38 weeks, 3 days

We're hitting a standstill here in terms of labor progression. I slept really well last night, and didn't really have any contractions, so I feel bittersweet about that. A full night's rest was great. After waking up, I had some back and lower abdominal discomfort off and on for a few hours, but nothing really came of it. Even the long walk I took with Baxter seemed to only generate a few small contractions. However, the baby does feel lower than ever. He's been squirming around and kicking me as if to say, "ha, I'll come when I'm good and ready". Maybe tomorrow will have more progress.

So now it's just the waiting...

38 weeks, 2 days

I feel like I'm getting close. Last night, I had backaches and contractions all through the night. Will said I moaned and groaned all night, but I don't really remember that. He did rub my back when I had trouble falling asleep after waking up. The baby feels very very low, so I think he's dropping into the zone.

I took Baxter on another long walk this afternoon and did some curb walking. Drank 2 cups of the Red Raspberry leaf tea with nettles and black cohosh. I had contractions from 4:30-7ish every 3-20 minutes. They got very strong by the end, but also farther apart. By nine, they'd fizzled out, but my back still hurts. The acid reflux is also killer.

Hopefully, these are signs that I only need to wait a few more days. (Or maybe hours? Hours would be great!) I'm ready to meet this kid.

38 weeks, 1 day

It's the final countdown....

I figured I should keep track of the days leading up for progeny's sake, or at least to allow myself some pretense of progress.

We woke up late today (seeing as it was Saturday) and had lunch at a mexican restaurant. After Will left for work at 3, I took Baxter on a long walk around the upcoming 'burbs being built behind our street. Sadly, that did not cause any contractions, but I did come home with a side stitch. Around 6 or so, I had a couple of contractions about 15 minutes apart, along with more crampy feelings for half an hour. I also had lower back pain for a few hours. I'm hoping something is going on with the kid--maybe he'll visit the outside world soon.

The Meaning of Life

As I approach birth, I look on this video from Monty Python with fondness. Oh, maternity care decades ago...

And now for something completely different!

Or maybe not? Earlier this week, the Today Show aired a cesarean section live on national television. The reason given by the performing surgeon was macrosomia (aka big baby). Now, I am not one to criticize anyone's birth choices, as mine are pretty far outside the norm (for the US, at least) and I won't criticize hers. I will, however, express doubts in the wisdom of a surgeon who works at a hospital with a 42% cesarean rate. (The World Health Organization states that no region of the world is justified in having a cesarean rate over 10-15%.)

I find it hard to believe that women in the United have truly had time in the last few decades to evolve "too small" pelvises to deliver "too big" babies. True cephalopelvic disproportion is not able to be diagnosed before a woman labors. (See ICAN's explanation of Absolute vs. Relative CPD.)

Here are some responses around the internet birth community:

Amy Romano at Science and Sensibility commented to the CEO of the performing hospital.

ICAN's response to NBC.