Had another baby doc appointment this week. In case you aren't marking it on YOUR calendar, I'm 34 weeks along now. Or to make it sound better, I'm in my 35th week. That always makes me feel like I'm further along. And closer to 40 is better.
I am pleased to announce that I am already 60% effaced and my cervix is soft. In case you don't know much about pregnancy and childbirth you have two goals at the end of pregnancy. Two things that must be accomplished BEFORE the baby can come out. Or before the baby can come out the traditional way, i.e. vaginally. Your cervix has to be 100% effaced and 10 cm dilated.
I think the entire pregnancy, labor, child birth thing is pretty amazing myself. Not just because I've done it once and am ready to finish up this time. But just the biology and physiology that's involved. If you don't believe in God, just wait until you have a baby. Or your spouse has one, if you're a dude. The very idea that we all started off as a tiny bunch of cells, so small it is invisible to the human eye, and in nine months developed into fully functioning little people. Okay, so newborns are completely helpless little people. But they recognize voices and smells, they're able to latch on and eat, they have some rather interesting reflexes...all in all they are pretty darn miraculous. And the whole labor delivery part...a 7 lb baby (I think that's still the average size, even though mine are humongoid) manages to make an exit through a fairly tiny opening and squeezes through BONES...I think its impressive that our bodies are designed in such a way that we can even do that. Okay, so maybe you don't think so. But I do!
With Evie, I didn't start dilating til 36 weeks. And it was a SLOW process. I think I was about 1.5 cm dilated when I was admitted to the hospital to be induced. It took 18 hours of pitocin-induced labor to get fully dilated and effaced so that I could push Evie out. I don't think I started effacing until on into labor.
I know things work differently with the second one. Labor is supposed to progress quicker. Everything may happen earlier. To me 34 weeks seems awfully early to be at 60%. However, my doctor assured me that it was okay. His words: "It's not uncommon." Okay...?
He also said that while my cervix is closed it's soft. And warned me that if I start getting any regular contractions to make sure and time them and if they are regular for an hour I need to come in. So he was cautious but not worried. Told me I didn't need to come back til 36 weeks. And at that time we'll do another ultrasound to weigh the baby and check her position, and I will get checked again. Hopefully, lots of progress will have been made. My doc said as long as I make it to my next appointment he's okay with me having the baby any time after that. I'd like to make it to February 6 so that she's full-term. I've been told that typically, even if the baby has zero problems, the hospital will keep babies born prior to 37 weeks in NICU for several days to insure they don't have any complications. I don't want Elly to spend ANY time in NICU. So Feb 6 is the goal. But the doctor says as long as I make it to my appointment, we're good anytime after that.
I told one of my friends how effaced I was and she asked if I'd been put on bed rest. She was then shocked to hear that I wasn't. Several people have been surprised that I have progressed so much so early. But of course, in my view, I just have to make it 3 more weeks. Well, 2.5 now. So I'm going to continue with my plans to try and get Elly to come around 37 weeks.
I'm going to start walking a little every day starting next week as soon as my new shoes get here (I found a pair of New Balance toning shoes on sale from $90 to $20 and ordered them over the weekend. I'm hoping their cuteness will motivate me to walk more postpartum. And I hope they make walking easier on my hips, back and knees while I'm preggo). They might not get here until the following week and that's okay. I don't want Elly to come too soon so I'm willing to wait a little longer to start the walking. I'm eating lots of pineapple (the wives' tales say that it helps) and I've got my exercise ball ready to start bouncing on.
So the doctor doesn't seem concerned. Just told me to call if there were any problems and make sure to watch for pre-term labor. Otherwise, he wished me a good two weeks and sent me on my way. If he's not concerned, I'm just going to continue what I'm currently doing. Hope that the progress will continue. I'd like to be dilated a few centimeters by my next appointment. This has been a good pregnancy but I'm ready for it to be over and for my little girl to be here already. So wish me luck. I'll keep you posted!
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