Another week...

Well here's an update, even though there is not too much to report: The infamous "Due Date" has come and gone and still no baby in my arms. Talk about a test of patience... Not only am I unhappy to still be in this position, but everyone else is also quite disappointed when they see me with this big belly. "Oh, you're still here?" :) But at least the end is near, that I know for sure. If she doesn't come on her own before then, we plan on inducing next Wednesday. One more week.... but hopefully less.

I went to my Doctor's appointment yesterday and had her check my cervix and strip my membranes. I'm 1 cm dilated which is better than nothing, but I was hoping that I was farther along than that. Supposedly the stripping of the membranes can sometimes help jump-start labor. So last night I went for a long walk with some awesome friends and then got jiggy with my man. :) Still no contractions, but at least I had a fun night. Brad told me that today is the day. Not too sure if I believe him, but I'm hoping it is.

T minus 2...

Two days left in my big countdown to my due date. Nine months of counting, and it's almost done. Now if only Brynlee would get the message that she's supposed to arrive in 2 days. :) I have a sneaky little feeling though that she'll just keep chilling away in my belly. She's in no hurry.

We had another Dr's appointment yesterday, complete with an ultrasound. Good news is that Brynlee is head down and ready for departure. :) She looks healthy and happy as far as I could tell. Not only did I get to see her precious little fingers and toes, but I also got a glimpse of her sweet little face. She was even sucking her thumb. I just simply cannot wait to hold my little bundle of joy for the first time. It's the only thing that is getting me through all this waiting.

What if she does come late though? Well, I have been trying to make a list of distractions to keep me occupied for each day that she is late. I really hope that it doesn't come down to that though. I would really like to have a baby this weekend. :) So tomorrow, I am filling my day with lots of activities and hope to keep moving pretty much the entire day. Walking, swimming, biking, jumping jacks, really anything that keeps me going. :) And maybe we'll throw in some hot wings too. Ha ha.

By the way, tonight is a full moon, so I will be crossing my fingers that all those theories are true and maybe I will have a baby this weekend. :)

"The theory is that the moon’s gravitational pull effects the amniotic fluid in much the same way as it effects the water in the sea, rivers and even the water that’s otherwise found in our bodies. One midwife told me that when it comes to planning childbirth, full moons should always be looked for around the time of the expected delivery. If there’s one within a few days either side, the chances are your baby will be born on that day."

My fingers are crossed!

Date nights and ice cream parties...

Six days until my due date! I can't believe the end is finally in sight.

I had a pretty awesome weekend (maybe the last one without a baby). Friday night was date night. After dolling myself up more than I had in months, I felt ready for a night on the town... or at least dinner and a movie. :)

We ended up catching a matinee showing of Fast Five, which I might add was a excellent movie. Then we headed over to Red Robin for some bottomless root beer floats and absolutely delicious burgers.

Being our first time, we were very impressed with the food. It was soooooo delicious! All in all, it was a wonderful and relaxing date and I couldn't have asked for anything better!

On Saturday we headed down to Chattanooga for lunch with the family. My parents just put new floors in their house and they wanted to show them off. The floors look amazing, by the way! I had such a good time playing with my nephews, and getting to hang out with my family. I even enjoyed the 2.7 mile walk we took that afternoon, except that it didn't speed up my labor at all. :) I got to spend the night with my sisters and just relax, which is always nice.

Sunday involved some nice pool time. And then I had to get ready for our Ice cream party, which I might add turned out to be a wonderful success. So many flavors and toppings to choose from...

Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the actual party, but it was wonderful. I ended my day and weekend with a relatively clean house, cuddled up on the couch with my love, watching some TV and just feeling so happy and content.

I hope this week is just as relaxing and fulfilling as this weekend was and hopefully Brynlee will decide to come soon.

The waiting game...

I've been playing the "what if" game quite a bit lately. "What would I do if I went into labor right now?" I guess I have a bit too much time on my hands since I am constantly mapping out my labor strategy for each situation every day. At least I'll be prepared for it when it finally does happen. :)

I was so anxious for my Dr's appointment yesterday. She was supposed to check my cervix and hopefully get a better idea if this baby was getting ready to come out or not. Well after waiting in the Dr's office for 2 hours, I finally got seen. The Dr had to go deliver a baby and I was too impatient to reschedule so I just sat there... Forever! And then when I finally did get seen, it was past 5pm and she was in a hurry to see all of her patients that had waited for her. No checking of the cervix. I was quite disappointed. Instead, she told me that she couldn't tell if the baby was heads down or not so that I should come in next week for an ultrasound. That's fine and all, but that will be 3 days before my due date. So pray I make it until then. Or actually don't. I'd be happy if she came sooner. Either way, we are still waiting... :)

I ended up walking home from the Dr's, seeing as we are down to one car while mine is getting the AC fixed and Brad had to leave before the Dr got back. No worries though, that's just how close we live to the Dr. It took me 20 minutes, and I was happy for the exercise.

