Baby stuff

I'm 37 wks now & I can't wait to have this baby! Except I'm super nervous to go through the pain of labor. I don't know what's scarier - having your first baby & not knowing what to expect or having your 4th baby (or any baby after #1) & knowing exactly what to expect! I'm not into being a hero & doing natural childbirth, but I didn't get an epidural with Ellie because she came too fast after my water was broken. I hated every second of it & it was a terrible birthing experience. I'm so nervous that's going to happen again!

I was talking to a girl yesterday who's due in a couple weeks. She told me that she wasn't going to any of the weekly checks this month basically because it's emotionally stressful & it's not like it makes a difference whether or not you're checked. Amen! At 36 weeks I hadn't dilated at all. At this week's appt (Thurs) I was 1.5, 70% effaced, but the baby's at -3 station so too high up to have my membranes stripped. I would almost bet money that next week it'll be about the same, but maybe the baby will have moved down to a 0 & then at least I'll be able to have my membranes stripped. That's about how it's gone in the past for me anyway. So yes, it's emotionally stressful because you show up for these appointments hoping to hear that you're about to have a baby and then nothing. And even if you did hear that you were about to have the baby it's no guarantee that your body will change much in the next week. This waiting game is a killer!

On a great note my belly has stopped growing! I finally don't feel insanely huge anymore! At least not any bigger than I should be at this point in a prenancy. I'm normal-ish (I think anyway)! And oddly enough people have stopped commenting about my size! It's weird, because it's not like anybody knows how far along I am. But I haven't been assaulted by rude comments in a couple of weeks. It's been great! :)