Weigh In: Week 39 + 2

142.5 lbs.  And baby is still in utero.  I had a midwife's appointment this morning.  I was supposed to be there in the afternoon, but the office called this morning around 9AM to confirm that I was in fact coming to the appointment (a couple of inches of snow here in Nashville, with most roads unplowed).  I said I could come earlier if that would help, and the receptionist said they were pretty slow and I could come on in.  I got a shower, called Wes to let him know I was going in earlier, and he decided to come pick me up and go with me to the appointment (something we'd planned on, but then he had a meeting scheduled for 2PM and wasn't going to be able to come).  The roads were fine where they'd been plowed, but as I found out on the way home, slippery where they haven't yet been.

It turns out that the receptionist had told a lot of people the same thing she told me, and so we did have to wait almost an hour to be seen.  The midwife, one I hadn't seen before, was very nice and apologized for the wait.  She felt my belly and said the baby wasn't especially big, which is something I was starting to worry about (especially important when you want a drug-free delivery!).  Her heartbeat sounds fine, and she is, of course, still head down.  She checked me again, and I'm now 3 cm dilated, well effaced, and the baby's head is right against my cervix.  I did let her strip my membranes.  I had mixed feelings on this going in to the appointment.  I've heard both the pros and cons of having this done.  Those who favor it say that except for the risk of prematurely rupturing the membranes, there are no real risks.  The process basically involves separating the amniotic sac from the edge of the cervix, which releases prostaglandins, which helps initiate labor.  This argument says that it won't put a woman into labor if the baby is not ready for it, and it can provide a gentle nudge to baby if she is ready and just waiting (like this one is!).  Those who are opposed to it say that the risk of rupturing the membranes is very real and problematic, since it puts you "on the clock" -- meaning you have to deliver within 24 hours, even if your body wasn't really ready to go into labor.  It can be uncomfortable, and it can lead to additional interventions that can lead to a c-section that would not have happened had the stripping not happened.  This argument is the norm among the hands-off crowd, who basically don't want any kind of intervention at all.  That said, I felt like I was okay with having it done if the midwife supported it.  This practice is pretty hands-off about these things and wouldn't recommend something they didn't think was a good idea.  So when the midwife mentioned it, I told her that I knew what it was but didn't have a firm opinion on it.  She said she's never ruptured someone's membranes in the process and definitely felt that it couldn't hurt.  Plus, I'm at my due date and my cervix is very favorable for labor, so it would either nudge baby out or do nothing at all.  It wasn't really that uncomfortable, and I don't feel any different than I did before except for losing some bloody show, which is expected after the stripping.  I've of course done lots of Googling since I got home, and it sounds like for most women, it either gets things going in the next 24-36 hours or does nothing at all.  So we'll see!  I think the midwife felt better that we live so close to the hospital, so we're not putting ourselves at risk of having to brave the bad roads for a long drive if it in fact works.  I have an appointment set for next Monday, when I'll be almost 41 weeks by the midwife's EDD.  If I have to keep the appointment and am still pregnant at that point, we'll schedule an induction for the middle or end of next week.  Neither Wes nor I, based on what we've read, are comfortable going past 42 weeks based on the best EDD, and I would prefer to induce on a Wednesday or Thursday to give me the longest stretch of time out of class and with Wes at home.  I don't know why, but having this in place makes me feel better.  I know I might still be pregnant next Monday, but then I'll be at my last appointment before the baby is born.  Now, finally, there is an end in sight.

Tomorrow is my official due date by first trimester ultrasounds, 1-11-11.  I would be very excited if she were to make her arrival then -- and if not, Wednesday, or Thursday, or Friday.  My sister and her husband are supposed to visit this coming weekend, and while I know they're looking forward to seeing Oliver (and maybe me and Wes a little bit), I'd feel a lot better if they got to see the baby, too.