I mean seriously! That's not a beach ball under that shirt... that's a baby. A baby due in less than four weeks!! The rest of me looks shockingly normal (minus some weird puffy lips I have, but don't really show in this selfie). I've only gained around 27 pounds, which is fabulous. Less than the other two pregnancies (I think), and physically I'm feeling pretty good. I mean... as good as one can carrying around a 27 pound basketball in her stomach.
I have had lots of little teeny contractions here and there, usually when I'm thirsty, hungry, tired, or in need of a bathroom. I tend to ignore them, since they don't really mean anything. The baby's swift jabs to the ribs, bladder and hips are far more annoying! But I have also had a few REALLY strong, really long contractions too. My breath was taken away last night by a few really awful contractions that had me leaning against a wall for support and wondering how soon this baby plans to arrive. Thankfully, I realized that a combination of Mexican and a huge glass of milk (I'm lactose intolerant) were probably making some tiny yawn contractions that much worse. A few tums and an early bedtime settled things right down.
That said, even the teeny boring contractions are doing something. I am 2.5 centimeters and 60% effaced. Last week I was 1 cm and 0% effaced, so things are progressing. It's my third pregnancy so obviously I probably walk around 1 cm dilated even when I'm not pregnant at this point. So the progress I made in the last week isn't getting me too excited for anything. Also, I'm GBS+ again. Which means I'll have to have four hours of IV antibiotics as soon as I head into L&D before I can get anything really going.
Which, of course, assumes I'll have a similar labor as the other two: my water will break but I'll end up being induced. I was not GBS+ with Laura, but my water broke so violently and was so very damp and yucky to sit around in, we rushed to L&D immediately. I was GBS+ with Gavin, so when my water broke (in a far more manageable amount), I didn't have the option to stay home at all. With both labors, I accepted Pitocin (and the epidural), but still had to have my water RE-broken hours and hours of no progress later.
So this time, assuming my water breaks again, I'll scramble to get someone out to our house in the middle of nowhere to watch the older two, hop in the car for almost an hour to get to our preferred hospital in the city, and beg for the IV of antibiotics as soon as I arrive. After four hours of nothing, when they ask if they can give me Pitocin, I'll ask if they can instead re-break my water first. See if that jump starts anything... if it does, maybe I can have a med-free birth! I labored (with Pitocin) without an epidural with Laura for way too long, so I can know I can do that part. And I delivered Gavin with an epidural that had worn completely off, so I know I can do that part, too! Maybe I can do the whole thing? Or not. This whole pregnancy has been so completely go-with-the-flow, I'll just let decisions happen as they will. And hope that when the baby decides to make his appearance, I have a loving grown-up at the ready to snuggle the other two.
See you soon, little guy!