I got to return some duplicate gifts and buy the last minute things that we still needed the other day. I'm feeling pretty good about where I'm at on my To Do list. I'm feeling pretty comfortable with everything if she were to come today. There is just some final cleaning and organizing of random stuff in my house that needs to be done still, but I am working on a little bit every day. By next week, I'm sure we'll be in tip-top shape.

Plans until then.... lay out and relax by the pool, finish reading my baby book, finish cleaning, get a massage, and try to stay busy to keep my mind off of how much longer I have to wait. :)

Two weeks too long...

As I round the corner into my last 2 weeks before my due date, all I can think about it how I can speed up this dreadfully uncomfortable time. Of course I have fallen into the trap that so many before me have.... old wives' tales. Mostly I don't believe in their validity, but why not give them a try. Here is what I've come up with so far:

Walking - It seems that I've done plenty of this during my pregnancy already, being a waitress and all. But now that I am finished serving, I need to keep up my daily walks. Walking uses the force of gravity to help the baby get down further into your pelvis. So really, with every step you take, you're one step closer to holding your baby. And even if walking doesn't do the trick, it'll at least keep you in shape. *Must try walking stairs too.

Sex - While it may feel impossible to pull this off with a huge belly, chances are my man won't pass up the chance to pitch in, so I may want to take advantage of this. Sperm contains hormones that can help thin and dilate the cervix, getting it ready for delivery. If nothing else, it may relieve some tension... probably from laughing as I attempt the deed. :) Who knows, maybe the same thing that got me into this mess will get me out of it.  

Evening Primrose Oil - Many midwives suggest evening primrose oil for their pregnant patients, since this herb can help the cervix thin and dilate and prep it for labor. You can take evening primrose oil capsules, or rub the oil onto your cervix during the last weeks of pregnancy.

Castor Oil - This is one way that I really don't plan on trying, even though it may be one of the most talked about ways to naturally induce. It's a laxative (and not a very tasty one, either). If you take a shot of it, it can stimulate your bowels (by causing spasms in the intestines) and, in turn, irritate your uterus and cause it to start contracting. The downside: If you're not already showing signs of labor, taking castor oil can just give you a bad case of diarrhea (something I probably want to avoid this close to childbirth). Doesn't sound appealing to me. I'll take my chances and skip this method.

Acupressure - This is another age-old practice that entails putting pressure on specific points on the body to stimulate uterine activity. It is easy to do since I can use fingertips (mine or my partner's). Some pressure points to try: The webbing between my thumb and index finger, the lower back (above my butt), the large muscle between my neck and shoulder, and the inside of my leg about four finger-widths above the ankle bone.

Massage - Studies show that a massage can raise your body's level of oxytocin, that hormone that can bring on contractions.  Meditation and even just cuddling with your partner can help relax you, which might get your oxytocin levels pumping (it's no coincidence that the majority of labors start late at night, when an expectant mom is warm and cozy in bed — a state that triggers the release of oxytocin). I plan on scheduling my massage for early next week.

Bouncing - This could be either in a car on a bumpy road, or bouncing on an exercise ball. The baby might just need to be jiggled into place. :) Or perhaps just try some squats.

Foods that could help -

• Spicy Food - Some people believe that spicy food, like castor oil, irritates your intestines (but more gently) and that can cause your uterus to contract. 
• Pineapple - This fruit doesn't induce labor, but instead possibly helps ripen the cervix.
• Chinese Food - Who knows why this is said to work.
• Eggplant Parmesan - The true inducer really might be in the basil and oregano that are in this dish, but worth a try. Will definitely be trying this recipe.
• Basil
• Oregano
• Raspberry Leaf Tea - Thought to strengthen your uterus.

Two weeks left, which means two weeks to test out all these theories. I will keep you posted on my progress and let you know if there is any validity in any of these theories. :)