Tuesday, April 26, 2011

On with the Show!

So here I am at 36 weeks and 5 days... and this baby is all but falling out.  I've experienced basically every possible indication that the onset of labor is imminent:

  • The baby "dropped" around two weeks ago.  Yay I can eat a full meal!  Boo I have to pee every 15 minutes.
  • I have "false labor" contractions where my lower abdomen gets rock hard at regular intervals for hours at a time.  Good practice, I guess??
  • About ten days ago, the OB checked me and I was 3cm dilated and 70% effaced.  I didn't have him check me at my appointment this week because it hurts like a mo-fo to have it done and the only purpose it would serve is to satisfy my curiousity.
  • The OB also said that the baby's head was at 0 station, so he's fully engaged in my pelvis.  This explains the unpleasant lightening-strike shocks I get through my groin/hip/upper thigh area when I'm walking.; It's knocked me down a few times and I'm afraid that it's going to be the "straw-that-broke-the-camel's will to decline an epidural" if it continues through active labor/pushing.
  • A few days ago, I lost my mucus plug (aka "bloody show," though it wasn't so bloody-TMI, I know).  This is supposed to mean that delivery is a week away, max. Ha!
I suppose I shouldn't be complaining yet since I'm still about a month shy of my due date.  The OB assures me that I will not make it to May 20th, but is reluctant to give a more specific timeline.  I bought way too much "newborn" size clothing, so he needs to get out and use them!