90% Effaced, 1 cm Dilated, Station -1
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
We had our 37 week checkup today. I'm having contractions that are 5 minutes apart. Normally, the 20-minute monitoring session only picks up a few irregular contractions, but today they were very regular and baby is responding well. I'm now 90% effaced, still 1 cm dilated, and baby is at station -1. Yippee!! I didn't think I'd see much progress because this week's contractions have been very sporadic compared to the week before. At least they have been stronger and appear to be making progress. The doctor told us (again) that we had a 50% chance of having the baby before our induction date next Tuesday.
Because I'm 90% effaced, she doesn't think it'll be necessary to check into the hospital the night before for the hormone that ripens the cervix. Thank goodness! I would rather spend my last pregnant night on my waterbed than hooked up to monitors on a hospital bed where I surely wouldn't get any sleep.
The plan is to see the doctor on Monday for our last checkup and then go to Labor & Delivery at 7:30 the Tuesday morning where they will hook me up to the IV, start the pitocin, and poke a hole in the water bag. Apparently the rest is up to Mother Nature and some people have the baby by noon, while others don't have it until dinner time or even 10pm.
posted by Avorie @ 7:51 AM,
5 Comments:
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At 8:21 AM,
Isabel said...
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You, my friend, are having a baby.
(so, do the contractions hurt?) -
At 8:33 AM,
Avorie said...
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Surprisingly, the contractions don't hurt at all! It's just tightness and a rise in blood pressure. The doctor seems a little surprised, but said that they must be very mild. I'm sure the pitocin contractions will be another story but the doctor assured me that there are lots of pain management options and I won't have to suffer.
Hubby is just happy that we've made this much progress without pain. Of course he isn't counting all the nausia or uncomfortable evenings. Even so, I think I've had it good.
Have you started having contractions yet? -
At 8:44 AM,
said...
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Whoo-whoo! Congratulations! I hope everything goes as well as it sounds until the little one is out here in the world.
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At 10:42 AM,
Corinne said...
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woo hoo!!!!!!! yay for the progress!!! :) Lil' girl will be here before you know it!!!
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At 10:01 AM,
AnnaBana said...
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Isn't it weird to think that the whole dynamic of your family is going to change? You are actually adding a human being to the world, to your life...that just always throws me.
