Thursday, November 6, 2008

Quick baby update...

Saw the OB yesterday. She wanted to strip my membranes, which I declined - maybe next week (appt. is Thursday) if I haven't had baby by then. I don't want to risk my water breaking quite yet if my body isn't ready.

I'm 3cm dilated, 50% effaced and the baby's head is quite low...so, definitely ready to go! Baby's back is right in front still. She's still saying he's not huge yet, so that's good, though who knows, really.

I can tell you my hormones are saying they're ready - I'm struggling with being easily irritated and irrational (more than usual, that is ;-) I'll have contractions every once in a while, like this morning, kind of off-and-on all morning. Nothing serious though.

Mark's whole platoon is on "baby-alert" LOL! Even the commanding officer of Quantico is aware (I'm sure not holding his breath or anything, but the whole chain of command is aware...) They're taking up a collection for a baby gift. Mark doesn't know that many in his platoon right now, so I think that's awfully nice of them.

Please continue to pray that this little guy will make his appearance sooner rather than later; that we will have patience and wisdom with each decision we have to make during the process; that I will feel better soon (I've got a cold/achy bug of some sort just showed up today) to have strength for the labor; and my "dream/desire" is to have not necessarily the shortest labor or easiest (though those would be awesome!) but to have a SAFE, NATURAL delivery. I would love to not tear very much. I would love to only have to push an hour or two. I'd love to have the baby during the daytime so Graeme doesn't have the trauma of trying to go to sleep with a stranger (he's still nursing to bed, so this is going to be interesting...). And I, obviously, greatly desire to avoid a c-section this time :-) So minimal intervention is the key, as well as going into labor sooner - the later I go, the more they talk about wanting to do something (even though I haven't even hit the due date yet!)

Ok, that wasn't so short LOL! Hope to have a new one to share pics of VERY soon!

6 comments:

IF said...

Praying for you as you near the big day! I hope it goes super fast and easy!
PS. the doc stripped my membranes the evening before I had Olivia and it hurt.

IF said...

I also got a weird cold a few days before delivering! I think this is a good sign! :) Keep some saline drops if your nose is stuffy! I had such a hard time breathing with my clogged nose!

Amanda said...

Thanks for the tips, Ivy! Was it the membrane stripping that started labor for you?

IF said...

Hi Amanada,
Thanks for your comments on my blog :) I think I was already in early labor when she stripped them. I actually thought it was just a rough exam but after reading up on it, I am pretty sure she stripped my membranes. She said that it would help get things started but it could be a few more days before I went into labor.
I was 4 on the "outside" when she did the exam and stripped membranes. The next day I was completely 4-5 cm at 2:30 pm. (I also walked mom around the city- 2 miles at least that morning).
I had been having mild contractions the day she stripped them and then after the exam I had mild bleeding and pain and all night my contractions were worse but I tried to ignore them. I had Olivia the next evening. I do think my body was gearing up before and that may have sped things along. But there was meconium in the water so I hope that did not cause stress. I am not sure if that can. Praying for you lots! :)

Emily, wife of Jeremy said...

I found you through Laura's blog (Little Arrows). First off praise the Lord for new little blessing. As I read over your prayers for the delivery it sounded alot like me a few months ago. My 21 month old daughter was still nursing to sleep too. I opted for a homebirth and she was one of the main reasons. I couldn't bring her to the hospital and she's never been away from at night. I couldn't bare to be away from her. I love that you nursed through your pregnancy. I didn't pay it much attention at the time but looking back nursing Maggie while pregnant and after was such blessing. I even nursed her an hour or so after I gave birth to Emma. : ) Saddly she weaned about a month ago right after her 2nd birthday.

Sorry so long. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Blessings,
Emily

Emily said...

Hi. That's me that left the comment above from Jeremy and Emily. I was logged into the wrong blogger account. Sorry. :)