Just in case anyone was wondering.
Today is my due date. I know plenty of people go past their due date, so I really shouldn't be complaining or feeling as disappointed as I am. Since my other kids came a little early, I was just totally mentally prepared for the same thing to happen this time around. And then it didn't. It's that darn "wild card third baby" thing everyone talks about.
I've never felt so "ready" before, though. When I went into labor with Sly a week early, I had been fully anticipating going past my due date. It took me five hours of contractions to finally admit to myself that it was the real thing. I didn't have my bags packed or the car seat installed or anything fully set up yet. When Stella came five days early, I still hadn't finished knitting her baby blanket or picking up any of the little baby items we needed to replenish. But this time around, the bags (one for me at the hospital, and one for the kids for wherever they end up staying) are fully packed and waiting in the car. I have purchased every last thing I "need" for the baby (including his very own pacifier clip, which I suddenly felt the urge to run out and get yesterday). Everything is laid out and set up. I've been extra on-top of the laundry to make sure no one will run out of clean clothes or diapers for the few days when I'll be unable to wash things. I'm ready.
The most discouraging part was that last night at my midwife appointment, she had to initiate the discussion about all the things that would need to happen as I continued to stay pregnant past my due date. I had to schedule a couple non-stress tests for next week. And if nothing happens after two weeks, I'll have to head in for the dreaded induction.
If I was planning on having an epidural for the birth anyways, I'd absolutely be saying "sign me up for that induction TODAY! I am sooooo ready to get this baby out." But as I'm hoping for another natural birth, enduring the tortuous (and quite unnatural) Pitocin-induced contractions I've heard so many horror stories about is absolutely not what I want. I know that I can deal with the sufferings and pains of birth, but I'm not a martyr.
It's frustrating too, because I have a lot of things I need to get done for the new house - appointments to schedule, etc., but I have to just keep my schedule open, because I have no idea when the baby might arrive. I can't put anything on the calendar. I've shown up to a few social events in the past few days that I had been assuming I wouldn't be able to attend....and then just feeling rather depressed that I'm there at all, because it means I didn't have my baby yet, as hoped. I haven't been planning any meals or keeping many groceries in the house, because I worry I may end up not using them and letting things go to waste. So every dinner for the past week has come out of a sort of a last-minute scrounging effort, once I've admitted to myself that this day is, unfortunately, not going to be the day either.
Sorry for all the complaining in this post. I know I'm not being very rational right now.
Anyways, I should go see what sort of dessert I can whip up from things we have in the pantry, since today is the Feast of the Annunciation...another great potential birthday for any little babies who might decide to be born today....(please, baby!).
I was wondering about you this morning when I was at Mass. I was so hoping that your blog silence the past few days meant you had the baby. Man, those third babies are stubborn! I know just how frustrating it is to see that due date come and go after having two early babies. I spent three weeks (38-40) saying "I shouldn't still be pregnant." Ask St. Gerard's intercession. I finally went into labor, a full week after my due date, after asking for his intercession the morning I went into labor. I, too, had heard lots of not so nice things about being induced and I was desperate to avoid an induction since I don't do any kind of pain managment when I'm in labor. I will tell you once you have another baby you'll always think in the back of your head that the baby could come anytime between when your earliest arrived and when #3 decided to make an entrance. At 33 1/2 weeks along, I figure I have somewhere between 4 1/2 and 7 1/2 weeks to go.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I will definitely pray to St. Gerard!
DeleteI have had seven babies, and pitocin with four of them. The most painful one was my no pitocin delivery (two c sections in there too). I think the odds are in your favor of going naturally, but if you do need pitocin, have them administer it SLOWLY! It's also possible to turn it off once labor gets established, prayers as you wait!
ReplyDeleteWell, that's good to hear, at least. I will definitely keep that in mind about "administering it slowly", should I need it!
DeleteMy first 4 babies all arrived early. Number 5 was a day late. You never know. :) Prayers for a good labor/delivery.
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
DeletePraying you have him soon! Pitocin was not my friend. I had to get it with Noah because the nurse accidentally broke my water while checking me and the contractions were just not picking up at all. (And I always get an epidural. I'm a wimp, but for me, it is what I need.) Anyways, I will say lots of prayers you don't have to endure that.
ReplyDeleteThe end of pregnancy feels like crazy town, every time. like beyond any rational thought, I'm-going-to-be-pregnant-forever-and-ever crazy. Praying he/she comes today for a fabulous feast day birthday!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this so much. I'm so so sorry. My first came 7 days early and I was not ready. Doc checked me that morning and I was 0 centimeters dialated and prepared for at least one more week. My mother, my doula, was scheduled to fly out in 3 days. Instead my water broke that evening (maybe from being checked?) and I had heavy contractions starting at 0 centimeters and my doula was. not. there. (yes, we always knew that was a possibility. My husband didn't want to pay for a doula when we were hoping to have one for free. You know what they say about hindsight?) I would have LOVED to go to my due date. So many stories about my next 2 as well. Oh but the last one I was so so ready. I cried all the time. My husband would come home and I would talk about how much I hated homeschooling and he would try to reason with me about how it wasn't homeschooling, I just didn't expect to be doing it right now, I was supposed to have my baby...but reason does not help. It's just so hard on mamas and their poor husbands. Of course you're anxious to meet your baby! There's nothing more exciting then that!
ReplyDeletePrayers for labor to come soon, and for peace in the meantime.
Also, I forgot to add that one thing that actually kind of helped me towards the end was trying to offer up this time for women with infertility who really need to wait a long time for their babies. It just made me think that perhaps I could use this for a good purpose.
DeleteThat's a great idea - you're totally right.
DeleteI know how you feel- my first three were early, but those three days of waiting past Opal's due date were pretty depressing. I'll pray that you are able to have a natural birth. My water broke with Jack, and they had to give me pitocin. After 7 hours of pitocin-induced contractions, I finally gave into the epidural, and that was NOT my friend. If you get too uncomfortable/tired of waiting, ask the midwives about natural induction methods. A cycle of pumping/walking eventually worked for me when Opal wasn't coming along on her own. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I keep considering pumping to move things along, but I don't want to do it at night (because I'd rather go into labor after being awake all day, if I can help it), and I can't really do it during the day, because the kids are around and...I feel weird doing it in front of Sly! haha. Silly, probably. But I might just get desperate enough to try it soon...
DeleteI hope your, "I'm not in labor" post works as well as mine did.
ReplyDeleteI waswondering! You are in good company. all but my first were late. you can read on my blog around this time in 2012, 2010, and 2008, and read my complaints, lol. hang in there, the end is so brutal when you go over but baby WILL COME! :-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe he's taking time but when labor arrives, he'll make it short for you. Like he'll be a week late but you'll have him out in 5 hours.
ReplyDeleteOr he's heard of that Sly brother of his and has decided to stay safe inside you as long as possible.
If it helps at all ... my Pit-induced contractions for some reason were MUCH less painful than my natural ones with Michael. Pitocin is what allowed me to have my babies vaginally so I am not freaked out by it, but everyone's body responds differently! I will pray that you don't need an induction! :)
ReplyDelete(And also that you don't need too many non-stress tests ... I had two a week for like six weeks in a row. They are a pain in the butt.)
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