Just keeping you updated - oh the pressure of it all!

OK so the last thing I need right now is PRESSURE - I'm trying to enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy because you know - it MAY never happen again, by choice or by fate...

I still have lots I want to do, setting up my Ebay further so that I have plenty of stock up for sale to make me money in the first few weeks when I won't have time to run it effectively - and building up this new business idea I'm working on... so I'm enjoying having another 10 days or so till bubby is due...

Having said that - 80% of first-time Mum's DO go over their due date by up to 2 weeks. I am 99% sure bub will come in Feb but that's about the only thing I know for sure - it could be ANY time...

So firstly - I have the (slight) pressure of knowing that Dave has booked in his 2 weeks off starting from the 16th Feb ... he had to do that, but we are both fairly sure that if bubby hasn't come by then he'll be able to keep working and take the 2 weeks from the birth day. Fingers crossed on that one though - his workplace hasn't always been so supportive of time off related to the baby. They wouldn't give him 2 hours off one morning to attend the scan to find out baby's sex - can you believe that??

Anyhow - we're hopeful that seeing as I met his GM at a recent dinner, and we hit it off - and seeing as I actually spoke to the GM about this in passing and he kind of said "Well you want him for 2 weeks from when baby is born, is that right?" and I said "YES!" --- well let's hope that's all good :) Dave is quite adamant about what he wants for once too (usually he puts other's needs first even if it puts him on the back foot, but not this time...), so I'm sure he'll put his foot down.

But regardless --- I know that if I get to the 15th and there is no sign of bubs, I'll be a bit nervous until we get the all clear for Dave to keep working... so that was enough pressure for baby to come on time right there.

BUT NOW - my dear Mother calls me Friday night to inform me that Dad has been given a bonus at work, AND they want him to go to New Zealand for work for 4 or 5 days on the 20th February - AND they are paying for her to go with him!

I said to her "MUM! You're one of my support people! What if I haven't had bubby by then? That's not even a week overdue - that's highly possible, even likely!"

She says "Oh you won't go over, I think you'll have him on the 11th..."

And I say "Well what if I DON'T have him??"

And she gets a bit silent and says in a sort of sad voice "Oh well I suppose I won't go..."

AUGH!!! The pressure of it all!!!

Then I say "Mum, regardless of that.... even if he comes on time or only a few days late - do you REALLY want to leave your first child, the one you've been waiting SO LONG for, within days of his birth?"

And she says "It's only a few DAYS!"

Gawd.... I mean, I want her to go, she loves NZ, has heaps of friends there including her best friend whose daughter is due to have a baby about the same time as me, but it's her second so she will definitely have had it by the time Mum gets there. But really - now I have that in the back of my mind too... she seems so sure I'll have the baby in the next week, and then she'll have a week with him, a few days away - and everyone's happy. And I want that for her!!! But I don't think baby is going to do the CONVENIENT thing and make everyone happy! LOL!

Anyhow I had my midwife appointment on Saturday - it went really well, and we had a great personal chat too which helped us to become closer and get to know each other better. She's happy with my progress, and baby is about 3/5 engaged and has moved down since my last appointment a week ago - progress! Yay! We talked about labour, talked about breastfeeding, talked about my expectations...

And we talked about when I might be due - and she told me that she doesn't like to say things like this but... seeing as Mum is talking about going away ... she wanted to say that she doesn't really think I'm CLOSE to having baby, and I could even be 3 weeks away yet! (that would be 10 days overdue, about the 23rd...) She asked me what I would do if Mum isn't at the birth etc etc...

I told her that I don't NEED Mum there - I feel that I have a good team regardless - and it's not like I feel like she's my main emotional support or anything like that - in fact I have her there 50% for me, but 50% because it's something I want for HER and I just always assumed that my Mum would be there when I gave birth one day.

So anyhow - if Mum can't be there, I won't add anyone else - I don't feel I need it, seeing as I have Dave, my wonderful doula, and two fantastic midwives. That's enough for an independent girl like me who is already saying "I don't want to call anyone till I've been in labour a few hours, so I can centre myself and have some time to just be alone..."

BUT.... then I spoke to Mum yesterday and told her what my midwife said about possibly being 3 weeks away - and she said that she didn't want to miss the birth, and that she better tell Dad not to book for her - that they'll go together over there later on in a month or two at their own expense...

I told her to at least just wait for him to book until my next midwife appointment on Thursday 7th Feb - and that we might have more info then, as I may be getting a cervical check at that stage that will give some indication of how far away I am...

So... needless to say I'm now desperately hoping that things start progressing over the next few days and that baby ends up coming sometime next week! :)

To that end - I have been googling 'natural induction methods' because there are all sorts of ideas, old wives tales and actual medical/naturopathic methods for bringing on labour. I don't just want to go on time, or shortly after, because of the pressures I described above - but also because the longer I go over the more in jeopardy my home birth becomes. If I go too far over there will be talk about going to hospital to be induced which I do NOT want... and let's not go there and give THAT thought too much energy...

So anyway... I have looked into natural induction methods, several of which I have already been doing, but also tried a couple more last night. I have already been taking Raspberry Leaf Tea, in the tea form and the capsule form, for about 4 weeks. This is meant to tone the uterus, helping with labour, shortening labour, and also ripening the cervix (which brings on an earlier labour). I have also - sorry if too much info here! - kept up a fairly regular sex life. I won't go into the details of WHY that helps bring on labour but basically there are components in male sperm - and chemicals released during female orgasm - which help to ripen the cervix and to assist in the beginning of labour.

I've also read that nipple stimulation helps - so I tried that for a while last night. Oh gawd how hilarious - sitting there watching an episode of Heroes and twiddling my thumbs, so to speak! Haha!

Look - it occurs to me here that all this is probably too much for you male type people reading this, and for you ladies who have never been preggie but honestly - one day YOU will be talking about this stuff as if it's the most ordinary thing in the world too, so cut me some slack! :)

We also went to the Motor Show yesterday and we were walking around for nearly the entire 5 hours we were there (it was good fun by the way!) - and apparently walking is a good help as well. So I'll continue to do some of that - even on the treadmill, which I'll have to do today as it's POURING with rain and looks completely set in for the whole day...

And last but not least - I am going to try bouncing on my birth/exercise ball - maybe I should get Dave to take a picture of me doing that haha. But apparently that can help the baby 'move down' :)

So... that's the mission this week - to commit to spending time on those natural induction methods and see if we can make the little man show up before let's say - the 18th? :) That would be good! :)

Will keep you posted on progress... very exciting, isn't it? :) Whoohoo! :)