39 weeks and 2 days

Yesterday I had contractions about 10-15 minutes apart for 4 hours, starting about an hour after I had my membranes stripped. Then I left work, really hopeful that I was going into labor, but the contractions all but stopped. I went home, took a nap, and I new I wasn't in labor. Chase and I helped Zach move out of his dorm at the U, took Alfie on a walk, and went to bed. I had a hard time sleeping and woke up tired for the first time in a while. I had dreams about contractions...or maybe they were real. Not sure! Tomorrow is the due date Dr. Barton gave me (4 days ahead of my cycle because Kate measured a little big early on), and last week he did not think I would make it to Friday. So, hopefully I go into labor today, May 5th! I just had a really good contraction at 10:44, so we will see. Come on Kate!

39 Weeks and 1 day

Last night we went on another good walk up the hill to Grandma Reynolds and back down. I had one good contraction but nothing crazy. I have not been sleeping well. I wake up 1-3 times at night to pee and then I wake up really early, not very tired. Last night I was up at 3 and wide awake for half an hour. Apparently Avery had a dream that I went into labor today. Chase and I both had similar dreams. So, I hope today is it! I just got back from my appointment with Dr. Barton and he said I am 90% effaced, 2 cm dilated, and a zero station (she has dropped, but not started into the birth canal). He stripped my membranes again (a bit more than last time) but no blood, just some mucus. He also said that my fundal height is 38-39. I have been about that big for a couple weeks (but that can also be effected by bloating, meals, etc. so we are not worried about her growth at all) so we are on track still. 

My mom and Avery get back from Europe tonight at 10:30, so hopefully we have to tell them to come straight to the hospital! We are so ready! I want to hold my baby girl!

First contraction after the appointment; 12:05 pm

39 weeks

Last night I got a turkey! We bowled two games and I got three strikes in a row on my last two turns of the second game. Every time I would bowl a strike I was made to do a celebratory dance by the family. 

I danced around like a crazy person and even did some high kicks and a toe touch. I bowled better than I ever have so I decided I won't bowl unless I am pregnant ever again. I only lost to Chase by 1 point! But...still no Kate! Come on baby!!

38 weeks and 6 days

Yesterday Chase taught gospel doctrine. He is so fantastic. I love listening to him teach! I definitely look forward to Sunday now. Before church Alfie and I went on a walk around Tolman in the wind. Luckily the damage to our neighborhood was minimal. We only lost one shingle. After church we took a nap, I bounced on the ball, and walked up to Grandma Reynolds for dinner. That is, we power walked up a big hill for four blocks. I get out of breath easily, but I figure the exercise is good whether or not it puts me in labor. After dinner we went to Grandma Thomas's house, then ran home. Yes, ran. Well more like jogged. Chase could pretty much walk the pace I was trotting down the hill. But it didn't anything! I have been having real contractions for about a week but they always stop. So, I resigned myself to going to work today. I have decided there is pretty much nothing else I can do. I am still drinking the raspberry leaf tea and EPO, still going to walk, etc. but it appears that she just isn't ready. My mom and Avery will be back from Italy on Wednesday, so maybe then. I just really want to be at Avery's wedding. And if I go to my due date (or heaven forbid over my due date) then I might not make it. Still hoping for this week (as soon as possible!). I am glad to be in less pain the last several days. Either it's the calm before the storm, or its evidence that I should have been doing more rigorous exercise my whole pregnancy. So, I am feeling better. And I am just so excited to hold this baby! I want to see her face and see her with Chase. But for now I will enjoy time with Chase and look forward to her arrival. Praying for healthy and safe! Tonight we are going bowling with Chase's family, it's what put Connie into labor with one of her kids!

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!