Maternity Leave: Day 1

So, yesterday, at my 39 week check-up; I was hoping for some good news from my midwife, Donna. She did agree to induce me, IF, my body was doing what it was supposed to be.
So, she checked my cervix; bad news, not ready. The baby's head is too high for her to induce; she's concerned that his head could get cocked and stuck while trying to rush it, which would increase my chance of having a C-section, which I do NOT want.

On the other hand, while she was checking my stomach, she did say that he's going to be a very big boy. She finds it hard to believe that he was only 7 1/2 pounds last week, as she thinks he's much bigger than that now. What?!?! So, what is my option? She didn't give me one. It's almost like I'm thinking, if he's that big, shouldn't we do something about getting him out now?

Her suggestion...have regular intercourse and sit on a physio ball and bounce on it so that I can get his head to drop.... Two things, that at this point in my pregnancy, I am not at all interested in.

Donna did write me off work yesterday; that was the good news. I told her how miserable I was and about the pressure in my pelvis. Sitting at a desk all day kills me, and getting up from that chair is even worse. Plus, I'm starting to swell, and well, my work shoes about killed my feet yesterday. I think I deserve one week off before giving birth to a mammoth baby....ha! She did want me to come back for another ultrasound; the tech is on vacation next week, so I went in this morning for an ultrasound...more to come on this, below.

So, as I was driving home yesterday, fighting back the tears, in the torrential down pouring rains; I was very upset for multiple reasons. But, I have to be happy for what I can be:

1. I am VERY thankful for a healthy pregnancy. After what I experienced in my last pregnancy, which ultimately ended in no baby being born, alive, I have tried not to take this uneventful pregnancy for granted.
2. I am VERY thankful for what seems to be a very healthy baby boy
3. I am thankful for Donna, my midwife, going through this with me. She's very calming and is like a friend when we meet for my appointments. I can talk to her openly and honestly and look forward to my appointments

I cannot control when this baby comes into the world. I cannot control how big he is going to be, but this scares me, because I'm afraid he's going to come out a 3 month old and not a newborn. I cannot control what my body does or does not do, although, I can follow Donna's home remedy advice and help push things along, which I have been trying to do.

When I got home last night, I discovered that we had water in the basement. As the rains kept coming, the water situation got worse. When the crock with the sub-pump was about 2 inches from the top, David decided to go get another pump. Within 5 minutes after he left for Home Depot (1/2 a mile from our house), the crock filled up and the water began to fill the basement. All I could do was stand there and watch the water back-up. I picked up the things I could and started piling everything onto toy boxes and rubbermaid containers, and hoped the plastic stood up the way it was suppposed to. I rolled up all the carpet squares and piled things on top of the air hockey table. By the time David got home, we had about 2 inches of water in the basement. After 6 hours, 3 pumps (his brother-in-law brought another one over), another trip to Home Depot to get more hoses, 5 guys down there and 5-6 inches of water, we finally pumped it all out, but only because the rain outside stopped. What a disaster. My appliances were all just standing in the sewer water and toy boxes were floating in the nasty mess. I was just horrified. Luckily, we didn't buy the carpet we were looking at last week for the basement, and our furniture has not been picked up yet for the basement; it could have been so much worse. Today, it's damp down there, and stinks horribly. We have to wait until next week for an estimator to come, because we are not an emergency case. David is going to try to get down there and clean what he can; at least try to stop any mold from growing. We have yet to plug in the washer or dryer to see if they work; going to let them dry out at least all day today before we try. How am I going to be able to bring a newborn home with two other kids and not be able to do laundry? Are you kidding me? I cannot believe the night we had.

Although, I stood almost the entire 6 hours David was downstairs...today, I'm in pain; lots of pressure, even when sitting. So, I went to my ultrasound appointment at 9:30 this morning. Donna was not in the office; she was at the hospital, assisting in a surgery. Linda did my ultrasound and said the baby's head is very low for her; he's in the perfect position, laying on his tummy. She is estimating his size at only 7 pounds and 11 ounces today. How can Donna feel his body through my stomach and think he's over 8 1/2 pounds and then an ultrasound says about a pound smaller? Linda said she got some great measurements. She said she knows she can be off a pound either way, but is usually closer than that (she's been doing this for 34 years). She called Donna and spoke to her, told her the findings of the ultrasound. Donna sent me home and advised to keep up with the home remedies she suggested. So, now we wait, again, even more.

I don't want to rush nature, and I surely don't want to pull this baby out if he's not ready, but honestly, he feels huge...he feels like he's going to be close to 9 pounds, and waiting another week scares me to death. Donna did say that next week at my appointment (Wed, the 18th) if I haven't given birth yet, she will induce me. I would love to go into labor on my own this weekend. Any suggestions? Any ideas? I am totally being selfish right now...I want to hold my baby in my arms and see his sweet little face. Everyone I know always goes into labor early...I don't understand why my body would rather hold on until we have to make things happen.

Anyhow, I know this post is all over the place; I'm just tired, sore, disappointed and anxious. Although, tomorrow, are the kids' Valentines Day parties at school. I'm going to take advantage and go, since I'm now off work.

For now, I'm going to be positive and take this time to do things around the house that need to be done that I never have time for; especially when the kids are at school, hehe.

Right this second, I'm going to go get my kids from school. More to come soon.

Michele