I wasn't sure there would even be a "week 39" post...but here we are at 39 weeks, 1 day, and no birth yet. I guess my three "prophetesses" who thought January 10 was the day were wrong! :)
I had an appointment with the midwife (Ann) today which revealed that I am making slow but steady progress. I'm now officially at "almost 4" centimeters dilated! Again (like the midwife last week), her prediction was that I could deliver today--or next week. That doesn't exactly narrow it down much! She did say that this baby is acting like a very typical 3rd baby, with lots and lots of contractions but only slow progress at the beginning...but when things really kick into high gear, she thinks it will go fairly quickly.
I was glad to meet with this midwife since I hadn't seen her since early in this pregnancy. She is really nice, and I have come to the conclusion that I would be perfectly content with any of the midwives when the big day comes. In fact, at this point, if I had to choose, I don't even know who I would pick since I'm so satisfied with all of them. That's a good situation in which to find myself, and I'm very grateful!
I find this "end of pregnancy" phase so very different from the others I've experienced, since with both of the others, contractions led, within a fairly short amount of time, to a birth! This dragging-out process though is quite different mentally and emotionally, I'm discovering. Physically, I continue to feel much better than last week; and besides the occasional contraction (of which I've had too many to count), I actually feel fairly good. But mentally, I just feel "BLAH." I don't have a whole lot of energy, so even small tasks don't seem to entice me. And, most of all, I feel stuck in this limbo stage.
For example, we haven't officially started "doing school" again since our Christmas break began. Of course, we're reading lots of books; and I know Josiah is learning from a variety of settings so it's not really a big deal. But I hardly know what to do: should I plan to start up with our "regular" lessons again, knowing that literally tomorrow the baby might be born, therefore disrupting everything? Or should I continue to wait?
And the other limbo state that's bothering me is with some discipline issues with our boys. I know that right before a huge event in the life of a family is not exactly the ideal time to change the course of the ship, so to speak. I'm sure that Josiah and David pick up on the anticipation and tension that I'm feeling, and I'm also sure that they are experiencing thoughts/feelings/anxieties of which I am unaware and which they are incapable of expressing. So I should probably extend grace to them, right? However, some really ugly attitudes have been cropping up their hideous heads in our home lately; and it's very concerning to me. But again, is this the right time to "crack down" (for lack of a better word) on this? Obviously, I'm addressing the situation to some extent; but I don't know how much of a course correction to make. Specifically, if we make some new guidelines with certain consequences attached, I'm not sure how capable of following up I will be, several days after giving birth. So if I can't follow up, maybe it's better to not even lay out the rule at this point? Any thoughts on this???
9 comments:
You look so cute in the picture!!!
Don't you worry about being in limbo. You have been such a great mother to your children, you just carry on as if everything is normal with the boys. If they need discipline then give it, if love then give it. Don't worry about tomorrow it will take care of itself.
P.S. thanks for the sweet comment you left! You are always so sweet and encouraging :)
You will love all the midwives. :) If you happen to have Ann - see if she is wearing her special earrings. hee hee - and ask her about them.
and tell her Yo said hi.:) She was wonderful with Zachary and great to come it on her day off to be there when I had my c-section with Kaleb - she didn't have to be, but she cared enough to be there for me. They are a great bunch of ladies!!
Are you at Aamodt's?
Can I throw my guess in??? I think the 16th. Sorry, I know that's far off. When IS your exact due date?
Davene, you look good, and you are making steady progress. Baby looks like he is shifting. "Almost 4" is a great place to be, and all of those contractions are working to warm you up. I predict once you hit 5, things will take off.
Oh my, discipline issues. Can I say honestly that it was a ROUGH day at this house today??? Talk about ugliness and a farmers' market fiasco (all just while buying a bag of kettle corn to take to the cousins' house...not even staying for any length of time). I was so upset that all I could do was clip a certain child into her carseat afterwards and do NOTHING but cry...I felt so frustrated. Thank God for sweet sis-in-laws to hang out with and to remind us that we're not alone in this mommying thing.
I vote for not making any big changes to your boys' lives right now (other than obvious baby arrival). Continue to enforce your "house rules" that exist already and give lots of grace to everyone...yourself included. It's hard to have perspective at this stage in the game. You have an imminent birth with postpartum stuff following. Big changes for everyone. Keep what they already know the same without springing new expectations on them.
Keep reading and doing fun educational things for school, and, trust me,...as a former K teacher, Josiah is way ahead of the game and can afford a more relaxed season of schooling for a few weeks.
Ok...sorry for writing you a book, but I had to check in before bed to see how you were. Thinking of you!!!
Lisa, yes, I'm at Aamodt's--not that I've ever actually seen him--just the midwives. :)
And the 16th? Well, that is actually my due date! So maybe you're right, and this little guy will arrive "right on time." :)
Thanks, Elizabeth, Jolanthe, and Julie, for your comments and input. Whew, I feel better already. :)
I love that office and missed it when I had my second. You want what's familiar, you know? BUT God provided an awesome Doctor where we are now.
You're in good hands!!
BTW, Julie is so right, keep things as normal as possible. You need to worry about YOU!
Yep. I completely agree. I read your blog and then went and did some laundry while I thought about it. And I, too, agree to keep things as normal as possible. Your boys may actually be trying you out. Seeing if this whole "baby" thing will completely change their life as they know it. Or if the baby will just have to learn the way that life is in their house. Not them trying to learn the way life is in the baby's house. Make sense?
So my advice? Keep things as normal as possible in the discipline dept. And be thankful that you have a hubby to step in when you are physically unable to.
With my last one, I went from 5 cent. to 10 in a matter of seconds. the midwife said it was record time. So...maybe you'll just go from 4/5 to ready to push. Never know. What I've found? when I finally RELAX and stop worrying about it, then my body has the energy and peace to go ahead and get things started. It's worked everytime. When I'm stressing it, my body locks up. :)
First let me say YOU LOOK AMAZING! You do not look like a woman ready to give birth. Extra 3 inches... whatever! :)
I think everyone on here has agreed with the discipline issue... so I'm not going to write a book here, just "ditto" :)
Your oldest is 5? Forget "homeschooling" until fall.
Read books. Nurse that baby, and read stories to the others. Sleep.
Rest. Revel in the fact that they will be able to be "little boys" and not stuck in a classroom all day wondering what's going on at home. If you feel you just cannot do that then I would suggest FIAR. Of course that's MHO.
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