The End is Near!

I can't believe it.  Well, there are a few things I can't believe.

 #1 I can't believe that I'm still pregnant.
#2 I can't believe that in a few short days my baby will be here!

At my appointment on Friday I found out that I had not progressed at all since the previous appointment, much to our dismay.  I was still only 1-2 cm dilated.  All of our stats were fine.  Addy's HR was 130's.  My BP was 117/78 and my HR was 89.  Hgb 12.4.  But no closer to labor than I was last week at that time.  It was disappointing news, especially since they estimated that she was already fairly large at my last appointment.

So when the doc asked how I felt about getting induced I said "I feel good about it.  Let's do it...  sooner rather than later, please!"

Mike and I were in agreement that if I didn't go into labor on my own we didn't want to wait until 42 weeks.  We wanted to induce my labor at 41 weeks.  There are a few reasons for this.

Addy is already fairly large.  The doc estimated that she was already over 8 pounds at my appointment a week and a half ago.  She is "fully cooked" so there is no need to keep her in there and growing any longer.  It would make my labor more difficult and increase the chance of needing a C-Section. 

Also, there is an increased risk for meconium aspiration the longer she stays inside my belly.  Meaning that she would have her first stool in the womb and risk breathing it in on her way out.  And believe me, that can cause MAJOR problems.  At work I have seen many newborns end up on complete life support from meconium aspiration.  No thanks.  Don't need the risk.

So the doctor said he would call the hospital and see if they had any openings next week.  If not, we'd have to just schedule another appointment and wait.  He left the room to make the call and Mike and I just stared at each other.  Are you serious????  They might not have any openings????

He came back a few minutes later and luckily they had an opening on Tuesday evening.  Thank goodness, because I would've been seriously upset if they didn't.  I didn't have very many "set in stone" feelings regarding my pregnancy (or my delivery), but not waiting until 42 weeks to deliver is one of the few things I feel strongly about.  So luckily it's working out.

The plan is that the hospital will call me on Tuesday evening sometime after 7PM and Mike and I will go in when they call.  They will give me the Cervidil on Tuesday evening and let it do it's cervix ripening thing overnight, and then start the dreaded Pitocin drip on Wednesday morning.  I was hoping to go into labor naturally without needing Pitocin because I've heard that it makes the contractions more painful than they are naturally.  But, if I need it, I need it.  Such is life.

With this schedule I am hoping that Adilyn will be born on Wednesday evening sometime, and then we'll probably be discharged on Friday.  That's my plan anyway.  Ha ha, yes I realize how ridiculous that sounds.  Labor rarely goes according to planned.  But we'll see.

So, here we are, Sunday afternoon.  About 48 hours until go time!!!  The AFC championship is tonight and Tina and I are watching it at home with the pups.

We were planning on going with Mike over to a friend's place to watch the game, but I woke up the past two mornings feeling under the weather, so we're staying in.  Normally I'd go anyway, because I don't feel awful, just not great.  But I would really prefer not to be sick with a head cold during my labor, so I'm trying to rest as much as possible from now until then. 

It's ironic really that I just recently was thinking about how this pregnancy has been doing my immune system good.  I have not had a single cold during the entire nine months that I've been pregnant.  And that's huge for me.  Mike has always jokingly called me a genetic degenerate because it seemed like I was sick all of the time.  It's true too.  I've always gotten colds fairly frequently.  So not having any for my whole pregnancy was a big deal.  And of course, I'm starting to get one right before the big day.  I mean, come on!  Couldn't it have held out just a little longer???  Not that having a cold with a newborn would be a walk in the park either.   So I'm using neti pot, taking cold eeze, and resting.  Hopefully with this combo I'll feel better by D-Day.

Almost time for the Steelers vs. Jets!  Here we go Steelers, here we go!  Pittsburgh's going to the Superbowl! (We hope!)