5 days overdue *graphic details

5 days overdue now.
Over the past few nights I've had cramping and Braxton Hicks contractions around 10:30pm but then nothing much more than that.
This morning I am fairly certain I lost my mucous plug. It was tinged with blood, so I'm thinking that's what it was.
The baby also dropped quite a bit. I have a huge space now between my chest and my belly! These are all positive signs, I just worry about going overdue past 10 days. I don't want an induction and I don't want any medical interventions, so I'm hoping for sooner rather than later.
Today is rainy and pretty boring so far. It's making me sleepy. And somewhat grumpy.
Come on baby!!!

3 days overdue.
Annoying, but I'm mostly over it. I'm resigned to the fact that I will indeed be pregnant for forever.
Today we decided to "risk" it and go to Burlington to visit with Jamie's Mom and Nana. We went out for lunch at the Mandarin and I had the greasiest Chinese food I could (apparently that's supposed to help start labour) and then we visited Burlington's Fire Station (Noah has now been to Waterloo, Guelph and Burlington fire stations). After that we thought we'd take a trip to the Burlington mall, which is actually quite a nice mall (they just got a XXI store and are getting a Bath and Body Works soon - all the stores are really nice too) but by the end of it I was exhausted.
Noah was treated to a Hot Wheels Fire Truck from Nana and a kiddie pool from Great Nana and then he napped all the way home.
I haven't felt a twinge or anything out of the ordinary. Not even the usual cramping/stomach tightening I've been having since at least Wednesday.
Noah was 4 days overdue. If I go past 4 days I think I might be quite frustrated. I DON'T want an August baby (not that there's anything wrong with August babies...).
I feel like I'm having a grown up temper tantrum. Sorta.
I waver between being totally blase about still being pregnant and then completely grumpy and impatient.
Every night we go to bed thinking, "Tonight could be the night!" and every morning we wake up with me still pregnant and no baby or imminent labour.
Right now I'm washing the sweet little outfits my Mom bought for the baby and we'll get around to eating dinner soon enough I reckon.
Le Sigh.
Tomorrow I have a midwife appointment at noon which I hope not to make it to. But likely I will be there - still pregnant.

what's a girl gotta do?

It's due date day. Actually it's almost over. 11:04pm. And still no baby.
I went for a mother-long walk - 4.5 km - with Noah this morning and tried to visualize my waters breaking or major cramping coming on but nothing.
Le Sigh.
Anyway, I suppose it could happen tonight and even though I WANT it to happen that way, I doubt it will. But for goodness sakes - what more needs to happen?
An interesting thing to note:
At my midwife appointment on Wednesday, the intern Kristi said that "they" (medical professionals I assume) still don't know what makes labour start (naturally I'm assuming as there are many hormonal inductions, etc.). Whether it's the baby that sends a message, or releases some sort of hormone or whether it's the mother's body or what...
I found this fascinating.
And so cool.
The mystery of the human body, pregnancy and birth. Very interesting.
Anyway, so...Jamie and I just watched 3 episodes of season 7 of 90210, ate some chips and dip and I suppose I should get to sleep now...but not before I take my WEEK 40 pregnancy picture.
Come on baby!

grumpster

No baby yet.
I'm pretty grumpy about it too.
I never even felt remotely close to this annoyed at still being pregnant when I was pregnant with Noah, but I think I was busy, it was mid-semester on campus, we were doing an outreach and I was enjoying my last days as a childless married woman. This time though, I'm a Mom, sick of waiting and a teeny bit concerned this baby is going to just plop right out of me regardless of where I am in seconds flat. That and the fact that I was convinced this baby would come by now. But I guess it still is before my due date and...stuff could still happen. Any day! Any hour! Any minute! I'm just tired of waiting.
Tomorrow I have a midwife appointment and Heather suggested last time that I get a stretch and sweep and I was unsure at the time. I feel a bit torn, though, because part of me thinks that Noah came only 4 days past my due date on his own terms with no stretch and sweep. But part of me is just plain tired of waiting and wondering when, when, when?!!
So...I think we'll talk it out tomorrow and see what happens.

midwife appointment

Today I had a midwife appointment.
Nothing too eventful - we talked about booking a biophysical ultrasound for 41 weeks (if I make it that far) that will look at things like the baby's movement, measurements, fluid levels, etc. just to make sure everything is okay and still in proper working condition.
The baby had a good heartbeat - he was resting more this time - mid 130's compared to his usual 140's.
His head is not engaged but is down and he seems to be in a good position.
Oh and I've gained 23lbs so far. Not too shabby!
Next week I'll go in on Wednesday and possibly get a stretch and sweep depending on how things are going. I feel ready for this baby and hope I don't even make it until Wednesday, but we'll see what happens I guess.
I can't believe this is all happening again. Soon I'll be holding my little baby...
Jamie said to me the other day "Do you realize that if things went like they did with Noah's birth that you could be holding your baby by 7pm tonight?" (It was 2:30pm in the afternoon). That was freaky.
I'm tired. Should go to bed and maybe get some rest - last night I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight even though I was in bed around 10:30. I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again.

