38 weeks and 4 days

Every day feels like a week now. I keep thinking I am 40 weeks, but not yet! On Friday Chase and I went to our weekly appointment to see Dr. Barton. My fundal height is 38-39 (right on), I am dilated to a 1.5, I am 80-90% effaced and about 60% softened. Dr. Barton stripped my membranes, which was uncomfortable but nothing too crazy. There was a little blood when he was done, and that was it! He said if the stripping worked, we could see her this weekend! I am writing this on Saturday afternoon at 5:30, so I getting more impatient! He also said he didn't think I would go another week. Hallelujah!

After our appointment, we hurried to Weber to see Megan's graduation. She just finished her teaching degree. Then we headed home and took Alfie on a loooooong walk. Two hours and twenty minutes. We went up to Davis Blvd and over to 500 South, stopped to get a pineapple at Smiths, then came home. I didn't contract nearly as much as I wanted to during the walk, but I had some sharp pelvic pains. I have been losing bits of my plug since yesterday, so that's a good sign too.

Today, I went on a walk to the corner market to get milk, pulled weeds for a while, took a nap, and have been cleaning the house while Chase is at work. There is a big wind storm rolling in as I write this. It is supposed to bring 70+ mph winds. Our next door neighbor Bonnie is a labor and delivery nurse and she asked me if I had been contracting today. I have had a few but not many. As the storm comes in and I am cleaning, I am having more of them though! Bonnie said she knows that low pressure storms can induce labor from all of her years of experience, so I am hoping to get labor going tonight during the storm and have Kate with us tomorrow, May 1st!

38 weeks and 2 days

Yesterday Chase finished his finals (and did so well this semester!), so I went to the store on my way to work and picked up two fresh pineapples, raspberry leaf tea, evening primrose oil, and dates. These are all a bunch of old wives tales that supposedly help soften and/or dilate the cervix, which can lead to labor starting or a shorter duration of labor. I ate 90% of the pineapple, two cups of tea, and took 1300mg of EPO morning and night. Chase is also doing his part to get Kate here...And we took Alfie on a long walk around Tolman and up to Grandma and Grandpa Reynolds house. I was having major contractions walking the hill, I had a few at their house, then some more intense ones on the walk down. The contractions persisted when we got home. So after a couple hours, I started timing them. They were about 5-10 minutes apart and last 30-60 seconds. The end of the contraction was hard to track because they would end gradually. Anyway, I had back pain with each one. Around 2 am I thought I really could be in labor and decided to just try to sleep. Then I woke up today at 6:30 not in labor! Darn! I have had several contractions but none quite as intense as last night. So tonight, I am having pineapple, tea and EPO for dinner, and taking Alf on a long walk while Chase is at work. Tomorrow, I am getting my membranes stripped! I am so excited to have Kate here, I want to see her little face! Still hoping for this Sunday, May 1st!

38 Weeks

I am 38 weeks tomorrow! Last Friday I saw Dr. Barton and he said I was still about 1 centimeter dilated and 50-70% effaced. So my progress my have digressed! Over the weekend I started having more contractions and they are stronger, so hopefully I am more dilated at my next appointment. If I am, Dr. Barton will be able to strip my membranes. I probably wouldn't have him do this if it weren't for Avery's wedding on the 14th, but I really want Kate to come early if she is ready.

I think I was wrong about losing my plug last week. It stopped and didn't start back up again. I have continued to get more and more swollen, and more uncomfortable. I did have some loose bowels yesterday and I have had a little bit of an unset stomach the last couple of days, but I don't know if that is any indication of labor.

I have made a list of things that I am going to try starting on Wednesday night after Chase finishes finals; bounce on the birth ball, squats and lunges, walking up and down stairs, time with Chase*, fresh pineapple, spicy foods, message and acupressure, bumpy car ride at high elevation, essential oils (jasmine, clary sage, and evening primrose oil), date fruit, and jumping on a trampoline, maybe running for very small spurts, and walking a lot!

Speaking of finals, Chase is almost done! Two more days. He has taken two already and has three left. He is doing great! In other news, his Subaru broke down on Saturday and he had a horrible reaction to an antibiotic he was taking so he had a rough weekend! We are hoping to get him feeling better, done with school, car repaired, sell the Mazda, and make it to Sunday. Then we are ready for Kate!

37 Weeks and one day

We are full term! I think we are technically pre-term, but we are out of the woods. Kate is no longer a premie! We saw Dr. Barton on Friday and I measured 1 centimeter dilated, 70-80% effaced, and 37 centimeters fundal height. So not a ton of change, but still slowly dilating! Our next appointment with Dr. Barton is tomorrow.

Yesterday I thought I started to lose my plug (TMI!) but it was only a little, a few times in the morning, and it was clear. Then it stopped, so I could be wrong. I have noticed that Kate moves less these days. Still moves, just not as often and not as abruptly. I still have low back pain, lightning crotch, nerve paid, and contractions etc. on and off every day. I have also noticed that I am getting more and more water logged. My hands and feet and face mostly. I have officially gained 40 pounds! Yesterday I really felt like I have reached the point that I could go into labor any time, but today I feel a little more normal again. I would love to have Kate come today, but I am honestly still pulling for May 1st. Chase finishes finals April 27th, so that is when we will be really in the clear. One week! But whenever she decides to come is when she will come I guess!

36 weeks and two days

I noticed yesterday that Kate had dropped. I wasn't sure if it was my imagination until two people at worked mentioned it today, and Lauren did too. The last couple days I have had fewer pains, but they came back today. Serious low back pain! I am guessing it's from dropping. Tomorrow we go see Dr. Barton! 

36 Weeks!

We are in the home stretch! The last month! On Friday, April 8th, I had an appointment with Dr. Barton. I was checked for the first time, and also had my strep B test done. I am assuming no news is good news! At my appointment I was half a centimeter dilated (so started, but not moved much), 70-80% effaced, and my fundal height was 37-38 centimeters (1-2 centimeters bigger than scheduled). I am weighing in at 182 pounds, 37 pounds of weight gain. Right on track to top out at 40 pounds. The last few days I have felt better; fewer sharp pains and aches. I have a few contractions a day and they are getting more intense. I am waking up about once every night to go to the bathroom and get a drink. I am still able to do most things, I just get uncomfortable quickly!

Over the weekend, we went to St. George with Chase's family and stayed in the Marigold house. A perk of my job. It was fun, but long stretches in the car are no fun! That will be our last little trip before Kate gets here.

Yesterday, Chase and I put the car seat base and mirror in the car. I washed crib sheets and blankets and burb cloths. I packed a few more items in the hospital bags, got Chase's things in a backpack, blew up the exercise ball, found the rice heat pack, and ordered some of our maternity pictures to print for the nursery. We are getting close! I still need 16 more days so that I can wrap things up at work and Chase can finish school. Then we are full steam ahead!

The whole family has been helping Avery plan her wedding for the last couple of months. She is busy in school, soccer, going to Italy next Saturday, finding an apartment for she and Jackson, etc. So Lauren and mom have been doing a lot of the work. I have helped a little, but we have been finishing out house and getting ready for a baby too. We have one month until the wedding and things are coming along nicely! Her bridal showers are this Friday and next Wednesday--so many exciting things happening!