Well, we're back from our visit to the midwives.
No change since last visit re: cervical ripeness, unfortunately. Was sent home with instructions to be sure to take evening primrose oil each and every night and to come back early next week for a "stripping" of the membranes around my cervix.
I've pretty much decided that none of this stuff really works and that I'm just not granola crunchy enough to be going to a birth center where one obviously has to suspend belief in scientific proof of efficacy and instead be willing to accept anecdotal evidence as sound proof. Sorta like people who believe in religion have to do. Wait. . .
Yes, as nice and cozy as I believe giving birth at this place is going to be (if I'm able to give birth without medical induction--something else I'm beginning the feeling isn't going to happen), I would trade it all right now for a scheduled induction. I would. Honest. I might regret those words later on, but right now that's how I feel.
Anyway, off to finish a movie now. Maybe something will happen tonight? Maybe, maybe, maybe. I can always hope, anyway.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Today is D day. Due date day. But no sign yet that Benjamin has any inclination of coming out and joining us anytime soon.
We have to leave here in a moment for my weekly visit with the midwives. I'm hoping that they'll, through the exam, be able to tell me that something has changed, but I have to admit, I'm not going to hold my breath. I just don't feel like there's been any change.
Will update the blog after the visit.
We have to leave here in a moment for my weekly visit with the midwives. I'm hoping that they'll, through the exam, be able to tell me that something has changed, but I have to admit, I'm not going to hold my breath. I just don't feel like there's been any change.
Will update the blog after the visit.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Have I mentioned before that I'm tired of being pregnant? Standing is uncomfortable, sitting is uncomfortable, lying down is uncomfortable, walking is uncomfortable--everything is uncomfortable. My hips ache, my feet hurt, I'm as swollen as an engorged tick, and I'm tired because I have to wake up at least three times a night to either flip over or use the bathroom.
But I went in to see the midwife today and she examined me and I'm only a centimeter dilated--the same as I was the last visit, two weeks ago. Total bummer. And I'm beginning to think that all these "natural" methods of trying to help speed things along are a load of crap. I did acupuncture, nothing. I've been using the oil of primrose, nada. I'm beginning to get really discouraged.
I talk to the baby everyday now on the way in to work. I tell him that it's time to come out and meet face to face. That I understand how nice and cozy it is in there where he is, but how great his room looks and how he's really going to like meeting everyone and would he please go ahead and make an appearance already.
And yeah, besides being physically miserable and exhausted, I am ready to finally meet this child. I just can't wait to lay eyes on him. To see who he looks like, what color eyes he has, whose hair he inherited, whose temperament he has ended up with. To hold him and smell him and rock him and nurse him and play with him and teach him things and just be with him. This stage--the pregnancy--has been fun, but now it's time to move on to the next event: having a baby.
So when will he come? I'm beginning to get this awful feeling that he's going to be like his brother and simply never want to come out. Should that happen they'll eventually send me to UNC hospital and induce me, which would be extremely disappointing because that is not the way I have planned to deliver. But I suppose at that point it really won't matter. By that time it would be close to the middle of October and if how I feel now gets steadily worse as the days progress, then by the time mid-October rolls around I'm betting that I'd be willing to do most anything just so long as the end result is having the baby and being unpregnant.
Urg.
Well, I really need to write some thank you notes, but I'm full of Mexican food and Baskin-Robbins ice cream and I'm just not feeling particularly industrious, so I believe that I'll go lie down and try to get as comfortable as I can and read a book.
Maybe next time I get a chance to post I'll have had the baby! A person can dream, anyway. . .
But I went in to see the midwife today and she examined me and I'm only a centimeter dilated--the same as I was the last visit, two weeks ago. Total bummer. And I'm beginning to think that all these "natural" methods of trying to help speed things along are a load of crap. I did acupuncture, nothing. I've been using the oil of primrose, nada. I'm beginning to get really discouraged.
I talk to the baby everyday now on the way in to work. I tell him that it's time to come out and meet face to face. That I understand how nice and cozy it is in there where he is, but how great his room looks and how he's really going to like meeting everyone and would he please go ahead and make an appearance already.
And yeah, besides being physically miserable and exhausted, I am ready to finally meet this child. I just can't wait to lay eyes on him. To see who he looks like, what color eyes he has, whose hair he inherited, whose temperament he has ended up with. To hold him and smell him and rock him and nurse him and play with him and teach him things and just be with him. This stage--the pregnancy--has been fun, but now it's time to move on to the next event: having a baby.
So when will he come? I'm beginning to get this awful feeling that he's going to be like his brother and simply never want to come out. Should that happen they'll eventually send me to UNC hospital and induce me, which would be extremely disappointing because that is not the way I have planned to deliver. But I suppose at that point it really won't matter. By that time it would be close to the middle of October and if how I feel now gets steadily worse as the days progress, then by the time mid-October rolls around I'm betting that I'd be willing to do most anything just so long as the end result is having the baby and being unpregnant.
Urg.
Well, I really need to write some thank you notes, but I'm full of Mexican food and Baskin-Robbins ice cream and I'm just not feeling particularly industrious, so I believe that I'll go lie down and try to get as comfortable as I can and read a book.
Maybe next time I get a chance to post I'll have had the baby! A person can dream, anyway. . .
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Hi Benjamin!
Guess what? You're 37 weeks old now (gestational age)! It's time to go ahead and start thinking about coming out to see us.
Please.
Mommy is getting very tired of hauling you around in her uterus because you're getting to be such a big boy now. It would be sooo much easier on Mommy's back and hips if she could occasionally carry you in a sling or, even better, put you down on your own in your pretty little bassinet.
