The end of week 39 into week 40

This week is all about when will the baby come? I guess this is an answer God only knows because I feel like she might never come. My contractions seem to be getting less with each day now.

Our due date has come and gone. I have a new found respect for people who have late babies. I can’t believe that my mom and Jake’s mom both were over 2 weeks late with us. I guess our child just wants to stay in extra long. I thought that I would be emotionally okay with her being late, but it’s much harder said than done. I think that due to the fact that we have been living in a hotel for the past 2 weeks makes thing that much harder. I’m thankful for the time that Jake and I have had together and not having to scrub toilets and keep a house clean, but I sure miss my house and bed. I don’t know why I thought this baby would be on time, or even early. I found myself having a bit of a breakdown yesterday. I think that the longer I’m pregnant the crazier I get. I’m so happy that I have such a wonderful husband that can deal with my breakdown. I cried from everything from us living in a hotel room to why the baby doesn’t want to come out.

I went into the hospital again (this was like the 5th time since we got down here) because the little one was just not moving much if hardly at all. They hooked me up to the monitor for 20 minutes. The doctor then came in and said she looks great on the monitor. She also told me to come back anytime I’m not getting my fetal counts/movements. She told me that when I met with the nurse the following day (my due date) that she would schedule my induction for sometime right around 41 weeks. This was a bit of a relief to know that I would be getting an end date.

The following day my due date, we met with the nurse. She checked me and I had gone from 0 effaced to 50%. Jake gave me the thumps up, but I was still wondering how dilated I had become. When she told me that I was 1-2 cm dilated I about lost it. I could not believe that in 1 week I had dilated only ½ cm. She then did a membrane sweep (I had one the following week also). This was another natural way to try and get my body to start labor. She then checked to see if maybe my water had broke or was leaking, but that came back negative. She then wanted to go over our future birth control methods, which at this point is even weird to think about. Then we got to the point of talking about scheduling my induction. She told me she was not going to schedule one, but wait till 41 weeks (a week from today) and have me come in for a stress test and in-depth ultrasound. This is when the water works started. I was sobbing uncontrollably and probably sounded like a crazy lady. I was just told yesterday that this nurse would schedule my induction and here she was not doing it at all. She did decide to let me come in on Monday the following week instead of Wednesday and to talk with the doctor and see what plan she had in mind, but the doctor would not be in until tomorrow. Jake and I left the office and I continued to have a meltdown for approximately 2 more hours. I know it sounds nuts, but give me a break. I have been away from home, very pregnant, tired and a very worried pregnant lady all the time (I don’t have a way to look inside my belly and make sure the baby is okay.)

Jake finally got me to calm down. We went back to the library to rent more TV series and then to the grocery store. I knew that some Desperate Housewives would calm me down. I felt emotionally drained by the end of the day and actually got one of my better nights of sleep, which is not saying much.

The following morning we got up and I was thrilled to get a call from the nurse I saw yesterday. She had spoken with the doctor/midwife and she wanted me to be induced the following week. So the plan is to have me go in on Wednesday to have a Foley catheter placed. This is a noninvasive procedure. They place the catheter in to actually stretch my cervix. It then thins the cervix and makes me dilate to 4cm before falling out. Then the following day Thursday June 24th, 2010 we go into back to the hospital at 6:30 am for them to start my induction. I was so excited to finally have a game plan. The rest of Thursday Jake and I watch Desperate Housewives and went for a nice workout, which we have been doing regularly since we got here. Jake is really the one working out, (running, pull-ups ect) while I just walk the track.

The following day June 18th, 2010 (Friday) I woke up at 6am and just could not get the baby to move at all. I was pushing on my belly, ate, drank coffee and a number of other things. I figured I would give it a few hours and then call back to labor and delivery to have them hook me back up. This would be the 6th time I have gone into the hospital and been hooked up to the monitor. Jake and I got ready for the day and at about 12:30 pm I was back in the hospital hooked up to the monitor. I know that I sound like a real nut and I’m sure Jake felt the same, but he just went along with it. Then after 20 minutes on the monitor Dr. Vanhorne (a girl doctor that I had never met) came in the room. She told me the baby looked great on the monitor, but she wanted to do a fast ultrasound to check my fluid levels. She checked my fluid levels and much to Jake and my surprise it wasn’t good. My amniotic fluid level was in the dangerously low category. I was being admitted and they were going to start the induction process. So, it wasn’t all in my head because the baby had such a low amount of fluid that was the reason she was not moving around. The doctor said that it’s not worth having her in me any longer because only had outcomes can happen leaving her in with such low fluid levels. I was shocked and so was Jake. We both had no idea that this would be the day we had been waiting for. This was the day that we would be on the road to our little girl coming into the world. I know that I might have been a crazy pregnant lady, but in the end this is all worth it because my nuttiness saved our little one from further complications.

I hope that you all enjoy the update as of the end of week 39 into week 40. I will update soon with pictures of the baby and my birth story. Sorry I didn't get to take my week picture because the day I normally take it I was in labor.

~Candice