Med-Free Check-In 12/15

slartybartfast

1) How far along?
2) How has pregnancy treated you this week?
3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand?
4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin?

SmashJam

1) How far along? 41+4
2) How has pregnancy treated you this week? Its been a mind eff.  I went in for my NST on Tuesday, and mentally I was like, I WANT TO HAVE THIS BABY NOW. But physically I was like, well, my body is not really ready for this yet based on everything you are telling me, so I decline today's induction and will do it Thursday. Then today I had all sorts of contractions and painful cramps so hoping that is doing something that will speed things along tomorrow. 
3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand? I am ball bouncing, walking, whatever I can do to potentially help the process along. Being told on Tuesday that I was not soft, barely dialated to a 1, and still had a relatively posterior cervix was difficult.
4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin? Now that I know its happening tomorrow, I am just focusing on the getting ready and making sure everything is packed and things are cleaned up and we are ready to pass DS on to grandma tomorrow. Hoping that the Cervadil works well like last time and I don't have to navigate what any new  drugs might do to my contractions/my ability to work through a labor med free.

slartybartfast

1) How far along? 
40 weeks friday
2) How has pregnancy treated you this week?
I am large. Moving is hard. I am sick. Breathing is hard. I am dying to have one person in my body.
3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand? 
Turns out lil miss "I don't want to encourage contractions or labor because I want my cervix to be ready" didn't ACTUALLY count on being pregnant longer than she was with DS. Suddenly I'm throwing the natural (but don't actually work) labor encouraging techniques at this. I'm having a hard time believing I will go into labor. I am pointlessly researching statistics. I'm counting on the full moon. Ugh. I need to chill. I have another doula massage on Friday - she's such a calming presence. I'm also listening to birth meditation and affirmation podcasts. I hiked today - it was a sloowww waddle. I'm spending time on the ball. But my pre-labor contractions are just a few a day. The rest are mild BH. So I'm also telling myself - you're not in control here. Your body and the baby are. They are doing what they need to be doing. Back off.
That's the most effective thing.
4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin?
Probing for techniques. The best I've got is telling my brain to let go. Reminding it that it's not in charge and it needs to surrender. I'm trying to balance staying somewhat busy/active and resting/relaxing.

slartybartfast

Good luck tomorrow @smashjam !!

SmashJam

@slartybartfast thanks!

PensiveCrayon

1) How far along? You're jumping the gun @slartybartfast! 38 weeks tomorrow. 
2) How has pregnancy treated you this week? Alright, for being 38 weeks along! I got a massage and brow/lip wax yesterday, so I can't complain. 
3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand? Still not quite believing it's going to happen very soon, but I did feel the mildest of period cramps today. So that was...sort of exciting.
4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin? Honestly...I have a weird feeling that the baby will come on Christmas, so I'm just sort of chilling until then. I may be setting myself up for disaster, but if/when the date comes and goes, I'll deal with it then!

ajstevenson

Yes good luck @smashjam! 
1) How far along? 37+5
2) How has pregnancy treated you this week? Eh. Lost my mucous plug Sunday night. Monday didn't know if it was early labor or prodromal labor. It was prodromal. Since then I'm working mornings in the office and afternoons from home. So much easier on babe and my body.
3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand? Starting to feel miserable. Even sitting up straight is hard. I have lean back 'low rider' style to breathe. Little stinker is all stretched out with her head on my cervix and feet in my ribs.
4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin? Well when Monday's crazy contractions were taking place I was very calm and focused on breathing through each contraction. I can't say for sure because this will be my first birth, but I feel confident that my body and mind are prepared to do this.  

tinattt23

1) How far along?
39 weeks

2) How has pregnancy treated you this week?
Fine. I still think I feel to decent to be done yet. 

3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand? 
Spending time on my ball. Walking. Pineapple (but mostly cause I just like it). Nothing too crazy. 

