hanging on
I've felt pretty lack-lustre all week for posting. After Sunday night's episode with contractions, Giving Birth moved from a future possibility to an immanent possibility in our minds, and it's been a little nerve-wracking ever since.
On Wednesday I met with the midwife who took my Group B strep test a little early, which is good. I totally missed this test with E so was automatically put on antibiotics. Hopefully, it will be negative thus reducing the need to poke things into my arms.
I keep a very vague, general idea of Due Date (e.g. "end of May"), because I hate it when people get hung up on one day, when very few people actually give birth on their due dates. But having a specific due date does mean something to me at the moment, because the birth center I'm going to only does births between 36 and 42 weeks. So apparently I'm 36 weeks on May 1, so if I go into labor before then I have to go to the hospital that they work with, but thankfully, the midwife goes with me. At this point I'm prepared for both. And on Wednesday the midwife that if I went into labor they'll let me. No more stopping contractions. She felt around my belly and sized up the baby, guessing that he could very well be 6 lbs like E was for this gestational age.
Yesterday I had about four hours of regular contractions that petered out to nothing. (Every 3-5 mins, but short like 15-20secs and fairly mild) And I've been feeling "yuck" and crampy yesterday and today with a few more contractions (stronger ctrxn every 10mins for one hour but then I took a bath and they cleared up). How long could this go on? Who knows? Chris has been a fantastic help. This is the guy who would rather starve than stop working to heat up a ready-made plate of leftovers in the microwave for lunch--this guy has made dinner almost every night this week.
So anyway. There's a part of me that feels like that I won't last another week. A part of me that has no idea, can't even fathom beyond then. And pretty much all of me that does not want to be pregnant anymore.
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I have no idea how you feel cuz I waited 5 days after my due date with Eden and EIGHT with Josiah. They were weeeeell done. Complete with fat and full head of hair. My cycles are crazy long, like 35 days.
I hope you start feeling better and get closer to full term. I hope you get to do the birthing center, that sounds really really cool!
Posted by: katiek | April 25, 2008 09:49 PM
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Ha! yea, the midwife joked that 36 weeks is my new "term". I do have very regular short cycles, though, so I would think my 'term' is a tad earlier than 40 weeks anyway...more like 37.
My poor family: I'm not feeling any bursts of energy or insatiable need to clean random corners.
Posted by: Jeannette | April 25, 2008 11:06 PM
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Wow, I'm glad I checked today again (well, I've been checking several times a day). I hope you can give birth at the birthing center and that everything goes well. Keep us posted, OK?
Posted by: Lilian | April 25, 2008 11:31 PM
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Oh, hang in there Jeannette! I certainly feel for you, I can remember the end of the my only pregnancy and it totally sucked. Not to be crass, but it sounds like you might get what I call a 6 pound slider, which is ideal really! Not too little, not too big!!
Good luck hon!
Posted by: Hetha | April 26, 2008 08:51 AM
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Tell Secundo to hang in there until May 1st because you deserve a fabulous birth experience at the Birthing Center! Just 5 days away! =) Rest well and we look forward to seeing you all in June! =D
Posted by: Keri | April 26, 2008 09:06 AM
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I will be thinking about you the next few days. I know that those last days are so frustrating. I think it is God's way of making us willing to do anything to not be pregnant anymore. :-)
Hope all goes well!
Posted by: Sarah R. | April 26, 2008 09:32 AM
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Hey, if you need a cheerleader, call any time day or night.
I'm thinking about you a lot these days. *hugs*
Posted by: Jo | April 26, 2008 03:34 PM
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Hey Jeannette,
wow, sounds like you've had quite the excitement! will pray for perseverance for you as you wait out these last days/weeks! Miss you guys! we're hoping to come to town for Mark's ordination, so hopefully we'll see you.
Posted by: Gabriela | April 26, 2008 10:47 PM
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Hi J, it was fun to run into you guys on Friday night! Hang in there - I hope you are able to go to your birthing center and that you won't have to wait too long for your next one to arrive - so exciting!
Rachel
Posted by: Rachel V | April 27, 2008 04:43 PM
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Hang in there, friend! I remember well the last month with Levi. Michael tried to come two months early and ended up being born a month early, so I thought for sure my second would follow suit. He ended up coming on his due date, of all things. :} I don't wish that for you, but I do hope you get to have a birth center birth. :) Just a couple more days!
Posted by: Janna Mawhinney | April 28, 2008 06:36 PM