The Stinky Times: Headin' South OR Nose Dive

Yippee! The baby is taking a nose dive towards the south of the uterus. This kid is going head first in the direction of the pelvic bone...which really makes me happy! I would hate for this baby's entry into the world to start off in the wrong direction. It's a good thing we (the parents) have a pretty good sense of direction!

I had my 37 week appointment on Monday, and it went really well. I was nervous about this appointment for several reasons. First, I was afraid that I had chosen the wrong OB practice because my 35 week appointment was a real disappointment and an eye-opener. Thankfully, this appointment went well, and I made my wishes clear as to what my goals are for this labor and delivery, and my wishes seemed to be well perceived. Second, I was worried that I was going to go in and I was going to be told I was in labor and would need to go immediately to the hospital. They didn't even check for dilation or effacement. The doctor told me I would know when I was in labor, and those measurements would be taken at a later appointment if needed. I don't know why I get myself so worked up about little things. I am just glad to know that things are never as bad as I make them out to be in my mind! The bottom line is that everything that I was worried about as far as this appointment was concerned was washed away, and I feel readier than ever to get this show on the road.

We also met with a doula on Monday evening. We decided to hire a doula to help support us in our vision and goals for this birth. I will share more on this decision and what led us down this road in a later post.

I am still at work. People have really been talking this week about how big I've gotten, and everyone at the workplace is speculating when I will go into labor. Some of my co-workers are surprised that I am still around. Everyone says it looks like I am about to pop, and when I tell them my due date is still 3 weeks away, their jaws drop in disbelief. Technically, though, I could go into labor at any time. My plan is to work up until I have the baby...hopefully. We'll see what each week brings.