39-40 weeks

40 weeks

 39 weeks

well, we made it! here i am, week 40 and no baby. yet. this last week i had 2 appointments, one on monday and one on thursday...

Week 39
monday appointment:  i went in and had the stress test as usual. baby was moving, his heart rate was great. no signs of problems. all was well. then the doctor came in to do the ultrasound and check my amniotic fluid. (side note: this was the one doctor i hadn't seen for an appointment, only met her once). my fluid measured low this time..7cm or so, even though it had been good the last couple weeks. so the doctor says, "well, if you don't go into labor in the next couple of days we'll set up an induction for thursday."
WHAT? she said it just like that and it totally caught me off guard. so i responded, "an induction? before my due date?"
"yup" she responded.
that seemed a little hasty to me, and i didn't want to just jump on board so quickly without a reason for doing so, so i then said... "well as far as we know the baby isn't under any kind of stress and seems to be doing just fine, right?"
then she says, "yes, the baby seems to be doing fine, it's just that when your fluid levels are this low it usually means that your placenta isn't working as well. But if you would rather come in here on thursday for a normal check up you can do that instead."
"ya, i would rather do that" i responded. obviously i wanted to do what was best for the baby, and jumping into an induction without there being a real need for it didn't feel right, but i figured we would know on thursday if things hadn't changed and then discuss our options than.

she then proceeded to check my cervix to see if i was dilated. i had this done just the week before, i had only been dilated about a finger tip... the process was a little uncomfortable but it didn't hurt at all. well, this doctor had a very different method and i soon found myself gripping the table, holding back tears and trying not to kick this doctor in the face! she was so incredibly forceful!!! i was not prepared for that! she then hands me a pad and tells me i am bleeding from the exam. WHAT! that was a not anything like the week before! she then leaves the room and i just immediately started balling from the pain. i was at 2cm and 50% effaced. (i come to find out that all the patients complain that she is too forceful when checking the cervix....awesome). that was an interesting appointment and i was pretty upset afterwards.

thursday appointment: this appointment went much better. stress test went well, baby seems to be doing fine. and my amniotic fluid was back up to 8.5cm. the midwife said that it is possible that my body is just really sensitive to how much water i am drinking. also, she said the baby's position can sometimes affect the fluid level...i guess if he is sitting in a certain place it's harder for my body to produce the fluid.
...also my belly measured 38 cm, and i have gained about 16-17 lbs this pregnancy.

Week 40
i have a doctor's appointment tomorrow (monday), so we will see how baby is doing. i have been having contractions for a couple days now, but they are very mild and random. sometimes it's hard for me to tell if i am having one or not, i usually have to feel my stomach and see if it is hard or not. but there hasn't been any kind of pattern to them. maybe they are just braxton hicks and not contractions? i don't really know.

i still feel good, i haven't been that uncomfortable. the baby does like to push his head into my cervix fairly often which makes a little sharp pain. i feel like he wants out but that my body isn't quite done with him yet. also, there is a nerve in my right leg that i often feel when baby moves...it sends a zing down my leg. other than that i am feeling pretty good! everyone says by the end you are so ready to just get the baby out, but i haven't felt that way. that's about it for now though!