Due date eve

So it’s due date eve and we actually have news! Today’s midwife appointment included a cervical check, something we had previously understood they only did when you showed up in labor. I’m not sure if it was because I’m hours away from my due date or because the midwife took pity on us, but in any case, she did one. And lo and behold, I am 3 cm dialated and 80% effaced! I can’t say that the check itself was all that comfortable, but nothing jarring or harsh, just pressure. She said that as she was checking it, it was “melting away” which is another sign that things are progressing. Cupcake’s head was right on my cervix and he was moving it around as she was there.

Strawberry and I are much encouraged by this news. It is reassuring to hear that all the discomfort that I’ve been feeling is amounting to something. Last night was particularly bad, with very broken sleep and a few episodes of cramping and painful contractions. Nothing regular or timable, so still technically “pre-labor”.

Everything else checked out fine at the midwife too. My BP is back to normal, very minimal swelling in my feet and ankles, fundal height, urine, heartbeat, all right on target. We have an appointment for next Tuesday, but we really, really hope that we’ll be there to give birth before then.

Well that’s just swell

To our dismay, it looks like Cupcake is too darn comfortable and not in any hurry to leave. And so we continue to wait. We’ve tried at least 5 or 6 labor-inducing “tricks” to no avail. One of those things is walking. Since this weekend was so beautiful, we took a long walk and then had a picnic lakeside at the park. When we arrived home, Nutella’s ankles and feet were swollen like balloons, and her fingers were also joining in the fun. Concerned, we went to our grocery store which has one of those do-it-yourself-blood-pressure machines. Nutella’s blood pressure (top number only) was elevated about 20 points above what it normally is. Small panic ensued.

We decided to put her on bedrest the rest of the weekend. There was much foot-elevation and laying on her left side. At the suggestion of a friend who dealt with the same situation, and after some research, she began drinking nettle tea to reduce the swelling. After a few cups of the rotton grass tasting tea and several hours of bedrest and massaging the swollenness, the swelling began to go down. We took her blood pressure again the next day and it was 10 points lower. Since it had been borderline the first time we took it, we decided not to contact the midwife since it was now returning to normal. Yesterday and today there is hardly any swelling at all, even after taking another walk last night.

We have a midwife appointment today. We were so hoping we wouldn’t make it to this one. Cupcake, darling, tomorrow is your due date. Don’t you want to meet your mommies?