39 Week Update

I am officially 39 weeks pregnant as of tomorrow! I honestly didn't think I would make it this far. Given how Liam is already measuring a week and a half ahead, and how I have been 3cm dilated for about a week now, I figured he would have made his debut by now.

I had a regular OB appointment today. Everything is going fantastic. I haven't gained any weight this past week and blood pressure was 128/82. My fundal measurement was measuring at 38 weeks instead of 39, which is normal and fine.

I had my midwife take a look at my swollen ankles. I figured they were really bad because my skin on my shins is so dark and red. She said they aren't bad at all, and to not be concerned. She laughed and said my pregnancy is causing the opposite effects on me. I had informed her that when I am on my feet all day cleaning and what not, my feet don't swell up and I can see my ankle bones. However, when I take it easy and rest all day, my feet and ankles balloon up. Very odd.

She then checked me for dilation. She said I am a tiiinnnyy bit past 3 cm, but she would still just call it a 3. She said my cervix is almost 100% thinned out, and that Liam has dropped a tiny bit more. Instead of him being at a -2 stage, he is at a -1.5. So not much. However, I guess it is good progress since it has only been 5 days since I last saw my doctor. So, better than nothing! She did say again that my cervix is so soft and "ideal" that it should cooperate with me during labor.

She also mentioned that for a first time mom, things are going super smoothly for me, and I am progressing greatly. She said if she had to guess, she guesses that I won't make it to 40 weeks pregnant. So Liam should be coming any day!

We then talked about what exactly she wants me to do when labor starts. She wants me to stay home at least until my contractions are 5 minutes apart, and that I can no longer talk through them. However, she mentioned if I don't want an epidural ( which I do not ) that as soon as my contractions hit 5 minutes apart, I should get my butt in a warm bath and work with my contractions until they are 3 minutes apart, THEN head into the hospital. Obviously head to the hospital if there is bleeding, or if I have that urge to push ( or feeling like I have to poop as she said.) I planned on taking a warm shower or bath when labor really set in, so hopefully I will be able to do most of my laboring at home. I know I am strong enough to turn down the epidural, but I don't even want that to be a temptation for me, so at home I will be until the contractions start getting closer.

My midwife put things into perspective for me. She said to think of labor as someone dropping a bowling ball over and over and over again on your foot. Now if that person asks you if you want them to stop, of course you are going to want to tell them yes! Same thing with labor. Contractions are miserable apparently, so if some person comes along and tells you they have a drug that can take all your pain away, you naturally are going to want to say yes. So, my goal is to stay home until I am past the point of an epidural.

As far as symptoms go, nothing has really changed since last week. I am still getting a ton of contractions, a ton of cramping, and a ton of cervical pains/pressure. I am getting this new leg pain. It feels like my legs are popping out of their socket when I take a step sometimes. Really odd feeling. My emotions are going haywire. Yesterday I was sitting here on the computer, and out of nowhere, I started crying. I have no idea what the cause was.

I have started working on getting this baby out this week. Kyle and I went on a long walk today. If the weather is crappy outside, I turn on the music really loud and dance around the house like an idiot hoping it will wiggle and jiggle Liam out. I have been cleaning like a mad woman too, so hopefully, all this physical work will send me into labor some day soon. At this point I feel like I am going to be pregnant for eternity.