update

So, much to update on...
I had my appointment with Dr. Ben and he gave me the prescription for both the first dose of antibiotics (the one they want you to come to the hospital for) and the subsequent doses.
At first it seemed as though he wouldn't, but I explained to him that my first home birth was quick and straightforward and that I was concerned that if I had to go to the hospital for my first dose that I wouldn't make it back home for a home birth.
He seemed to understand and quickly wrote the prescription.
I wasn't going to have wasted that hour sitting in his waiting room to NOT get the prescription!
So hooray!
The home visit with the midwives went well. They gave me a few suggestions for what they'd like to see in the bedroom (ie. lower table to set up things/place to measure, look at baby, etc.) and we talked a lot about GBS and what it would mean for me to NOT have the antibiotics, etc.
I also had an appointment at the midwifery office yesterday and was a tool and showed up 1/2 hour early. Oh well. I showed them the prescription and asked how much it usually cost and ended up getting the meds for free since they had extra from previous patients (am I allowed to blog about that?) that went unused!
I had measured 39 weeks when I was at 37 weeks but last week the growth had slowed down to 39.5. My weight is also the same as it was 2 weeks ago.
I keep forgetting to ask if they have a guess on this baby's weight or not...last time they said (earlier on in the pregnancy) that I was looking to probably have a 7 or 8lber. Noah was almost 9lbs and I'm hoping for smaller this time around, but we'll see.
I have all my home birth stuff ready in a basket in our room, a deep freeze that is slowly getting filled with food for after the baby comes, and a house that is slowly getting some final touches.
I'd still like to make the hospital/nursing gown and have bought the material, so all I need is to hunker down and do it!
Hmmm....what else?
I guess now it's just a waiting game. Sometimes I think I might go any day now, but other times I just feel like I'll be here probably until my due date. So who knows?

yikes!

Every time I look at my ticker I am amazed.
18 days!?!?!
This time I started to get nervous.
Nervous about labour.
Nervous about being ready.
Nervous about how our little family is going to change completely.
Nervous about whether I'll make it to things like: my dr's appt on Wednesday, friends coming over on Wednesday, a BBQ on Sunday, weddings, etc.

If only I KNEW when this baby was coming...that might help a bit.
But I'd still be slightly nervous about the labour.

full term tomorrow!

Wow. I just looked at my ticker. Less than 21 days 'til my due date. That's crazy. Where has the time gone?
I wanted to blog about breastfeeding and some other issues, but I'm just so tired. I think I need to go to bed.
Tomorrow I'll be full-term! 37 weeks. Wow. It's funny because when I was pregnant with Noah I had no qualms about traveling and leaving town for the weekend or whatever when I was 37 weeks. I just KNEW I wouldn't go early. I just had a feeling. And I was right.
But this time around, I'm not so sure. I'm thinking that baby will come sometime the week before I'm due, but I'm hoping for a teeny bit earlier than that - around the 14th so that my friend Jen will still be around before she leaves for BC for a few weeks.
But who knows? Maybe I'll be sitting around on my due date with no sign of impending labour.
Ya just never know with these sorts of things I guess.
We got a bassinet from our friends (to borrow) and I'm excited to set it up. We pretty much haven't gotten anything for this baby - other than diapers so far - so even just setting up his bed for the first few months is kinda fun. I also really enjoyed pulling out all the onesies and little outfits again. So small and sweet.
Well, I may take a look at this bassinet before I go to sleep tonight. We'll see.
Tomorrow is the home visit with the midwives and I'm looking forward to that and getting all my questions answered! Or at least...have a better idea of what's happening.

week 27 and feeling it!

