“About to pop…”

Today marks 38 weeks, 2 weeks before my official due date of May 12.  It’s also only 6 days before the potential earlier due date of May 4 but who’s counting?

Me.

The back pain has reached nearly intolerable levels, the heartburn is a constant companion, my shin feels broken in half, and if this baby drops any lower, my hoo-hah will be between my knees.

I kept all these complaints to myself when we went to the midwife today.  I’m sure they hear it all the time and there’s not much they can say or do.  Unless there’s a medical reason to warrant it, induction or C-section just isn’t happening for me.  So far, I have a fantastically healthy, normal pregnancy.

Which, in the grand scheme of things, is exactly where I want to be.

Today was the first day they check dilation, cervix thickness, etc.  For those of you who don’t know, cliff’s notes:

Dilation is measured in centimeters from 0-10.  0 means the cervix isn’t open yet for the baby to pass through.  10 means it’s all the way open and it’s time to start pushing Junior out.

Effacement is how thick the cervix opening is where the baby will pass through.  The higher the percentage, the thinner it is and the closer it is to pushing time.

Most first timers don’t have much, if any, dilation or effacement at this time or so I’ve heard.

I am 2-3 centimeters dilated, my cervix is thin, she could feel the baby’s head and she described my amniotic sack as “ready to pop.”  She even went as far as to say there’s a very good chance I could go into labor before the end of the week.

Before the end of the week.

Now, I’m trying really hard to not get my hopes up and stay focused on that May 12 due date they originally gave me.  Granted, I’m failing miserably.  I just want to meet her so bad and I want to start having my own body back.  I’d like to be able to get in and out of bed without having to come up with a proper leverage and rolling game plan.

Seriously.

Mostly though, I’m ready for her.  I’m ready to hold her, smell her, touch her, hear her, see her, everything.

So, this is probably my last post before the big day (unless she doesn’t come before my anniversary this Sunday in which case, there will be one more at least) but, never fear, I will do what I can from the hospital be it Twitter, Facebook or here.  My phone connects to all of them and Stephen will have his laptop.

Almost.
Done.