BeBa

I have a doctor appoinment later this morning (shadow care; planned homebirth). Wish me luck. I'm very nervous – I've been researching postdates and postmaturity ever since I got up this morning in preparation for this appointment. I'm 41w5d today. I know this is NOT going to be fun. I was SO hoping I wouldn't go this late and be faced with this problem.

I have to say based on my research though that my OB has been amazingly low-key about me going over 40 weeks. She hasn't breathed a word about induction and it seems most docs start in on that at 41 weeks (and ACOG recommendation is 42 weeks end of pregnancy, end of story).

I'm expecting her to order a BPP today and I'm okay with that. It would do me some good mentally to see my Jakey. And I don't begrudge my doc her need to CYA and seek reassurance. (Personally, my intuition says all is well – the boy is still very active and also spins very freely still from LOT to ROT and OP, usually depending on my position. I think he has plenty of room, isn't too enormous [I was more uncomfortable with DD3 than with this pg so far and she was born 8#12 at 41 weeks] and probably has plenty of amniotic fluid, given the vigor of his movements.)

Also, I think labor is coming. I couldn't begin to pinpoint a day or anything, but I can tell my cervix is ripening more all the time – LOTS of increasing CM (it's insane!!) and I'm having increasing bouts of contractions that are more frequent and intense. Some of them are starting to get my attention.

My midwife put it well the other day – she said, "most likely you will slowly progress until finally the uterus 'loses it's grip' and labor starts full force." And I can tell by the signs that indeed things are progressing in that way. I'd be far more concerned and stressed if I had NO signs of labor at this point. (But I'm still a little concerned and stressed, of course – mostly because I know so much and am, after all, a product of my culture…)

I can easily buy time through the weekend, assuming all remains well with the baby. And, depending on how today goes, I think I will starting getting a little more aggressive with at-home induction methods. Cohoshes for sure. Perhaps tomorrow the big guns… membrane stripping/castor oil.

Anyway, I'll let you all know how it goes.

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