41 weeks - yikes

Hi all!

Have to update you from my last appt, and going into our next appt as I'm not sure I'll be able to post after that...hoping we are busy holding, caring for and loving our little son by then! Sorry for the long post....

My dr appt on Wednesday (12/24) was really uneventful. They do a BPP (biophysical profile) at each visit after 40 weeks, so this was the 2nd time they did it. This test includes fetal monitoring for about 20 minutes, and u/s (amniotic fluid check, heart check, and breathing practicing check) and cervix check. Little guy is strong and good, had nice heart activity and good practice breathing. I have a lot of amniotic fluid. Cervix was unchanged from last visit...bummer. He did say my next appt was Sat and that they don't usually let mothers go past 41 weeks, because "nothing good happens after 41 weeks." So, I will most likely be induced on Saturday if I don't go into labor on my own. He said if they tried to induce me today, he felt it would take at least 2 days of labor and they are really hoping my body does it on it's own. Suggested that sex was the only thing that might help now....(insert devil emoticon here!). As you know, he isn't my favorite dr, but he was fine for this appt and was good at explaining things, so that was comforting. The good news is that MY dr is on call on 12/25-26, and my 2nd favorite dr is on call on 12/27! I sooooo hope I go into labor between now and then. But, if I don't get my favorite drs, it will be okay!

So fast forward to today...41 weeks. I never in a million years thought I would be a week overdue. This was never in my plan...welcome to the life of having children...rarely do things go as planned, and this little guy is already controlling things! The good news is that I started having very light, regular contractions yesterday evening at about 7:45pm. (NOTHING at all like this since the previous Thurs and Fri!) They were pretty much non-painful about 7-10 minutes apart all night that lasted 30-60 seconds each. (Timed them on my iPhone with a cool contraction program!) I stopped timing them this am since they weren't changing, but was more excited that maybe some progress was being made. I only noticed them initially when (TMI alert) I was lying down resting and felt some pressure in my bum area that was cyclical. Not much change since then, but at least it's something more than NOTHING! I still see the dr tomorrow morning, and I think they're going to induce me at that point. I started drinking red raspberry leaf tea, so I wondering if that's helping. I'm also tempted to go to this place near my office that boasts the "labor" salad - women go there to have the dressing or something to induce labor. I'm not a huge believer in that, but, yikes, something has to happen soon, right??? I must say, after my 12am-2am awake period when I was timing, it was hard to go back to sleep because I was getting so excited that this might actually happen. (Yes, I know it will happen eventually, but am still nervous for induction and possible c-section, but always remember all that matters is healthy baby, healthy mom!)

So, that's my update. I'm feeling pretty hopeful now, and it's nice to at least see an end in sight. I have learned so much about myself these last few weeks of pregnancy, and I know I would go through anything to have this healthy baby resting in my arms...what a blessing that will be.

Happy holidays to everyone - thanks for sharing my journey with me!

xoxo Yo