Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Yes, I'm still pregnant

I'm not even a week overdue, and I'm overwhelmed by the number of people (in real life and in computer life, thanks to things like facebook) who are shocked that I'm still pregnant. So here's my little public service announcement moment for everyone:

"A 'normal' pregnancy lasts anywhere from 38 to 42 weeks."

I had my first "post due-date" doctor's appointment yesterday. Little did I know that would mean my first-ever non-stress test! The nurse took all my vitals like normal and then had me get on the exam table. I got hooked up to one monitor for Leah's heartrate and another one to keep track of any contractions I might have. I also had to hold a little Jeopardy-buzzer-type-thing and press the button every time I felt her move. Before she turned anything on, the nurse asked if the baby had been active recently. I said it had probably been about an hour, so she gave me a tiny can of orange juice to wake her up. I was skeptical, but WOW did it ever work. In a matter of minutes, she was going bananas. So the nurse left, and I got to listen to the heartbeat, watch the little machine spit the graph paper out, and press my button over and over and over. My doctor (actually, nurse practitioner, but whatever) came in after a while and watched the graph paper with me. She was very pleased with her heartrate and movement ("well, she should just crawl right out of there if she's moving that much!"), but bummed that I wasn't having any contractions. Then she uttered the dreaded word: Induction.

Crap! I don't want to be induced! But she said once we hit 41 weeks (which I'll be on Thursday), then we need to at least set a date. And since the non-stress test is "good" for a week, she thought it would be easier to schedule induction for next Monday rather than another prenatal appointment with the non-stress test. (The truth is that she would have let me come in today to be induced, but she's very sweet about my wanting to avoid it, and Leah looked JUST fine after the test, ruling out any medical need for induction).

After unhooking all of the monitors, she checked me for dilation. I've been about 1 cm for a month or so, and just recently started effacing. She was VERY pleased to find that was closer to 1 1/2 cm and still quite soft and 70% effaced. So pleased, in fact, that she said she was quite certain that I wouldn't need my induction date. I hope she's right.

So now my job is to get this baby out before Monday! It is nice to know that regardless of how or when she comes out, I'll have her by next week at this time! But until then, YES, I am still pregnant. :)

5 comments:

Jenny and Mike said...

Did you have to report on Leah's movements in the form of a question?

Trish said...

haha thanks for the public service announcement! you're funny. enjoy being pregnant until you're done being pregnant... :)

Erin's mom said...

Jenny, that was very quick! Or not. Maybe you thought about that one for awhile before leaving your comment.....in the form of a question. :)

Anonymous said...

Consider this time a test of patience...which I know you to have much of. Hang in there, Momma Erin! You can do it!

amy + ryan said...

Oh, Erin, ENJOY the last few days of feeling her sweet movements INSIDE you! I know you're doing your best. :) I'll be praying for a natural start to your labor!

ok, so, not that I believe in any of these tricks, per se, but I may or may not have had spicy food and sex the night before I went into labor. I'm just sayin'. Also, the night before I went into labor, I may or may not have wanted to punch the woman at the Mexican restaurant who gestured toward my belly and said, "Twins, right?"