The midwives also agree that it's OK for you to come and be with us out here. So will you please consider it soon? As much fun as you and I have had together, we're going to have even more fun once you decide to come out. I promise!
Will you at least give it some thought? Ideally you'll wait until after this Saturday, because Daddy and I have plans to go to a bed & breakfast Saturday in Durham. But if you decide that you can't wait that long, that's perfectly OK by me. Daddy and I can always reschedule and go another time.
Just think about it.
I love you!
Love,
Mommy
Guess what? You're 37 weeks old now (gestational age)! It's time to go ahead and start thinking about coming out to see us.
Please.
Mommy is getting very tired of hauling you around in her uterus because you're getting to be such a big boy now. It would be sooo much easier on Mommy's back and hips if she could occasionally carry you in a sling or, even better, put you down on your own in your pretty little bassinet.
The midwives also agree that it's OK for you to come and be with us out here. So will you please consider it soon? As much fun as you and I have had together, we're going to have even more fun once you decide to come out. I promise!
Will you at least give it some thought? Ideally you'll wait until after this Saturday, because Daddy and I have plans to go to a bed & breakfast Saturday in Durham. But if you decide that you can't wait that long, that's perfectly OK by me. Daddy and I can always reschedule and go another time.
Just think about it.
I love you!
Love,
Mommy
Monday, September 03, 2007
It's official, I'm ready for this to be over. Being pregnant has, for the most part, been an enjoyable experience, but I'm at the point now where every bit of the fun has worn off and I'm simply miserable and ready to have my body back.
It's 2:20 a.m., Labor Day. I can't sleep. I was asleep, a little while ago, on the couch. But then William came home, with three friends in tow, which added to the two friends Lizzie has over, has resulted in seven tween- or teen-aged monsters lurking in various areas of my house. While they aren't the core reason I can't sleep--that has to do with only being able to position myself either on my right side or my left side, meaning that either my right arm and leg or my left arm and leg aches and falls asleep throughout the night, depending--they are now a large part of the reason that I can't get back to sleep.
William and his friends are upstairs in the bonus room and Lizzie and her friends are downstairs in her room. I could go upstairs and banish William and his friends to his room and take over the couch up there, but it wouldn't be any better than I have it down here, on the living room sofa, where I can clearly hear Lizzie and her friends in her room, so I may as well stay here. At least I expect pre-teen girls to be goofy and silly and, therefore, am not as likely to go biting heads off as I would be if I had to listen to teen-aged boys acting goofy and silly. As it is, I'm sorely tempted to go round them all up, girls and boys alike, and dump them off at their respective houses.
It's not been a good evening for me in general. I was feeling out of sorts for no explainable reason earlier in the night. I'm still feeling that way, only now I have also tacked on insomnia, physical discomfort, and general pissiness at having so many !@#$%^ people in my home. I keep reminding myself that it's a good thing that the children's friends want to be here, because that way I can keep tabs on them all. But tonight I'm having a hard time feeling positive about such things because all I really want is peace and quiet and a good, comfortable night's sleep.
Not that I'd be likely to get that even if there weren't any children here. Again, sleeping is simply not comfortable these days. Although I generally don't suffer from insomnia, I do wake up on and off throughout the night with a full bladder and sore arms and legs, never sleeping for any length of time at any one stretch. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be able to sleep either flat on my back or splayed out on my tummy! Soon enough such positions will be possible again, I know. In the meantime, I'm not sure what to do, except accept being achy and sleep deprived and try not to verbally or otherwise harm the children and/or their friends.
I'm going to sign off now and give the living room couch another try. I was able to sleep there earlier, hopefully I can again. Of course, if these girls don't shut up soon. . .
It's 2:20 a.m., Labor Day. I can't sleep. I was asleep, a little while ago, on the couch. But then William came home, with three friends in tow, which added to the two friends Lizzie has over, has resulted in seven tween- or teen-aged monsters lurking in various areas of my house. While they aren't the core reason I can't sleep--that has to do with only being able to position myself either on my right side or my left side, meaning that either my right arm and leg or my left arm and leg aches and falls asleep throughout the night, depending--they are now a large part of the reason that I can't get back to sleep.
William and his friends are upstairs in the bonus room and Lizzie and her friends are downstairs in her room. I could go upstairs and banish William and his friends to his room and take over the couch up there, but it wouldn't be any better than I have it down here, on the living room sofa, where I can clearly hear Lizzie and her friends in her room, so I may as well stay here. At least I expect pre-teen girls to be goofy and silly and, therefore, am not as likely to go biting heads off as I would be if I had to listen to teen-aged boys acting goofy and silly. As it is, I'm sorely tempted to go round them all up, girls and boys alike, and dump them off at their respective houses.
It's not been a good evening for me in general. I was feeling out of sorts for no explainable reason earlier in the night. I'm still feeling that way, only now I have also tacked on insomnia, physical discomfort, and general pissiness at having so many !@#$%^ people in my home. I keep reminding myself that it's a good thing that the children's friends want to be here, because that way I can keep tabs on them all. But tonight I'm having a hard time feeling positive about such things because all I really want is peace and quiet and a good, comfortable night's sleep.
Not that I'd be likely to get that even if there weren't any children here. Again, sleeping is simply not comfortable these days. Although I generally don't suffer from insomnia, I do wake up on and off throughout the night with a full bladder and sore arms and legs, never sleeping for any length of time at any one stretch. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be able to sleep either flat on my back or splayed out on my tummy! Soon enough such positions will be possible again, I know. In the meantime, I'm not sure what to do, except accept being achy and sleep deprived and try not to verbally or otherwise harm the children and/or their friends.
I'm going to sign off now and give the living room couch another try. I was able to sleep there earlier, hopefully I can again. Of course, if these girls don't shut up soon. . .
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