FULL TERM!

Thirty-seven weeks today.  I've never run a marathon, but I imagine that each mile gets farther and farther apart, and each time you hit one you say it out loud, slowly:

THIRRRRTY.

SEEVVVEEENNN.

WEEEEEEEEKS.  *wheeze!*

It's officially the home stretch.  Being full-term means that if the little guy decides to come this very minute, the docs will not try to prolong the pregnancy but will proceed with the delivery!  Which gives me a little feeling of relief knowing that he's baked enough to be healthy.  Looks like we made it, little guy.

And with this relief, of course, comes some new anxiety.  This time, the belly dweller is not breech, so I have no medical need for a C-section.  (If you remember, Lucy was breech and after the stretches, acupuncture, and chanting, she kept her breech position and I didn't have a choice in the matter.)  We knew well ahead of time that we were having a C-section and I never prepared myself for labor.  And honestly, I was kind of relieved.

The state of Massachusetts does not allow elective C-sections unless you have a medical reason or have had one before, so this time, I choose my delivery fate.  Risks for mama and baby in my situation are roughly the same either way.

NOTE: I get stressed out while choosing dinner from a large menu, so you can imagine my head right now.

Initially, I was all C-section all the way.  The procedure and recovery with Lucy was surprisingly easy, and everything was well planned out for my 8:30 a.m. appointment on that Tuesday morning.  Piece of cake!  However, thinking about the procedure and recovery being a little longer and more difficult the second time around, I was getting nervous about the giant incision and the cuddly 2 year old who won't understand that I can't pick her up and snuggle her on my lap.  And the fact that as a consultant, I won't have "maternity leave" and will need to be on calls and writing emails soon after the baby is born.  (It's not in my contract, but I think they probably don't want me doing this while on morphine.) (...Especially after the incident where I told the dentist that he'd better be careful because "YOU work for ME" after my first dose of wisdom tooth drugs.)

So. I have opted for the VBAC for the sake of recovery, and I've got some nerves about it.  I have no idea what to expect for labor, I hate that I don't know exactly when and how it's all going to happen, and to add insult to injury, I'm told I may poop during the process.  Shame on science regarding that one.

Wish me luck, friends!

Comments

LTB said…
Cant wait to hear the little guys name and see his pic when he gets here! Congrats!!!!
Caitlin said…
and (not) most importantly, where's the baby bump update?
bluejeanamy said…
Hey, cool, didn't know you'd decided VBAC!

You're going to do great.

Labor hurts, no joke, but you've just gotta make it to 3 or 4 cm, then the epi is a wonderful gift from heaven. And it didn't hurt one bit going in. Hurrah!

Here's the thing re: poo. There's a good chance it'll happen, but the nurses are very discreet about taking care of it. Like they are constantly changing the little pad underneath you while you labor/push. There's all sortsa stuff coming out at the same time (sigh) and it's not, I don't think, like what you're dreading.

Can't wait to hear your tale and meet your dude!!!!!

xoxooxoxoxo
If it makes you feel better, I pooped, but I never even knew. My husband told me like, 6 months later :) You're gonna do awesome.
nikki said…
HA oh man you guys are awesome for making me feel better. I'm still a bit nervous, but it is so helpful to hear from ladies who've been there!

Love love love you Amy and Beth.
Trish said…
So I'm obsessed with the poop. Ask Mike (and my mom), throughout the whole delivery process (for both kids) I ask, "did I just poop", "is that poop", "was that a poop" over and over again. I just find it fascinating that with everything else going on (and everything we have been through for 9+ months) we have to deal with the shame of possibly pooping ourselves. I mean can't someone cut us some slack?

If you want to know, at some point during both my deliveries the answer to one of the questions above was YES.

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