1st Day Over My Date...I'm Feeling The Pressure...

Hello everyone!

I so enjoyed hearing your comments today. I agree, I think this baby IS calling the shots and this boy could be a man of leisure, SunshinegMeg.

However, what's so funny about all of this is that I'm only one day over my due date, but, gosh, every day feels like it's reeling by in slow motion or something so it feels like he IS taking his time coming out when in reality...it's only been one whole day past the due date. Ha, Ha!

But there is a very good reason for why I titled this post having to do with pressure. Folks, the time may be very near.

I'm trying to decide how much to tell all of you. I've already shared with you a little about losing some of my mucus plug. Well....and I really don't want to gross out anyone...so let's just say a little more than than that has been happening today. But I called the midwife and she said everything was all right as long as it doesn't look like I'm leaking amniotic fluid or any kind of "flow" is coming out that I would need a pad for. Sometimes when the midwife checks to see if you're dilated (like she did yesterday), it can cause some things to happen. Sorry I'm being so mysterious. I'm trying to not gross anyone out.

But the thing that has really gotten my attention today is that I think the baby had dropped lower into my pelvis. There is just more pressure on my bladder. When the baby moves, I feel pressure and the contractions feel different...lower...and much, much more painful.

They actually feel like labor pains. They actually make me wince. They make me want to stop what I'm doing...try to relax...and breath carefully. However, they only happen two to four times an hour and they don't last too long. But they hurt.

For those who don't know, it's not until they last about a minute and are about five minutes apart before I start thinking about going to the hospital.

In fact, it's uncomfortable enough...Dawne, that I don't want to go to the gym tonight. I am skipping the gym. Though, I probably should go because they aren't happening that often. Right? I went last night and felt fine. Great in fact.

I called my husband before he left work and told him to make sure he had his "I'll be gone" messages in place. I called my mom to put her on standby. But at the rate things are happening now...he may end up going to work tomorrow anyway. Or...I may be getting woken in the middle of the night.

I simply don't know. But I do know that my contractions are no longer subtle or mild. They actually hurt, which is why I have to guess that it may not be much longer. I just have never had it where this thing has dragged out like it has with this one.

If I don't blog by between 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow night, you all might safely assume that the baby has come. We usually stay at the hospital for a few days.

If things happen tomorrow, this will be a "Happy Thursday" baby and our eight-year-old son will be very happy to "win" his guess. He reminded me that he guessed it'd come at 4:30 p.m. on the 4th.

What's interesting is that a part of me would like for this baby to wait till the weekend like all the other babies have. I've never had a baby in the middle of the week before. Then, my husband can finish up his work week, the homeschooling week will be done...but I also understand that the fact that all have come on the weekend is actually probably very unusual, and ultimately, I don't control that.

Also, wanted to share with you some numbers I put together where I took the birth dates of our five children, compared them to their due dates and averaged out when they were born. Comparatively, the numbers are -3, 0, +2, +4, +14...These numbers mean that one was born three days before the due date, one on the due date, one two days past the due date, four days past the due date and 14 days past the due date. So, you add these numbers together and divide by five and that puts the average at +3.4 days past the due date. So, if you go on that average, this baby could be born half way through this Saturday or three-and-a-half days past my due date of November 2.

Wasn't that fun?

See what kind of constructive things I think about? Mathematical speculations on the date of the baby's birth.

Well, since I'm here at the library, maybe I'll check out a good book. ha, ha!

I hope you all have a Happy Thursday tomorrow!

Sincerely,
Sunshine Mama