The Waiting Game

I've just completed my thirty-seventh week of pregnancy. My baby girl is considered full term and could be born anytime within the next four weeks. So, the waiting game begins. In a way I completely expect her to stay safe, warm and cozy in my womb until closer to the forty-two week mark considering that I myself was a month overdue and each of my sister's three kids were past the forty week mark as well; it seems as if genetics are guaranteeing a later birth. So, on the one hand I'm completely prepared for my baby girl to come closer to the end of April and possibly even in May; however, since Luke's Nana's birthday is on the sixteenth of April that's the date I'm personally hoping for.

During my midwife appointment I was told that at my next appointment I would be offered a membrane sweep which is a very low type of intervention to get labour started. I was informed that it is slightly uncomfortable and may cause cramping that could last either for the day, but possibly the next day as well. The nice thing about this method is that it softens the cervix and if both your baby and your body is ready to go into labour then the cramping may give your body that extra boost to kick start the process. I'm not opposed to the idea, although I'm not too particular about cramping, but I have decided to forego this procedure as my mother is going to Grande Prairie Alberta for the week visiting and helping my brother and sister-in-law who had the home birth five weeks ago. Depending on who you are, and how many times you've done this before, you may or may not choose to have someone support you during your labour; that person could simply be your partner, or you may want additional support such as a family member, a friend or perhaps a doula. For myself I just want my husband and my mommy. In addition to my mom being gone until the fifteenth my last day of class and due date for my final paper is also the fifteenth. So, I've had a little chat with my baby girl asking her to please wait until at least the sixteenth. However, should she choose to come early then my sister Zoë will be stepping in and helping out, obviously she's hoping her little niece comes earlier. In the end, my baby girl will come when she's good and ready and I don't have any plans to stop her nor do I have plans to force her.   I am a firm believer that if I try to force my baby to come before she's ready then not only will I be stressing her out but I'll be stressing my own body out and all that stress will probably just lead to a chain of invasive interventions that not only serve for a painful labour but aren't necessarily healthy for either of us. So I wait.

As a warning: if you're the queasy type or just don't need all the pleasant details, I would suggest skipping this paragraph. As a note to first time moms and anyone else who is interested, I would like to say that for the past four days I have had two different kinds of cramps. I would not say it's false labour at all, but definitely my body beginning to prepare me and get ready to go through the motions. The first cramp is the most common and I usually have it twice a day and it's the type that feels like I'm getting my period and the pressure goes all the way down into my pelvis. The second type I've only experienced twice and it feels similar to desperately needing to sit on the toilet, not quite as bad as having diarrhoea but a similar feeling, except there's nothing. This makes me wonder how long this wait will really be? Thankfully I'm still very much enjoying this second half of pregnancy, even though after five months of living with it I am tired of constantly feeling the pain of my lower abdominal muscles stretching and pulling apart.

During this time of waiting I am taking to heart the suggestion to spend the time to do things and visit with family and friends while I can before I have a baby to care for. This past week Luke and I took advantage of the break in weather and went fishing with Oscar. 

Luke fishing in Agassiz

Oscar fetching in Agassiz

Pretty Pink Pedicure

Later on Luke treated me to his services and

gave me a pedicure 

and a couple days later a foot massage - it was lovely. 

I'm continuing to stay active by doing some simple exercises here at home and attending gentle aqua-fit at the local Y a couple times a week (of course I indulge and spend five to ten minutes in the hot-tub sitting up against a jet; it feels glorious and gently relieves the back pressure I've been experiencing the last couple weeks as my belly continues to get bigger). Also, I have decided to have my niece and nephew come spend the night one last time before the baby arrives. In a strange way, however much I am looking forward to meeting my baby, I am feeling a sense of loss when I consider who I am as an aunt and how much the dynamics will change once my baby is here. In fact the dynamics have already changed; I used to be the really fun energetic Aunty Erin who would chase them, have tickle fights, play hide-and-go-seek and jump on the trampoline with them; now I still give them lots of undivided attention, but I no longer have the energy to do the things I did and even when my energy does come back my attention will then be divided. So in a sense I am sad to say goodbye to old Aunty Erin. I realize that it won't completely change and that I'll still have fun spending the time I can give with my niece and nephew, but in the meantime it means a lot to have them come stay with me one last time. My niece spent this past Thursday night and we had fun watching The Lorax, playing with my dog Oscar, reading her a bedtime story, going over to visit Grammy, and colouring together. Probably the cutest thing that happened was when she saw me in my pyjamas with my belly sticking out and exclaimed with wide brown eyes, "Oh wow you've got a big belly!" and then went on to say that I should sing praises over it so I'll have a good and easy birth because that's what her mom said. 

"Oh wow you've got a big belly!"

Oscar actually cuddling up to my belly

Probably the best advice I've received and it came from my five year old niece; thanks Olecia I'll take that advice to heart :) 

This has been my week and I look forward to what the next will bring.