Today was my usual weekly doctors appointment. It was kind of funny. She asked if I had any braxton hicks, I said no. She asked if I have had any other contractions, which apparently, I don’t know what that means, but I said no. I said that I have had “menstrual” cramps, but nothing too significant. She said that we might do an ultrasound just to verify head down since it doesn’t sound like I am too far into labor and they will only let me go one week after my due date, so in the next two weeks we will for sure have a baby (HOLY MOLY)! And she said it felt like the baby is head down, but she would do an ultrasound if I wasn't dilated at all. Anyway, she goes to check me and says “WOW!” She said you are at least 4cm dilated and fully effaced. Which is a huge difference from last week (just 80% effaced). She said that she would be surprised if I go the whole weekend without delivering. Scary! She said I could go another week or so, but not likely since the change from last week was so different. I told her I was hoping to hold out until the 14th (my favorite number :) and she said it is more likely to be the 7th. She then told me that I could have a prescription for tylenol with codeine if I was having trouble sleeping because of my cough, but I said no, especially if I am going to go into labor at some point, I don't want my baby drugged up with codeine. She said that she would see me later, likely this weekend. So we shall see! After I came home, we ate and then headed to the gym to workout and then I had a lesson. So, if I go into labor tonight, I will have literally worked out until the day she arrived.
Since leaving the doctors office I can definitely feel the "contractions" that I am getting, which are cramps (no stomach tightening yet). They do come and go and as I told Pedro yesterday when I was having them, I wasn't sure if it was her just moving and hitting a sensitive spot, or if they were more than that. They don't last for long and they come and go. I am trying to pay a little more attention because if I am already 4cm dilated I don't want to be 10cm while we are driving to the hospital! It's kind of like, I want to be at home as long as possible, instead of sitting at the hospital, but I don't want to be home so long that I have her at home! I am assuming at some point they will become unbearable and there will be no choice but to recognize them and start using my contraction timer that I have on my phone. They said once I have them 5 minutes apart for an hour to call the message line and they will tell me what to do (go to the hospital). I figure since Pedro leave for work at about 4am, it will be sometime after that, that I will decide I need to go to the hospital!
When I read in my book it says that once you hit 4cm, you are considered in "Phase 2, Active Labor". Which means that contractions are stronger and do more in less time. It didn't seem like my doctor was too concerned about me knowing or not knowing when to go to the hospital and wasn't thinking I should be in there right now. I have had a few people tell me they were not even 4cm when they went into the hospital and things happened quickly after that and someone else tell me they were not at the doctor until they were almost 8cm. But I have a feeling, with the progression of the "contractions" that I am feeling even now, that it will be a lot sooner rather than later. I am going to go to bed soon, to help slow things down and rest some in case it happens tonight.
Belly Pictures:
Random info:
Days till due date: 7!!
Days pregnant: 273!!
Baby size: Is currently listed as a small watermelon (which looks like my belly!). Still 7-9 lbs and about 20 inches in length.
Interesting fact: Baby's tear ducts do not work until about a month after birth
Strange but true: Baby is now more of a white color than a pink color because of the fat deposits over the blood vessels, so the baby will have a "white" appearance, no matter the final coloration of the skin.
Days till next doctors appt: 6 (or sooner!)
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