Baby News:
He is still head down! Yay! I had a fetal assessment today before my OBGYN appointment, and baby is very healthy still, plenty of amniotic fluid around him, and he seems to be in the 7-8 lb range (but how accurate are they...). I like the term 60'th percentile better. Of the fetal assessments they do, this baby is around the 60% mark for size (40% of 39 week ultrasound babies are bigger, 60% smaller). So I celebrated and bought some newborn size diapers, since we won't need preemie ones likely!!
(Actually, all of today's grocery purchase made both the cashier and the lady infront of me chuckle. see for yourself!)
Josiah News:
Josiah had a very exciting weekend with grandma and grandpa at the lake! It was a trial-run for when baby comes. I hate to say it but I don't think he missed us at all! (Though he was excited to see us on Sunday).
It was a good practice run for us as well, since we are now aware of what the adjustment home would be like (without a new baby), when he spends several days with his doting loving grandparents! It's nice to know ahead of time that the tantrums won't all be rivalry related, but also just normal adjusting from a fun time with the grand's, different rules, and coming back to less pampering. Still, I am not looking forward to what will inevitably be his little broken heart at having to share mommy. His love language is physical touch, which will be easier (than quality time) to fulfill, but also more difficult for him, as he watches how much touching the new baby requires from mommy.
Despite this, (and as a relief) Josiah seems to be getting more independent too. I believe I have heard the phrase "yayah do it" a couple times even... very exciting! This is the stage where I am constantly reminding myself to NOT step in and help him unless he has asked for help, or agrees to it. Gotta let my boy do his trial and error! Gotta let him stumble and get frustrated and actually figure things out on his own right? Sigh! Easier in theory than real life, but I am making a solid effort!
I am definitely getting more maternal with him, and despite how little I am sure he understands about the baby coming home, he definitely knows something is up. He's been far more cuddly lately than in the past! I think he knows there's a change on the horizon.
He has also been loving all the different construction action at home, and has also become a little flirt with other kids at the Hespeler park! He is figuring out how to interact in different social situations, like when strangers come to our house, or when people acknowledge him at the grocery store etc.. It is fun to watch his little brain tick.
Curtis News:
Things have been painted! Painters came today and our basement looks almost like a home!
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| basement bathroom (blue) |
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| basement office (curtis's office) |
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| basement main area |
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| Basement laundry room (yellow) |
Curtis spent most of the long weekend working on the outside of our house, installing some pretty wood thingys on the ceiling of our front deck/porch (whatever you want to call it)
And getting some of the white trim up around the windows and posts in the front, so that the dark blue/grey siding we chose can go up next!
Well I've been upping my raspberry leaf tea intake! That is nasty tasting stuff that's supposed to strengthen the uterus by causing some contractions and hopefully will result in bringing on labor.
The difference is that I let it steep for hours.
Probably a good 3 hrs for this batch (covered) and then I ring out the tea bags, stick them in my pitcher, and strain this brew into the pitcher to cool in the fridge. So the bags keep steeping. Then when I make my morning smoothies, I also pull one of the steeped bags out of my iced tea, open it up and blend in the remaining grinds.... Not bad eh? I'll get my money's worth out of them over-priced tea bags!!
Some of the other natural methods of inducing labor such as evening primrose oil, cannot be used with VBAC since they soften all scar tissue, not just the cervix. This can be potentially dangerous in previous c-section related natural births, since it can theoretically weaken the c-section scar. And actually my Obgyn says that in some cases that this oil has actually slowed labor... Which I don't want at this point!
This is also the reason I am praying against induction (regarding my limited list of labor-inducers)! Most inductions begin gently with a couple different products used to soften and dialate the cirvix, such as a gel, or the cervadels I had last time. But because these medical things also soften all scar tissue, they cannot be used in VBACs. This means if I go in for induction, it's straight to the infamous "drip".
The drip is an IV medication that forces contractions. The reason it is so dreaded, is that unlike natural labor, once you get farther along on the medication, there are no breaks between contractions. This makes it extremely difficult to bear... And I am not sure how I feel about an epidural since I would want to feel if I am hemorrhaging from my c-section, should that occur, and an epidural blocks pain below the belly button.
At my most recent obgyn appointment, my Blood pressure was up to the point where my Dr has prescribed me some lebatolol (a blood pressure med) for the week, in hopes that it'll buy my body enough time to go into labor naturally. If I haven't naturally labored by next week, then it'll be a scheduled induction unfortunately, likely with iv blood pressure meds to keep things stable. My home readings have also been creeping up to the maximum end of the acceptable levels, so the medication is not something I am fighting. Still, it would be nice if my blood pressure would lower itself!!
Please pray that I WONT make it to next week's appointment! Pray that my body will go into labor on its own. Based on my dr's checks (without going into gory detail) my body isn't looking super ready for birth yet... She couldn't even "sweep" (for those who know what that is) at this 39 week appointment. So induction is more likely than natural, unless God steps in. Hence the prayer request! :)
Prayer requests:
- that my body will go into labor naturally this week
-for a smooth, boring delivery, and safety for mom and baby
-that Josiah will adjust well, and my parents/in-laws will not get burnt out by his high energy!
-for all the business/home stuff on Curtis's mind (he's been quite stressed lately by everything that needs to remain at the forefront of his mind at all times, with having several jobs open at once, on top of more contracting type stuff for our house to try and wrap things up, let alone having a baby)
Thanks for reading and praying again this week! Regardless of whether I go into labor or I am induced, regardless of a vbac or C-section, we have made it to at least 39 weeks (tomorrow) and baby is healthy! So (Lord willing) baby will be healthy no matter how he makes his entrance!
Hopefully my next post will have a birth announcement! I have no idea how inductions work when there's blood pressure involved... (If I will have an obgyn appointment and then go immediately to be induced due to BP, or if it'll get scheduled for sometime the following week like it does for others). I might have one more update in between if time allows, so you can all keep us in your prayers as currently as possible! We shall see how God works this week! :)
Wonderful informative post. I always enjoy reading them. Praying for baby to come naturally. Praying you will be able to lay your fears in God's hands and trust Him to carry you. Love you...Mom
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