Another Doctor Update

So today is our due date and I'm still pregnant. We are so thankful that we've made it to 40 weeks with really no concern for the baby's health or mine, but at some point she does need to come out. :) Here's what the doctor had to say this morning...

I am still dilated one centimeter, but now I'm 80% effaced. While she was checking me she also stripped my membranes, in an effort to make something happen to get labor going. She said the baby is putting a lot of pressure on the amniotic sac (and on the lower half of my body which is causing my right foot, ankle and leg to be in an almost constant state of pudginess).

We also talked about what we will do if the baby continues to not be born. If she's not born by Thursday I will be back at the doctor's office for a bio-physical profile. This is a group of tests to make sure the placenta is still functioning well enough, that the baby is still doing well, that there's still enough amniotic fluid, etc. Although the doctor will let me go up to two weeks overdue, for multiple reasons she would prefer to induce me at one week overdue. Thankfully if it comes to that she said my cervix is progressed enough that they would be willing to just break my water and see if that starts labor, rather than going straight to drugs to start labor. So we're going to schedule an induction for next Monday so that they hold a spot for us, but we won't have to decide until the end of this week if we actually want to do the induction on Monday or if we want to wait longer. We're just praying though that she comes on her own before then. In fact, tonight would be great because it's my doctor's night to be on call and I'd really love for her to be able to deliver our baby.

So that's pretty much the scoop for now. We'll probably take the 40-week picture tonight when Jeremy comes home from work. Thanks for your prayers!

Pregnant Mama Slideshow

My sister Angela took these great pictures for us a couple weeks ago. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do; they're a great gift to us!

Cleaning Day

So this morning I'm cleaning the blinds on our windows. I've been wanting to do this since we moved in 6+ weeks ago, but this is the first day that I've had any motivation to do it. Thankfully two of them were replaced right before we moved in so they are sparkly clean, but the other four are really gross. I'm sure I'll be lucky to get even one done today, but at least it's a start. As I'm wiping each individual slat I'm wondering if there's a person on the planet that actually enjoys cleaning blinds? I tend to think there isn't. I mean, I realize it's rewarding to see your progress as you move from one slat to the next, but what a pain!

39-weeks doctor update

Well we're 39 weeks today! I had a doctor appointment this morning and not too much has changed since last week. I'm still dilated to one centimeter, but now I'm about 70% effaced (last week I was 60%). They are also still marveling at how low the baby's head is. If she's really that low, then I'm marveling at how much pain she is still causing in my ribs!


Here's what babycenter.com says about our baby this week:

One uncomfortable complaint of late pregnancy is frequent hiccups. No, not you, your baby. Because there is no air around your baby, when she practices breathing, it can cause amniotic fluid to get into her windpipe, resulting in those regularly spaced thumps that make you think you're carrying a jumping bean in your belly. Other news this week:The lanugo (an exotic word for soft, downy hair) that used to cover your baby's body has mostly disappeared, but you may find a bit leftover on the shoulders, forehead and neck. Don't freak and think you've given birth to a monkey: It'll fall out soon.The color of baby's skin is changing from a red-pink hue to a white or blue-pink color (even in babes with dark skin). These changes are due to the amount of fat your little pudger is putting on. The circumference of your baby's head and abdomen are about the same size now (though you may not be able to tell if your baby's born with the common cone-shaped head!).The placenta is lending your Mini antibodies that'll keep him strong and healthy after birth. That said, it's still a good idea to invest in that mega-size bottle of hand sanitizer.At this point your little critter is about 19 to 20 inches long and weights about 7 pounds. That's just around the size of a large rabbit. What's up Doc?

Here's the 39-week pictures:

Cradle

My dad made this beautiful cradle for us. My parents just brought it over last night. Now the baby's room is pretty much complete...except for the fact that the baby isn't here yet! Maybe she'll come now that she knows we have a place for her to sleep.