35 weeks
4:57 p.m. - 2005-09-21
Doctor appointment today.
Had the first of the now weekly exams, and he confirmed what I've suspected for a week or so. I'm a fingertip dilated, and the baby's head is "way down there," and is definitely the cause of all the pelvic pressure I've been feeling. So, yay! Let's hope things keep progressing in that same way.
I've been having tightening Braxton-Hicks type contractions for the last few days, but after the probing, I had a couple of actual painful ones. They felt a lot like really bad menstrual cramps, and it was weird to suddenly have pains like that again. They subsided after a couple of hours, but I feel pretty confident that I'll be able to handle myself through a lot worse than that--even without medication--when the time comes. No way will I completely rule out the epidural, though. I'm just not that brave. I guess I like knowing that there's a backup plan available.
Two weeks until I'm officially "full-term." They wouldn't try to stop labor if it started now, and there likely wouldn't be any problems at all. I do want her to hang out for another couple of weeks, but after that lots of awkward pregnant sex, spicy foods, shellfish and extra walking will commence.
I'm SO ready for her to be here, and aside from installing the carseat (which we'll do this weekend), everything is in place for her arrival. I even have my bags pretty much packed and ready for the hospital, surprisingly enough.