The wait is almost over!

Nine days overdue and counting...kind of frustrating, but at least I feel fine. Today we finally had some news, though. An ultrasound told us that my amniotic fluid level is low, which can lead to compression of the umbilical cord. Everything else seems to be ok; BL's heart rate is fine and she's not in distress or anything. So the doctor recommended we schedule an induction for 6am Monday morning...I guess that is the point of no return! I don't think Monday will end without our daughter having come into the world.

I'm not incredibly happy about being induced, though. There are no great ways to do it. Knowing that I wanted to avoid Pitocin and that moving around during labor was important to me, our doctor is planning on administering a different drug to ripen the cervix and stimulate labor. I agreed to this during our visit today, but after doing some research online I'm not so sure this drug is as safe as I'd like it to be. Of course, the internet is the best way to find horror stories if they exist. I just wish I knew how much to trust my doctor. I like her, she seems to respect my wishes, and she comes highly recommended, but of course I only know her in a professional capacity and in general I don't like the incentives that seem to govern health care procedures these days. Anyway, there is still time for BL to emerge on her own over the weekend, which I hope she does and then we can still try to have a natural birth. If not, we'll go to the hospital Monday morning, make it clear we absolutely want the safest induction method, and hope for the best! The whole pregnancy has been about as uneventful as you could get and I don't seem to have any condition or history whatsoever that should make anyone more cautious. So this weekend I'm just going to try to relax and try not to worry!

40 weeks...and counting

Well, April 2nd has come and gone, and nothing really of interest is going on. It's kind of strange, but even though the probability of BL's arrival increases each day, we feel like the anticipation has kind of diminished a little bit, and we've been pretty laid back the past couple of days. It just totally makes you crazy to dwell every day for weeks on the fact that it could happen any time. So I'm just trying not to think about it too much, which is fine, because I'm as ready as I can be. Also it makes me a little nervous because I know it'll probably be the hardest thing I've ever done, and there is so much potential for things to go wrong or not the way we would hope, so I'm definitely just trying to relax and enjoy life as a non-mommy while I still can.

I am looking forward to not being pregnant anymore, though. I miss my flat stomach and being able to fit regular clothes, work out, sleep in any position I want, drink wine and beer, eat sushi and cold roast beef sandwiches, etc. I went shopping with Sara last week and saw all kinds of things I'd like to wear if only I were skinny again! Instead I just bought big comfy cotton pants and nursing bras. :(

At the last doctor's appointment, I was dilated to 1cm (same as the previous two weeks). Each day, I feel like I'm carrying her lower and lower, and Sara said she could see that I got bigger even in the few days she was visiting. I told BL she should just come out, and do her growing on the outside! But I know she just needs to wait until she's ready. In the meantime, John tells her a story every night and she seems to be doing fine in terms of size, position, movement, and heartbeat.