Yesterday was my due date, and I went in for a checkup today with Jason, who's off work today. I made some progress since my last checkup last week at 39 weeks, and am now at 60% effaced (from 50% last Tuesday), and 3cm dilated (from 2cm last Tuesday). The midwife said that means I'm done with pre-labor! Woo-hoo! Such a different experience this time around.
Baby is happy and healthy, strong heart beat, and movements, my blood pressure and weight are great, everything is going just fine. We talked about what I need to be extra aware of now that I've passed my due date, just like what we went over with Joss at this point. I need to make sure he continues to move as usual, and if there is any decrease in movement to count movements within an hour (lay down, see how long it takes to get to 10 movements, if it takes longer than an hour call).
Last night we had a very strong thunder storm, and Jackson must have felt the change in pressure, or heard the loud cracks because he was doing jumping jacks all night. It was very sleepless for both of us, with all the thunder, lightning flashes, discomforts of being 9 months pregnant, and a LOT of weird dreams with ghosts. After dropping Joss at school was able to get back into bed and take a little bit of a nap before my appointment which helped.
Today I'm looking for dream catchers, for both me and for Jocelyn's rooms (she's had a lot of weird dreams lately too), and I need to smudge the house, especially upstairs bedrooms. Clear the air. All of the waiting, and anxiety must be stirring up the house ghosts. So I need to calm all that energy down, and remind the spirits that this is my house, and hopefully get some more peaceful rest again.
At my appointment today we also went over all the next steps for following appointments, which was all familiar since I did the same with Joss who was born at 41 weeks. They offered to strip my membranes today, but I declined, and prefer to let nature do its magic in due time, since I still have 2 weeks before I need to be sure he's born (to stay at the birth center). My next appointment is for next Monday, and they will hook me up to a monitor that spits out tape monitoring his heart beat and movements. I did this with Joss and remember it from last time. Its 30 minutes laying down on my side hooked up to the monitor, then 30 minutes of my usual check up with the midwife. If after 41 weeks still no baby, at 41 +5 days they will start me on a breast pump and give me some herbs, and if at 41 +6 days still not in labor they will resort to caster oil. Ann, my midwife today said that I will not be waiting another 2 weeks to have baby, since prelabor is already done. Again, SO different from last time!
In the meantime, I'm continuing to rest, and walk as much as I can, eating spicy food (went to Taco deli for brunch today with Jason before my appointment, YUM!), and drinking/eating pineapple. Squats, and yoga. Also, at this point we can officially say that we are having a PISCES! Which is super cool, in that our family of four represents the four elements EARTH (me), FIRE (Jason), AIR (Joss), and WATER (Jax). I have a Pisces rising, so already feel connected to Jackson on a level that is pretty cool regardless of how the rest of his star chart turns out when he's born. Yay water baby! Visualizing another water birth, and kissing those big Fosse Meeler baby cheeks. Soon enough, and I'm continuing to be patient. Emotional, tired, sleepless, restless, A.D.D., sensitive, and as best as I can be patient. I feel good though in my body, I feel strong, and prepared, healthy and beautiful with my big belly. I will miss feeling him when he's out, so appreciating all of these last moments while they are still here with me.
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