alicia elliott

I went in to see the midwife for my weekly update today. In some ways it
was good, but I am feeling somewhat disappointed that labour hasn't happened
yet. I know that there is no way to predict when it will happen. However,
when I lost my mucous plug last Monday I was sure that 'something' was under
way. Everything I've read said that it usually isn't longer than a week or
two before having the baby once the plug is lost. But, I'll be the one
woman in history who went for 5 weeks before anything happens knowing my
luck.

The good things are:

-Good blood pressure,
-Baby's heart rate is good
-Gained a pound and a half in two weeks, now at about 20 pounds weight gain
total. Since I was expecting to put on 30-40 pounds, I am pleased that I
won't have as much to lose afterwards.
-Baby hasn't yet engaged, but is beginning to drop
-urine is clean
-nausea has been up and down-this is good because usually it is there all
the time
-sleep is improving (imagine that!)
-emotions are evening out
-nesting has come and gone
-everything is set for the home birth
-I'm having false labour and plenty of BH contractions, good prep work
-baby is in perfect position

So, all things considered, I'm doing pretty well. Just waiting...

-Alicia

kereru

You sound like me not long before I went into labor. I know that a day or a
week seems like a year at the end! But it won't be long :-)

You are planning a home birth! That's great, do you live in the US? It's
pretty unusual there isn't it. I live in New Zealand and while it's no the
norm here I have heard of plenty of wonderful homebirths. Good Luck :-)

Judy

plissken

You're disappointed you haven't gone into labour yet?? WTF? Talk to me when
you are 11 days overdue ;-) Sounds like it won't be to long though. Try to
rest as much as possible as you'll have many sleepless nights ahead of you.
Even if your baby is a good sleeper all those little noises he/she makes
while sleeping will keep you up. You'll also be checking every hour or so to
make sure they are still breathing. Or is that just me??

I'm betting you'll drop below prepregnancy weight really quick if you are
able to BF. I gained 18 lbs and am now 10 lbs below my prepregnancy weight.
You'll definitely loose pretty much all that after giving birth.

Good luck!
Nadene

alicia elliott

Hi Judy,

I'm up in good ol' Canada. Home births are not too uncommon here, but there
is still a lot of resistance from the medical community. I am really
looking forward to it. I have a very nice apartment in a character building
with lots of good energy in it, and I know I'll be a lot more comfortable
labouring at home than in a hospital. I have lots of excellent support for
the birth - a midwife and her assistant, my Mum who is a doctor of Chinese
medicine and my hubby. : ) It'll be a wonderful experience I am sure.
-Alicia

alicia elliott

LOL, I know I know, I'm not even at my due date yet so why am I getting so
disappointed right? I don't think I would have if I hadn't blown my plug so
early. That just seemed to me like an indication that I was ready to go.
At least within a week or so. I hate to think I'll go over, even though I
know it is more common for first time mums to do so. Oh well, I'm okay now
that the initial excitement has worn off. : )
I have no idea what it will be like to have a newborn waking me up all the
time, but I can say that after waking up 10-15 times a night feeling
nauseous and/or having to pee, I'll take what comes with love in my heart.
At least then I'll be doing something constructive with my exhaustion.

I agree that I'll probably do pretty well after breastfeeding. I'm a fairly
well rounded thing to begin with, so I'm glad I haven't put on too much
during this pregnancy. And I have also learned some excellent lessons for
how to eat more healthy (due to my nausea) so that when I am no longer
pregnant and getting some exercise, I'll probably be pretty healthy and fit.
I am so much looking forward to that. I've missed getting out to nature for
hikes and such. I know I'll have a papoose to carry with me, but that will
just give me a better work out. : )

We'll see what happens.

-Alicia

em

I'm sorry you're feeling disappointed :-( I hope you don't end up going
overdue! Even though I *know* that I shouldn't do this <wags finger at
self>, I can't help but be thinking that anytime after 37 weeks could be
*it* and I have a happy little image of having this baby a week to two weeks
before my due date. I know, no one needs to tell me, I am totally setting
myself for disappointment & going to 42 weeks or something!


Well all these things sound *great*! I'm so sorry to hear that you're still
feeling nauseous though--doesn't seem very fair--but glad the sleeping has
improved a bit (just in time for the baby to arrive & change everything ;-).
I hope your home birth is a fantastic experience. Sounds like your body is
doing a good job prepping up for labor, so hopefully you will have a
relatively smooth one.

--
Em
edd 9/23/03

alicia elliott

Thanks Em, I know what you mean. Once the baby is full term (medically
speaking), I see no reason to wait around. But, they say babies choose
their own time, and it will come when it is meant to. ARRGGHHH! I wish we
could somehow converse with it and let it know that we would like it to be
kind and come when we are ready. I guess that would take some of the fun
out of it, wouldn't it. : P

True, everything sounds like it is winding up to a successful labour. My
body seems to know what it should be doing (as I imagine most do), except
for the nausea. That is most unnecessary for a healthy happy baby.

Take care, Alicia

em

I guess "anticipation" is part of the package! As I've noted here before,
I'm quite a planner & so it is an adjustment for me to have an entire month
of possible birthdates and day-of-the-week-I-go-into-labor contingency
plans! I do believe they come when they're meant to though :-)


The nausea is an unfair twist for you, for sure. I don't know if you're
planning more babies (what a time to ask, huh?!!), but I wonder if it would
be the same for your other pregnancies? I'm starting to have fairly
uncomfortable Braxton-Hicks contractions lately (over the past month or so).
So much for the "painless tightening"!

--
Em
edd 9/23/03

I totally understand where you are coming from! I'm due August 7th, so I'm
38 weeks, 1 day today. At my 36 week appointment, I was 3 cm and the
doctor told me to stop my commute because he was afraid I'd go into labor
far away and wouldn't get to the hospital in time. At 37 weeks, I was 4
1/2 cm dilated. She told me that she didn't expect me to make it another
week. I've lost my plug as well. And... I'm still pregnant. I wake up
every morning and feel like crying when I realize that I'm still pregnant.
Plus, I working from home now and every email from work starts out with
'Are you still here?' I'm getting a little paranoid that I'm missing some
ominous sign of labor since I didn't notice the first 4 1/2 cm go by...

Manda

jacqui

Alicia Elliott wibbled


/me waves! I lost mine nearly six weeks ago. I've had 'proper'
contractions on and off for nearly four weeks, and have been an in-
patient twice in three weeks for observation. And we're still here!

Jac, 40+6, induction scheduled for 29 July if nothing else happens...