40 Weeks Pregnant

Yesterday was my due date, and I've got very mixed emotions. On the one hand, making it to the due date (or even going past) means that I've been lucky enough to have a full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy. After years of reading the Spohr family's blog and learning about prematurity and NICU experiences, I know that making it to 40 weeks is not something to take for granted. We have had such an easy time of it, compared with a lot of people--no morning sickness, no gestational diabetes, no pre-eclampsia, etc. I'm very thankful for that!

On the other hand, my gratitude for a full-term pregnancy does not mean that I'm not impatient to be done. For the past week or so, I've been a mess--mood swings, crying, getting annoyed at silly little things, etc. Richard keeps telling me that I'm "doing so well," and people are still telling me that look well & 'blooming', and I'm glad it looks that way to others, because on the inside, I'm definitely having a hard time keeping it together. I just want to finally meet our baby--see what it looks like, try breastfeeding, read it all of these board books we've been picking up, dress it in the clothes we've been buying, stop referring to it as 'it,' etc. 

The statistics on due dates show that they're not very accurate predictions--only 5% of babies are born on their due dates, and 40-50% of first time moms go past their due date. Natural childbirth advocates like Ina May Gaskin are against the idea of babies being 'overdue,' even after 42 weeks (as long as baby is not in distress and placenta is still working, obviously), and even my midwife said today that they really do try to think of it as a 'due month' rather than a 'due date', because 2 weeks either way is completely normal and healthy. Inductions have plenty of risks, and they need to be weighed against the risks of going past term. If I go past 41 weeks, I'm willing to be induced at the midwife-recommended time--for my emotional well-being, as well as avoiding the potential risks of going past 42 weeks.

At today's midwife appointment, everything still looked ok. They weren't able to do a 'stretch and sweep', but apparently that's common at this stage for first pregnancies. Baby's head is well engaged, though, so that's great news. He/she is very long, though, according to the midwife. My next midwife appointment is scheduled for next Wednesday at 41 weeks and 1 day--let's hope that baby comes this week and I don't make it to that one!