Most of the time my due date is pretty close to the date I deliver. I’ve had 2 babies go rather overdue, but there were extenuating circumstances that I firmly believed caused that to happen. That being said, sometime in the next 2ish weeks, this little one should be making his or her appearance!
At my 38 week OB appointment yesterday, I was dilated to a 2. Baby is head down, but floating (as is typical for me – my babies do not engage until further into the labor process). No effacing at this time, but I am starting a regimen of Evening Primrose Oil to help with that. I also need to get on my Red Raspberry Leaf tea which helps to strengthen my uterus. And I am Group B Strep positive for the 3rd time in 9 babies. Boo.
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On the home front, most of the baby stuff is ready, except I can’t find the inside cushion of my Snugabunny. 🙁 I also need to make sure the car seat is ready and in the van, and my hospital bag is packed (good thing I have a list!)
The contractions have definitely picked up. Yesterday alone, I’d say I had 8 or more. My OB gave me a copy of my records just in case I have to go to a closer hospital where they don’t know me and she’s not there to deliver me. That is seriously not something I want to think about, but better safe than not.
Because of the extra contracting, my sciatica is acting up and the heating pad continues to be my friend. I am trying to only do what I need to do and let the rest go, but with all that has taken place in our lives in the past couple of months, there is much that seems to be vying for my time. I also have Christmas and my soon-to-be 14 year old daughter’s birthday to think about. At this point, I’d like to delay Christmas celebrations until baby comes home, but I’m not sure anyone else agrees with me. 😉
So, here we are…2 weeks out. By this time next week, I’ll be in that countdown watch-and-wait phase. It’s an exciting, and somewhat nerve-wracking time, but I am so excited to meet this newest blessing!
Rébecca says
I’ll be 39 weeks on Friday, and I’ve delivered all of my babies betwwen 38 and 39 weeks, so I’m in that waiting phase with you ! I was wondering, how do you take the evening primrose oil ? Have you seen it work in the past ?
Amy says
Rebecca – yes, I believe the EPO really helped last time. I had two back to back overdue pregnancies where labor just would not kick into a regular pattern. With my last baby my normal labor pattern came back. I effaced nicely and my contractions were nice and efficient. I believe it was the combo of the EPO and the RRL. I think I never took more than 2 500mg of the EPO (I know many women take much more in the final week, but I did not). You can take 1 dose orally and 1 vaginally at night (which I think is what I did last time), but you can also just take the doses orally.
Rébecca says
That’s very interesting. I’ve taken RRL tea daily for at least 5-6 months in my past 4 pregnancies, but it did not keep me from having VERY irregular labor patterns for my last 2 (the last one was awful, my labor never really kicked in, lasted 17 hours, 3,5 of those pushing with contractions far apart). I’ve never tried the EPO though. Would you have any research to link to showing its effect on labor pattern ?
Whitney says
I am very thankful that I am not due at or around Christmas. I am however due around the same time as my two youngest childrens’ birthdays. So I have yet to decide on when we will have their birthday celebrations. Maybe on Christmas just to make SURE they get one because I had my fourth baby two days before my third baby’s first birthday but was due three weeks after. :/ we came home on #3’s birthday and never got to have a decent celebration till her 2nd birthday. So I am thinking the day after Christmas or something will be sufficient. Lol.
Charlotte Moore says
Our granddaughter in law is also due Dec.28th. They said they would put her in before CHRISTmas since there is a little problem. What a busy time!!!!! Wish they would wait until 26th since it isn’t dangerous.
Andrea says
This is so exciting! Why do I feel like I will never be 38 weeks??? I have had 2 contractions total. Two. But 33 weeks is a good place to be as well. We are all so excited for you and happy for you and your family! Prayers that God’s perfect plan and His perfect peace belong to you all. And Merry Christmas! Now I am going to look at your list for the hospital bag because that is something I am never very good at packing!
Amy says
Last baby I finally made a list and posted it on my blog so I could find it! lol
Chana says
Dear Amy,
I’m so happy for you that you’re going to meet your new baby soon! . A lot of blessings from Israel =-)
Chana
Nikki says
You are sooo close! 🙂 So excited for you. Hope all goes well for you as you approach delivery day!
Lisa says
Amy, thank you so much for being so real and relate-able. We can always find joy and inspiration in each post. So often, my favorite blogging mommies tend to turn into “look how hard Being a mommy is- isn’t this just so hard?”, or worse yet, “I finally have my life all figured out and if you do what I do, you will finally have a perfect life too!”. It is clear that you love the Lord and you love your husband and family, and your posts reflect that. Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your life. I am so excited and can’t wait to see this sweet little Roberts baby!
Amy says
Aww, thank you, Lisa! From the moment I started writing years ago, I felt the Lord just wanted me to tell about what He was doing in my life and He would take care of the rest. So, that’s what I do. 🙂
Judy says
I was just thinking this morning how stressful it was to move with a 6 mo old baby. Then I thought of you, and I’m not sure if it would be better or worse to move when pregnant! I pray these next few weeks will go well for you and your family. ????
Judy says
Not ???, happy face! Not sure why that happened!
Mrs L says
I will have to check out your list too! We are planning another home birth, but I want a hospital bag packed just in case. (I didn’t even pack one for my last two home births….what was I thinking???? Very fortunate I never had to transfer!)
I am 37 weeks and very ambivalent about getting things ready. Which is ridiculous. Crunch time is here for getting even my home birth kit together and all I can think most days is..’Oh….that can wait till tomorrow. Baby will probably be late anyway.’ (The last two were early). Aaargh!
Hoping for some nesting hormones!
Danielle b says
Good ole sex will help with effacement too. ???? all the yummy hormones the male releases help with that and contractions.
Emily Garrett says
I’m due five days behind you! It’s crazy how quickly this pregnancy has gone for me. Reading your blog today, I realized that you didn’t know the gender, or we readers don’t, at least! I have always thought of your little one as a boy. I’m just so excited that you might have a little girl… it would be so fun following your blog with a little girl about the same age as my little girl!
Ava says
Baby number 3 came right before Christmas last year. We didn’t celebrate Christmas officially until March. But, my oldest was three so it wasn’t too difficult to not make a big deal about when to expect Christmas. This year, that four-year-old keeps asking for #3’s birthday to happen now so that Christmas can come sooner. 🙂