No baby today. Some uterine discomfort, but that’s about it. I feel too heavy for my legs.
If Baby doesn’t come tomorrow, then I will be calling in to Labor & Delivery around 6:30 or 7am on Thursday, with the intention of arriving (if there’s room for me) around 8am to begin . . . duh-duh-DUUUHH! . . . Induction.
I was righteously opposed to induction at the beginning of this pregnancy. I prefer natural labor–onset and duration–and I’ve heard Pitocin can make even the strongest proponent of natural childbirth cry for drugs. Also, I didn’t believe there could be any reason induction a week prior to the due date would make sense.
Well, it was explained to me that it was best for a baby with a two-vessel cord to come out a little early, while he still had room for his cord. Much later, and the risk of starvation/asphyxiation could increase, since there’s only one artery providing blood and oxygen. Okay, I could live with that explanation. I still wanted to go full-term, but this also works out with the time Sweetie can get off of work. I feel a little twinge of guilt for letting inconvenience be a factor in when he’s born, but there you go.
Anyway, I asked the nurse at my non-stress test today whether the midwife who will be on duty Thursday was at the hospital today. I wanted to meet her beforehand (never seen her before, I don’t think). She wasn’t, but the nurse assured me she is awesome, and I’m going to love her. She is also willing to work on “other” means of induction, leaving Pitocin as a last resort. I was relieved to hear that! I like her, already. 🙂
I got a little time today to visit a couple stores, pick up some bobbins for my sewing machine, a couple crafting tools, some fleece from Goodwill. Totally exhausted when I was done! My legs are so tired of carrying around an extra person and about 20 lbs of water, blood, and fat. I got pretty lucky today, though: I found a pair of BRAND NEW leather-soled baby shoes for $3 at Goodwill! They’re ADORABLE. I can certainly wait till the baby’s big enough to wear them, but I was so thrilled to find them!
Going back to my non-stress test: I had one last ultrasound today (I think–I don’t know if they’ll do another before induction) and the nurse tried hard to get a good view of his face. We haven’t been able to do so yet. In the first anatomical ultrasound, at 22 weeks, he had his arm in front of his face and refused to move enough to get a good view. Since then, his head has been so low and he’s been so obsessed with his hands that any attempt to get a good frontal view of his face has been impossible. We’ve gotten some good profile shots, but nothing clear, front-on.
Today was really funny, though. The nurse turned the monitor to me just as he was playing with his tongue and chewing on his fingers. The mixture of X-ray vision and slight 3-D capability of the ultrasound machine made it look pretty creepy, to be honest, but it was funny to watch him actually act like a baby while still stuffed inside me. I didn’t get much view of Pie in utero, since he didn’t have to be monitored like Baby #2. This was a rare treat.
I’m looking forward to meeting the little man. I’m hoping labor is as easy this time around as it was for Pie, too, despite induction. But hopefully he’ll come tomorrow, and we can dodge that bullet.
In the meantime, I should probably pack Pie’s bag for Grandma and Grandpa’s, since we’ll be leaving him with them tomorrow night . . . Man, I can’t believe it’s almost THAT TIME. 🙂
Coffee and Lollipops 
Are you sharing Grandson #2’s name with us yet? I hope and pray that all goes well for the both of you. I will be out of town with the granddaughters but Papa will be home in the evenings.
When he’s born! 🙂 I’ll send out a FB status text with a picture after he enters this world. I’ll let Sweetie decide if we’re going to publish his full name. If not, do you mind a text message with his name in it?
You need to update w/new pix of the new baby!!