On November 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse made his debut in "Steamboat Willie." Some 82 years later, it appears that my dear daughter will quite possibly share this memorable day with Mr. Mouse. An interesting turn of events given how Disney obsessed I have been for most of my life.
Today's doctor visit included a growth check. Baby is roughly 7 lbs--66th percentile. She is still head down, but has turned back toward the front again. She seems to swap back and forth between front and back with each visit. If the pattern holds, she'll be facing back again next week in time for labor. Yay!
Today's visit also included the scheduling of my induction. Provided my little girl doesn't come early, I head to the hospital the evening of Nov. 17 for induction. Sadly, my doc is not the one on call that day. However, the doc that is on call is one I met twice before, and I am comfortable with her.
The plan appears to be that I will receive drugs to ripen the cervix which will work overnight so that by morning, labor will either start on its own, or I will get pitocin to start contractions. This creates a high likelihood that my baby will be born on the 18th. Incidentally, I have two dear friends whose birthdays straddle the 18th, so if she comes on the 17th or 19th, she will also be in good birthday sharing company. Still, I'm a little amused at the idea of her sharing Mickey Mouse's birthday.
Outside of baby deciding to come early, the only other potential hiccup in the plan is if the hospital is full up. I have instructions to call a few hours prior to the time I'm supposed to arrive and make sure they can take me. If they are busy with moms already in labor, I will get bumped, and then who knows what happens from there. Thus, although there's still some wiggle room in all of this, we have a plan. And as you all know by now, plans make me happy.
All of this puts me about 9 days away from the beginning of the beginning. It's a little hard to believe that it's so soon, and yet it still feels so far away. I think it's now time to try and enjoy the time I have left bring pregnant. After all, there's no guarantee I can get pregnant again, or that we'll choose to afford to. This may be it. It's time to stop looking ahead and start living in and enjoying the moments I have left--however uncomfortable they may be.
So, here's to my remaining days of pregnancy. May I find ways to celebrate, rejoice, and enjoy them. After all, once she arrives, I have to share her. Until then, she's still all mine. Oh, and here's to my little girl coming before Thanksgiving, so I can indulge in all those wonderful carbs!
11.08.2010
11.01.2010
Sooner It Is
First things first. Tomorrow I reach 37 weeks, so my daughter will be considered full term and can arrive at any time. This news provides me both with anxiety and a great sense of relief. Relief because we made it and anxiety because she may come sooner than I was prepared for. Still, I doubt that I will somehow get more prepared in the next 3 weeks, so I suppose I am as prepared now as I'm ever going to be.
I am also less anxious this week, as we have finally acquired the last of the truly necessary baby items--a car seat we can bring her home in! After three baby showers, we have been graciously gifted with so many wonderful things for our daughter that I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. Her room is almost completely set up and ready for her arrival--even if the cats are not. I finally quit freaking out about the "what-ifs" and washed some of the new items so that we can actually use them. It's been such an amazing ride so far, it's hard to believe that this part is almost over and "the rest of the story" is about to begin. It just turns out that "the rest of the story" is going to happen sooner, rather than later.
Sooner? Yup--based on my doctor visit today, when I learned who "won." First, because she's my official doctor, her opinion rules. Yay! This was the answer I was hoping for. Second, because I am an insulin dependent diabetic, they will induce me sometime in week 39--provided my dear daughter has not decided to arrive sooner. Whether we are closer to the front end of week 39 or the back end of week 39 will depend in part on my visit next Monday, when my doc will check to see if I have started making any progress on my own.
There are good and bad things about induction. The good--we're almost guaranteed to get my doctor for delivery, and I will know what day things will happen (again, baby willing). Also, she will definitely be here for Thanksgiving, so I don't have to worry about my family showing up and me being at the hospital giving birth. The bad--induced labors tend to be more difficult and more often lead to additional interventions and c-sections. Obviously there are plenty of women who have induced labors who don't have problems, and that will likely be my experience, but that doesn't mean I'm not anxious about the idea that medicine will jump start the process rather than letting it occur naturally. Still, the planner in me can't help but be a little excited about this turn of events, which only leads me to believe that she'll come early just so she can do it on her own terms. Honestly, I'm a little afraid of the stubborn wars I sense in my future.
Ultimately, however, all of the information I received today and the emotions that have come along with it have left me feeling like a kid playing a game of tag. Ready or not, here she comes.
I am also less anxious this week, as we have finally acquired the last of the truly necessary baby items--a car seat we can bring her home in! After three baby showers, we have been graciously gifted with so many wonderful things for our daughter that I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. Her room is almost completely set up and ready for her arrival--even if the cats are not. I finally quit freaking out about the "what-ifs" and washed some of the new items so that we can actually use them. It's been such an amazing ride so far, it's hard to believe that this part is almost over and "the rest of the story" is about to begin. It just turns out that "the rest of the story" is going to happen sooner, rather than later.
Sooner? Yup--based on my doctor visit today, when I learned who "won." First, because she's my official doctor, her opinion rules. Yay! This was the answer I was hoping for. Second, because I am an insulin dependent diabetic, they will induce me sometime in week 39--provided my dear daughter has not decided to arrive sooner. Whether we are closer to the front end of week 39 or the back end of week 39 will depend in part on my visit next Monday, when my doc will check to see if I have started making any progress on my own.
There are good and bad things about induction. The good--we're almost guaranteed to get my doctor for delivery, and I will know what day things will happen (again, baby willing). Also, she will definitely be here for Thanksgiving, so I don't have to worry about my family showing up and me being at the hospital giving birth. The bad--induced labors tend to be more difficult and more often lead to additional interventions and c-sections. Obviously there are plenty of women who have induced labors who don't have problems, and that will likely be my experience, but that doesn't mean I'm not anxious about the idea that medicine will jump start the process rather than letting it occur naturally. Still, the planner in me can't help but be a little excited about this turn of events, which only leads me to believe that she'll come early just so she can do it on her own terms. Honestly, I'm a little afraid of the stubborn wars I sense in my future.
Ultimately, however, all of the information I received today and the emotions that have come along with it have left me feeling like a kid playing a game of tag. Ready or not, here she comes.
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