Last check-up... hopefully?
I will officially be at 40 weeks gestation tomorrow... my baby, that is, not me... I was born over 27 years ago! Ha...... Ha ha!
(Don't worry, you're not the only one who just rolled your eyes... I did too.)
I saw my midwife today and she did the first internal exam I've had this pregnancy. Apparently I'm dilated to 1 cm only, which doesn't seem like much but she said how much I've dilated to date doesn't necessarily indicate how soon I'll go into labour. It "could" still happen at any time. She did book an ultrasound for next week just in case I start to go overdue, in which case they will check to see if the placenta is still healthy and do a non-stress test to see how my lil' guy is holding up in there. I'm hoping I won't have to go to that appointment, but if I don't end up going into labour between now and then I may as well just enjoy this time Luke and I have together alone before our lives change forever!
If I go overdue beyond a week and a half they start to look into potentially getting me set up for a medical induction at the hospital. I would REALLY like to avoid this, as I feel that one intervention like that will lead to another, and I don't want to end up doing the whole epidural/pain medication thing. I know it won't be the end of the world if I have to, but I would just like to avoid that scenario if possible.
PS - how come nobody told me the internal exam FRIGGING KILLS LIKE THE DICKENS? This may be an overshare but I was NOT anticipating how freaking uncomfortable it would be! Holy moly! I was sort of wanting a stretch and sweep but now I'm glad she didn't do it, because, GEEZ, I am still hurting from the simple internal exam alone.
I might need a little wine when labour gets going... yes, that sounds divine to me!
3 comments:
I was just a few short hours away from an induction when Cam decided to show up. Whew! I was 11 days late with both my girls. Longest 11 days of my life both times.
Oh, and sorry I never warned you about the internal exam. You never asked. ;)
Whahaha! I totally laughed. My husband came over to see what was so funny. :)
I had no idea that the internal exam is something to be warned about! Eek! Was it painful, or just really uncomfortable? Bleh, I am so not looking forward to that!
I hope you don't have to be induced either. I'm also wanting to avoid as many interventions as possible, which led to my husband and I wishing we had been brave and just decided on having a home birth. oh well, maybe for the next one. I hate how I won't know if the interventions are actually needed, or if it's just more convenient for the hospital. Have you watched that documentary "The Business of Being Born"? It's really good and a big eye opener.
Good luck with everything and enjoy the last bit of your alone time. :)
I totally hear you in the interventions thing... yes, I watched the Business of Being Born, (yay Netflix!!) and it definitely helped change my perspective on labour/delivery. I feel very lucky to live in Canada, where less interventions tend to happen and where midwives seem to get along well with doctors and hospital staff. Actually I think Ina May Gaskin was interviewed in that documentary... if you read my other post about her. I should watch it again!
Don't worry about the internal exam, I think I might have just been a little tense! I've heard for some people it doesn't hurt at ALL, so maybe you'll be lucky. When I came home from the appointment I actually googled "cervical exam" to see if it's normal to hurt so much, and it seems that everyone has a different experience and that it probably has a lot to do with the whether the person doing it is being gentle or not. I think my midwife might be been particularly aggressive!
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