39 Weeks

Pregnancy Update:

Well I am officially 39.5 weeks pregnant and we are about to meet our sweet new baby girl. This week has probably been the longest of my life. We have all been so antsy and anxious, I think even the kids are feeling it. Not to mention Shea and I have been a little on edge as we try hard to make the time pass. I've also been having a few nights of panic and nerves that keep me pretty restless. Shea has been a huge support trying hard to calm my nerves and find solutions to all my fears.

"PIPER!"

Considering I have to call in the morning at 6 AM for my 7 AM induction, I kept having thoughts of getting bumped or pushed back by hours or days. So lets hope that is not that case. Then my thoughts were overrun with way too much internet researching that worries me about how long it will take if I don't progress much or any further by the inducement.

All my labors have been relatively fast in the past but I have about the least amount of progression ever before, at the 39 week point. Which I know, I know could mean I could go any second or wait another few weeks for her to come on her own. I just am literally praying that my induction takes and that everything goes quickly and smoothly and that the epidural gets placed in plenty of time correctly and that after the epidural my labor doesn't halt. So many worries, so many prayers it is all a little nerve rattling at this point. Poor Shea is the only one that truly understands (well as much as he can); considering he knows how on the verge of tears I am due to hormones and how frustrated I am due to the lack of progression, and scared I am due to the delivery experience I had with Sydney.

Fortunately I listened, and after calling my doctor's office I found out I was not only 2 cm last week but 50% effaced and as I assumed baby was at a -3 station, so very high. It was a huge relief hearing about my effacement because from everything I've read it is effacement that directly affects the induction. And 0% effacement means the induction could last several days. Considering I originally thought I was 0% you can see why I was fearful for my induction coming up. Now I am feeling a lot better and of course hoping for even more progress the day of, so that everything goes as planned.

I'll be honest I am pretty excited to get on my way to recovery and have my own body/belly back because as Sydney likes to remind me as she lifts my shirt and say "eww" I am kind of over the big belly phase. At least Sydney also reminds me how special this all is as she says "soft" as she rubs my skin and then her face lights up in her shocked little "wow" face as Piper kicks. None of the kids fully understand all this baby belly talk but I am in love with their excitement for Piper.

We've talked lots about baby, about Piper about being soft and gentle, about helping lots, about baby crying, and about us doing our best to be quiet. Sydney is ready for "baby", Connor is ready for Piper Diaper (thank you Shea for the nicknames already) and Connor's new nickname for her Piper Scooper ("like pooper scooper but piper"... oh boy), Bella is ready to be a mama to her daughter (she keeps telling me Piper is her daughter and she's going to be a great mama and I can help). It is kind of all adorable and makes the anticipation grow and grow.

Wish me luck, she is on her way soon! Or at least that is what everyone tells me.