4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin?
For some reason my mind isn't spinning over it. My gut tells me he'll be late, so I'm honestly expecting another 2-3 weeks. Anything before that would just be a welcome surprise. So I'm kind of just ignoring most maybe labor symptoms at this point. I figure I'll know when it's the real deal. 

mysteryship

1) How far along?
40+6
2) How has pregnancy treated you this week?
A lot of false alarms, and I'm just generally so uncomfortable.
3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand? 
I had decided not to try anything (except walking) to bring on labor, but I gave in today and started some acupressure and lots of squats.
4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin?
Basically freaking out over being so late. I thought I'd be cool with trusting my body but I am apparently not cool with this at all. I'm going to try some meditation and giving up control ala @slartybartfast

SaraRose83

1) How far along? 41+ 2

2) How has pregnancy treated you this week?

NST and US were great, so happy about that. Had regular contractions this morning for a couple hours till they faded. Lost even bigger chunk of mucus plug this afternoon. Seriously, I've lost this thing like 3 times. 

3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand?

I'm trying natural stuff to induce to avoid the meds, but if it comes to that next week, I'll have to -begrudgingly- let go. 

4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin? 

I get excited now instead of nervous everytime contractions come on. I'm reading affirmations and listening to meditations on labor to set myself up emotionally and spiritually and trying so hard not to wallow in discouragement. 

zubenescamali

1) How far along? 39+4. 
2) How has pregnancy treated you this week?  ugh. i'm just so over being pregnant and want my body back. all the same issues with the back pain and keeling over while walking, but at least my blood pressure is normal again and even though i'm still having lots of palps, echocardiogram was normal, so that is a huge relief, which means no more talk of not pushing (RCS).  appointment this week went well, BPP passed with flying colors so just waiting her out now.
3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand?  i'm cranky. and bored. and restless. and sick of being home with MIL.  my hospital bag is partially packed and every night I lay down wondering if contrax will wake me up but alas, nothing.  I've been eating dates, pineapple, drinking RRL tea, walking when I can, baby spinning, but nothing so far.

4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin? i'm trying to stay busy, got a pedicure yesterday, short shopping trips, etc.  my doula sent me a meditation app that i'm going to try out today.  and, I keep recalculating my EDD and doing silly things like looking up the moon phases of my previous births, and when I think I ovulated.  today is the day if you go by the phase of the moon matching ovulation lol.  both my other kids were born 2 days after the new moon phase though- if I go by that then I will have a new years baby, no thank you.  but for real, I just am trying to relax and telling myself that an inside baby is hella easier to take care of than an outside baby.

maamawaabangi

You all rock. 

1) How far along? 38+3

2) How has pregnancy treated you this week?  It's not been fun the last few weeks. Still, some days are great... but the worse days are far worse. My BP goes up the last few weeks and stays at a manageable, yet annoyingly high place... and then I have that anemia going on. I'm just exhausted. 

3) Where are you at? What are you doing regarding labor now that it's close at hand? I am doing my typical prodromal labor song and dance bit... every 2 or 3 nights having early labor like activity that stops... and only wears me out and makes me tired. It's annoying, but I know it's also doing a job and prepping me... even if I don't dilate. I haven't started to do anything drastic to promote labor yet... I will at 40 weeks... I am eating pineapple, enjoying time with my husband (actually feel like that these days), doing squats (not 100... like 10 ) each night and I'm making eggplant tonight (which is a favorite of mine)... but I won't stress it yet. It's never seemed to really help anyway... so, why stress. That said, I have providers that will let me go to 42 weeks if I desire (which I don't, but would if all is well.)

4) If you're close enough to your due date and/or having labor-like symptoms, how are you handling the "when is it gonna happen?!" mind spin? 

Well, I'm not close, but it's still stressful. I feel done... and like I'm more at the end than 38 weeks... so I keep expecting it to start any minute... I'll have a very powerful contraction (more than a BH) and think "is this it???" and then an hour goes by. I deal with it by just trying to ignore it and realize I'll know when it happens.