There are only so many fat pregnancy/unborn child photos one can post. So here's a pic of one we prepared earlier. Special thanks to my cousin Charlotte for sending me this photo, and also to Alicia Khoo who is a brilliant wedding photographer.
Yay! 36 weeks!
So today was the sizing scan and birth plan day and it was all as good as could be expected. Actually, even better!
The scan showed that we have a baby in there measuring about a week ahead. That's cool. That's pretty consistent with what our Midwife has been measuring via fundal height. The baby's 'weight' (although I know this is probably total bollocks) is around 6lb 5oz - so if it were born now it'd probably be ok. All the bits of the baby are in good working order - even the lungs are 'practice' breathing and the placenta is in a good place for labour. The head is measuring slightly small which is excellent as far as my lady bits are concerned. And I too have a small head, and I've turned out just fine.*
The best (and most random) part about the scan is that the radiologist told us we were having the opposite flavour baby than what we were told last time. She then took it back but we don't know whether it was because she spoke too soon, or just because she freaked out for saying the opposite of what someone else had said. We told her it was perfect, as despite my being so impatient and 'finding out' at the 20 week scan, we will now still kinda get a surprise baby. We have no preference, we don't have gendered clothing - we just want a healthy baby so it's all good.
Then, as it was Etta's day at her Nana and Poppa's, Murray and I went to brunch. It was excellent. Then we played a board game. I won. That was also excellent. Fabulous surprise midweek date-and-baby-planning day.
Then on to see our wonderful Midwife and go through the birth plan.
Basically, provided nothing goes heinously wrong I get to try to have my ideal birthing scenario. So we'll be labouring at home until I deem it necessary to go into hospital. When I arrive at hospital I will have fetal monitoring to check all is well with the baby. Once that's done with and if there's a pool available and if there is no meconium or blood in the waters (if they have broken), I can have another go at water birthing. We'll have subsequent monitoring if anything indicates we need it, otherwise it'll just be 'fun' pool time for me. Fingers crossed the planets align for Plan A!
And if things do go a bit wrong, and I end up having to have another C Section all is not lost. We have made plans for this eventuality too. Thanks to a friend I read up on the 'natural C Section'. Many of the things they suggest here also seem to be regular practice at Waitakere as they were definitely part of what happened when we had Etta. However, there are a few other things from here I have stipulated as wanting if I am allowed - the biggest one for us being having the screen lowered so I can see the baby being born. I didn't know I could potentially do this last time, and it was the only part of the birthing process I at all felt like I 'missed out' on.
And we've stipulated all our other wants and desires. MUCH easier this time around having done it before and reading up on all the 'things'. Most of what we're choosing to do is considered in the realm of 'natural' or 'hippy' - but we've just decided on things that make the most sense to us and statistically provide the best likely outcomes for our child.**
Because the scan showed a very healthy, happy, not-giant-but-smashy baby I am less convinced that I'll go into labour especially early. Because this kid is obviously quite happy partying it up large in my uterus. This is only gutting because from around the seven month mark this pregnancy has been quite painful. By that, I mean being pregnant has me crying in pain most days.
I honestly think some of the Etta smash from the last labour has caused some scarring near my cervix, as every headbutt to the pelvis from this baby is excruciating. And with it being a super active baby, headbutts are a frequent occurrence - particularly at night. Etta's movements were sometimes uncomfortable, but never painful. It's been difficult getting Murray, and anyone else who sees me in this pained state, to believe that nothing is actually wrong - it's just the baby moving and besides taking a bath, or moving my body into a certain position (kneeling on the floor resting my head and arms on the couch - not ideal for entertaining) there is not a lot I can do about it. It impacts most of all on Etta, poor thing. She is coping very well with everything considering. The pain sucks, but hey, that's life.
So like last time I'm hanging in to get to the 37 week mark and then after that I'll be crossing my fingers every day that it'll be 'the day'. My Midwife doesn't think I'll make full term because of my size, the baby's size and my previous history. I hope she's right. I think I'll labour somewhere between 38 and 39 weeks. Only time will tell. All I can say for sure is that if I make it past 39 weeks for your own safety, avoid our house like we have The Plague. And maybe put some beer in the mailbox for Murray. He will need it.
* * * * *
I don't know why I didn't post this when I wrote it on Tuesday - probably cos no photo or something and being an OTT perfectionist. It's also been a very-tired-and-sore week and my brain is not properly braining. Anyhoo, it's now Sunday (very confusing with the whole Easter Weekend extra holidays thing) and I still have my fingers crossed for 37 weeks (only two sleeps to go!) Especially as over the last few days I've been experiencing a whole lot of pre-labour symptoms - a certain one of which has us on a clock of sorts so expecting bubs to turn up sometime in the next week (it could even be two weeks, although after this happened with Etta it was about three days).
So cross your fingers for us for the next 48 hours! I will cross my legs...
* Feel free to argue this point.
** We're not totally out there. We are pro Vitamin K but also pro delayed cord clamping. I wish I had the stomach to eat the placenta because it is totally full of nutrients and a very good idea - but I don't and I know I just can't. And putting it into capsules seems almost counter intuitive to me. So we'll be doing what we did with Etta's and taking it home to bury with a karakia and eventually eat it via whatever fruit grows from the tree planted above instead.
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