I am feeling this pregnancy to the max!
My belly feels very tight these days and I get out of breath a lot faster than I used to. I'm starting to feel the baby pushing everything up so that it's often uncomfortable if I'm slouching (I totally just corrected my posture and now I feel much better).
I also experienced my first Braxton Hicks on our way home from Chicago. It was while we were eating dinner at a restaurant and all of a sudden I felt sharp pains on my right side. Noah was sitting on my lap facing me pushing his foot into my side and I started saying, "Ow! Ow! Ow!" Jamie took Noah but the pains continued for a few more seconds but then stopped.
During this pregnancy I've often thought more about this baby coming "early" (not premie, but maybe a week or two earlier) whereas with Noah I just knew I would outlast my due date (and was TOTALLY content with that). This time around I'd be thrilled if this baby showed up a week or two early (but not earlier than that as we're moving at the end of June!!!).
So my prediction is that this little guy will show up the week before I am due (maybe not exactly a week, but sometime in that week before), even though my official guess is 3 days past my due date.
We'll see!

it's true, it's true

I got confirmation of my pregnancy at the doctor's office today and my doctor said my due date is July 22nd, 2009. (We'll see, though.)
I also called the midwifery clinic and already got in! We have Carol as our secondary midwife and Heather as our primary midwife. Carol was our primary last time with Noah but was actually unable to be at his birth. However, Heather was a back up midwife and SHE was at the birth.
So our first midwife appointment is December 11th and I am going to go for an ultrasound around 8 weeks (so a few more weeks) just to have a bit of peace of mind.
It definitely hasn't sunk in yet...but it's very exciting.
If we could wait, we'd tell family at Christmas, but there's no way we can wait that long. :)

Here we go again!

I took a test this morning trying not to get my hopes up. (An impossible task. They were up.)
A positive test was the result! I'm pregnant again!
I left the test on the counter for Jamie to see and later that morning we were both getting ready in the bathroom and he said, "Babe? Are you pregnant? I don't understand that thing." I laughed and said, "Yep." He was pretty happy.
So that's that. Very exciting and we're looking forward to the continued expansion of our family!
According to an online pregnancy due date predictor, I am due July 24th 2009, so we'll see!
I have a Doctor's appt tomorrow and am already confirmed as a client with the midwives again.
I will always feel apprehensive due to my previous miscarriage before Noah, but I don't think I'm living in fear. Cautiously optimistic.
...
And then there were four!

2 days overdue

No news. I'm waiting to hear back about my iron levels and will go in on Thursday for a stretch and sweep to help induce labour (naturally).
The baby's head still isn't fully engaged apparently and I have been feeling pretty normal.
Jamie and I got the carseat in last night and went to the fire station to get it checked. They said they don't officially do it, but one guy took a look at it and he said it looks tight and fine.
So we're good. :)
My bag is packed in case of a hospital visit and today I got my ebay purchase of my Zanzibar linens so we're all in waiting mode right now.
Come on baby!

Nope. My calculations were right. I'm only 23 weeks.

sigh of relief

Whew. I can breathe again.
I went to the doctor's office today for a confirmation of pregnancy.
I did a urine sample and then waited for FOREVER for Dr. B to come in and give me the results. I started to doubt how I've been feeling in the past couple weeks.
But she finally came in and said, "So you're pregnant." I was like, "Yes. Yes I am." with one of those ridiculously giddy smiles.
So I'm going to go ahead and set things up with the midwifery clinic and go from there.
I have an ultrasound in 2 weeks to hopefully hear the baby's heartbeat and confirm the due date - which Dr. B said is Oct. 24th - only a day before the online calculator.
I'm letting myself get excited all over again.
And now to figure out when we tell people...
And so it begins...
:D

complications...

The drama begins...
Today I called the Dr's office and made an appointment to see Dr. B. So I go in on Wednesday. And then I decided I would call the midwifery clinic and see if I can get an appointment with them before I actually see the doctor. And now I'm all confused.
I talked to a woman (let's call her Tammy) and when I told her that I miscarried last month and I was using that as my "first day of last period" to figure out my due date she didn't sound optimistic. She was nice enough - but gave me something to worry about.
She said that it seemed to too early for me to have gotten pregnant already and that October 25th couldn't be my date - it would probably be early November.
She also said that the hormones that were detected with the home pregnancy test could be leftover in my body from the last pregnancy.
This could be true. However, when I was at the hospital after the miscarriage they did blood work and the doctor there told me that the hormone levels had dropped to almost non-detectable (meaning I had started to miscarry likely the week or so before).
Added to that I actually feel quite pregnant.
Exhausted in the evenings - I even feel like taking naps quite frequently.
Sore ... chest.
AND recently I just connected the dots that I've had a stuffy nose for the past week or so - but no cold! And then on the pregnancy website I've been visiting it was said to be quite common to have a stuffed nose - for the duration of the pregnancy! Ack!
Suffice it to say...I am pretty sure I AM pregnant.
I guess it's just the due date that is up for debate.
The good news is that Tammy said that they have room for me as a patient of theirs.
So that's great.
I won't have to be put on any kind of waiting list.
Wednesday just can't come soon enough!