Moving Right Along!

After my appointment on Tuesday, the doctor realized she forgot to do my group b strep test. So, she asked me to come back in on Friday. After she did the test she checked me again for dilation. I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced! Dr. Walker predicted that little Jareth will be here in 10-14 days! She said she would be suprised if I go longer than two weeks. Maybe the October 4th Harvest moon will help things along. I go back to the doctor on Friday the 2nd and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm still progressing. My fear now is getting stuck at 2 cm for the next couple of weeks. I am so ready for him to come!

Things are Starting to Happen!

At my weekly appointment I found out that I am one centimeter dilated! Now, it will still be a little while before Jareth makes his debut. He needs another week or two to gain some weight and to let his lungs mature, but it is exciting to know that things are happening and I am getting closer to seeing his little face. I have been having a ton of BH contractions lately along with some "stabbing" pains down low. The doctor says that these discomforts are helping me dilate and efface so I suppose I will take them. : ) Jareth has been extremely active this week. Either he sleeps when I do or he doesn't sleep at all. He is constantly rolling, kicking, punching, hiccuping and stretching. It is really funny to watch my belly bounce around. Also, he is estimated to be 5 1/2 to 6 lbs right now and will gain about a 1/2 lb per week from here on out. We are so excited!

Ways to Help Induce Labor

At about 36 weeks of pregnancy I have found myself secretly thinking about how to induce labor. Yes, I am at that point where I really want him out. Ive enjoyed pregnancy but geeez it is getting rough. After a lot of discussion with other women and of course the magical world of google, I have found some interesting ways to self start your own labor.

The most popular answer I have gotten is sex. Many moms swear that sex is what brought on their labor pains. Second comes walking. Apparently walking is supposed to help push the baby down onto the cervix causing contractions and dilatation.

Here are some other answers I have gotten:

1. Eating a Labor Cake is supposed to start labor within 48 hours. Its Devil's Food Cake, chocolate chips, chocolate pudding mix, and chocolate frosting. ( I made one because it just sounded awesome)
2. Eating spicy food is supposed to help by not only getting your bowels moving which can cause contractions but also your little one because he can taste the spiciness in the amniotic fluid. However, this can cause angry heartburn.
3. Taking a spoon full of castor oil is the yuckiest way to supposedly bring on labor. It gets your bowels moving in a major way. I wouldn't recommend this, Ive heard of cases of explosive diarrhea and no one, especially not a pregnant woman, wants that.
4. Inserting a primrose oil capsule into the vagina is supposed to soften the cervix causing it to dilate.
5. Eating pineapple is supposed to help, although I'm not sure why.
6. Doing squats opens the pelvis and encourages dilation by stretching out the cervix.

I would be willing to try a few of those, but not all of them. I try my best to stay away from heartburn and diarrhea. Yuck. I guess this baby will come eventually and I just have to be patient. But I am so ready for him to make his appearance.

Belly Measurement, Oh Lord

So, I just measured my tummy. It is 43 inches around. Yes you heard me right, 43 inches. Thats over a yard. Jon's waist is a 32. Mine used to be a 29. I just had to share.

I Don't Feel Like Doing Anything!!

Only five weeks to go and still so much to do! But do I have the energy to do it all? For the last week and a half I have been sick so any energy that I did have, which wasn't much to start with, has been utterly depleted. All I want to do is sleep, eat, and take bubble baths. Okay, maybe I'm just having a rough day. After I get to feeling better I will feel like doing all the things that need to be done, right? Wishful thinking? I still have several more weeks to get the things done that I need to. Maybe if I tackle one chore each day everything will get done on time. Jon is doing a lot around the house. But I hate to let him do everything by himself. He works so hard and I think I have gotten him sick as well. He has been absolutely amazing. I fell asleep the other day on the couch and when I woke up he was doing laundry and the kitchen was spotless. I assume most men would have used that time to watch tv, play on the computer, or what not, but Jon was great and got things done. I'm a lucky woman.
Okay, its naptime now. Maybe I will get around to a couple of chores later. Today's goals: straightening up the bonus room and cleaning our bedroom

Apparently Sleep Doesn't Exist in the Third Trimester

The night before last was, well, ridiculous. Between the lying down at 10:00 pm and Jon leaving at 7:00 am I was able to get a entire two hours of sleep. My stomach feels like it weighs the full 30 lbs that I have gained all on its own, my back hurts, the heartburn is unbearable, and Jareth likes to sleep during the day and exercise all night. The only sleep I got during the night was in the guest room, which has a firmer mattress, for two hours and then the alarm clock went off. After Jon left for work I gave in and took a benedryl allowing me to sleep from about 8:00 to 11:00.
Last night I felt exhausted as soon as I hit the pillow and actually fell asleep fairly quickly. However, I woke up after an hour and a half with a stretching pain in my lower abdomen and my hips were aching (time to grown again!). This time I went straight to the guest room, after a trip to the bathroom of course, and fell right to sleep. I slept through the night. The firmer mattress seems to help I think that I am officially in the guest room now. Sorry Jon, this momma needs her sleep!