtstenburg frock & the True Religion jeans, I'm going Mumu!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The countdown is on...
I have officially made it into the "safe zone", the organs are all developed & Dr. B would not stop labor should it start any day. Ironically, Labor Day was our final mile marker on this long and sometimes scary pregnancy road. Frank and I honestly never thought we'd get this far and it does feel amazingly great to know that the baby is fully developed! Although I chuckle when I say it "feels" really great because I have become increasingly uncomfortable & am anxiously awaiting any sign that labor is beginning. When people ask if I am ready they might be taken aback by my over enthusiastic "YES I AM READY!" My husband reminds me that we still have a week and a half or so before baby is full, full term, and I look at him lovingly and say "easy for you to say, buddy!"
Dr. B has a theory that the last few weeks of pregnancy are purposefully miserable so women actually look forward to labor. I couldn't agree more and looking forward to labor is an understatement in my case. First and foremost, I think the safe delivery of this child will provide an immense amount of closure for Frank and I (and even Dr. B & our closest friends & family). The last time we were admitted into L&D was literally the worst day of our lives. This time the day we are admitted will hopefully prove to be the best! I also sometimes find my mind wandering to the worse case scenario & it feels as though the baby is safer in my arms than in my belly at this point, although my right mind knows that is not the case & that the worry I have experienced during pregnancy is only a scratch on the surface of what is to come through this child's life. The whole year and half of pregnancy (as miraculous as it is) has gotten a little old & makes me excited to remember what it feels like to not be pregnant. And among the late pregnancy trivial annoyances such as insomnia, cramps, aches, pains, difficulty moving around, heartburn, stretch marks, etc. is the more important emotion of eager anticipation to finally meet this beautiful being. I feel like a 4 year old waiting for Christmas morning, yet not knowing when Christmas morning is going to come.
Obviously, I have a very strong desire for the contractions to start rolling in like El Nino, yet the rational and much more patient side of my mind reminds me to enjoy these last few days/weeks of pregnancy. Many women who I've interacted with lately say they see my belly & feel jealous and that they loved being pregnant & miss their pregnant bodies. Again, hard for me to understand that feeling right now, but it does help bring me back to earth & reminds me that even this late stage in pregnancy should be savored, because truly it could be over any day!
Dr. B has a theory that the last few weeks of pregnancy are purposefully miserable so women actually look forward to labor. I couldn't agree more and looking forward to labor is an understatement in my case. First and foremost, I think the safe delivery of this child will provide an immense amount of closure for Frank and I (and even Dr. B & our closest friends & family). The last time we were admitted into L&D was literally the worst day of our lives. This time the day we are admitted will hopefully prove to be the best! I also sometimes find my mind wandering to the worse case scenario & it feels as though the baby is safer in my arms than in my belly at this point, although my right mind knows that is not the case & that the worry I have experienced during pregnancy is only a scratch on the surface of what is to come through this child's life. The whole year and half of pregnancy (as miraculous as it is) has gotten a little old & makes me excited to remember what it feels like to not be pregnant. And among the late pregnancy trivial annoyances such as insomnia, cramps, aches, pains, difficulty moving around, heartburn, stretch marks, etc. is the more important emotion of eager anticipation to finally meet this beautiful being. I feel like a 4 year old waiting for Christmas morning, yet not knowing when Christmas morning is going to come.
Obviously, I have a very strong desire for the contractions to start rolling in like El Nino, yet the rational and much more patient side of my mind reminds me to enjoy these last few days/weeks of pregnancy. Many women who I've interacted with lately say they see my belly & feel jealous and that they loved being pregnant & miss their pregnant bodies. Again, hard for me to understand that feeling right now, but it does help bring me back to earth & reminds me that even this late stage in pregnancy should be savored, because truly it could be over any day!
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