Ramblings about pregnancy now that I am almost done:
I love being pregnant. I love everything about it. No, I am not one of those women that feel zero difference in their pregnant life than in their normal life. I have carpal tunnel. I have occasional to frequent (depending on the week) sciatic nerve pain. I usually feel as though I am being kicked in the crotch. Hard. My feet are always puffy by the end of a school day. My feet hurt all the time. Baby girl loves to headbutt my bladder. I am bruised badly from bellybutton down thanks to the blood thinner I get to take twice daily.
And yet, with all those discomforts, I love the feeling that I have because I am baby girl's mother. I adore feeling her twist in my belly. I do not mind it when she decides to kick my ribs. I love the fact that she greatly prefers my right side, causing my stomach to look abnormally lopsided. I am enamored with the fact that her most active time is around 6:30 pm. I usually take at least ten minutes to stop what I am doing and stare at her aerobics demonstration.
I am going to miss having her with me all the time. I am going to miss the movement inside. I am going to miss be constantly reminded how lucky I am that I am able to help a healthy baby grow. Nobody can plan life perfectly. I never dreamed I would have to wait until just before my sixth wedding anniversary to give birth to my first child. (I thought I would be up to number three by now.) You never know if the sweet baby you are carrying is your last. I am honored and privileged to be trusted with this amazing child.
I am ten days away from my due date. Ten! I can use my fingers to portray the number. Husband thinks she will come a day or two before her due date. I would not mind if she came a day or two after her due date. I am wondering if she will come in just about a week's time. Here is my reasoning: My body is extremely smart. It can keep up with the grueling schedule of being a teacher during the week and if I get sick, the illness pops up on the weekend. Every single time. My body knows when it is allowed to be sick. I have five more days of teaching before spring break. (Man I'm going to miss those kiddos.) When Friday hits and I take home my rocking chair and a couple other school items I will want with me, will my body start the process towards labor? I see an internal conversation going on between my body and the baby.
Body: You're doing great! Your lungs are now completely developed and you seem just about ready to come out.
Baby: So why can't I come out?
Body: I have things to do! My sub plans are not complete yet. Just wait until spring break. Stay inside for just a bit longer.
Baby: Okay, fine.
Come spring break when I can relax and not think of school is when things will start moving. I have very selfish reasons to want her to come at the end of spring break, but honestly, when she comes, she comes. I would not care that much if I was 43 weeks pregnant. The baby is not ready yet.
I am loving my midwife more and more and so is husband. We were both slightly unsure about her when we first met her, but it was just a bad combination of circumstances. Now that we have seen her several times, I am really excited that she will be the one to deliver the baby. I am glad we found one of the few midwives/OBs in the area that is on call 24/7 which means she will be the one to help me through the birthing process.
When we showed her our birth plan a few weeks ago, I loved that she took the time to really look through it and discuss a few points with us. She came across the section that states, "I will be drinking and eating during the labor process," and paused there. Her short conversation with us about that point addressed the fact that at the hospital we were choosing to birth in (and almost all hospitals in America), they would not be happy with that fact. "But what you do when there are no nurses around is up to you." We have done the research and have articles from the American Society of Anesthesiologists about the benefits of eating during labor that we will be bringing with us.
I think we are just about ready for baby girl. The carpets were cleaned on Friday. Her nursery is just about put together. We have a gorgeous crib along with a bassinet. (I want her in the room with us for several months, but our master is just a bit too small for the crib.) I have her hospital bag ready and mine is basically ready. I have preregistered at the hospital. I have my maternity sub plans (six weeks worth!) just a couple hours away from being completed. I am in the middle of reading my birthing book of choice for the second time. I am almost done deep cleaning everything I wanted to in our house. The carseat is sitting, ready to go, in our living room. I cannot wait for this baby to make her appearance.
