MATERNITY LEAVE: Day 9 (Part 2 - post-Dr's appt.)

Jason, thankfully, drove us into the city for our doctor's appointment. It gave him some more practice getting to the hospital - and during midday around lunch-ish so the streets were nice + bustling.

We were not really sure what to expect from this visit. We knew all we could do is give the latest update from our last doctor's appointment - namely, the spotting after last week's internal, the loss of the mucus plug, nauseousness, lost another pound or 2 (Wooo!), and, of course, last night's episode - all just signs of prelabor. He promptly checked my dilation (which this time had me moan/yell so much that afterward that three nurses that I have befriended came in at separate times to check on me and life my spirits). Unfortunately, to my/our dismay, nothing has changed. The dilation is only a fingertip and I am only 70% effaced. It was really discouraging - especially since her due date is in five days.

Afterwards we met our doctor in the office and began discussing the dreaded - the possibility of induction. Our hospital's policy is to only induce if overdue by two weeks. After two weeks the amniotic fluid and placenta tend to 'expire'. Anyway, our plan is as follows:

MAY 20 - 2:30 weekly appointment
MAY 22 - 2:00 Non-stress test; amniotic fluid testing
MAY 26 - Walk-in to labor + delivery, Non-stress test; amniotic fluid testing
MAY 28 - 6:30 Induction (if labor has not been administered naturally)

The two appointments with the testing is to make sure all is well inside. Both are non-invasive and should not harm me or the baby; however, in the event something appears abnormal, then we could be checking into the hospital that same day.

I just hope that labor progresses on our terms as a family - from our home and not because there is something wrong from a test or that we are overdue and chances of complication increase (all which require tests and drugs that I really had hoped to avoid). I really enjoyed being in sync with Jason and my body last night and would like to experience the early latent phase of labor at home with just Jason in our bed.

Otherwise, we wait some more + trying to keep our spirits up.