Inducing Secrets

Here is what I have tried to induce labor naturally:

Chiropractic adjustments--3 times a week!
Accupuncture on the points that are supposed to induce labor
Acupressure throughout the day on LI4--for the past 2 weeks
Stripping of my adductors--TWICE--O.U.C.H. My legs are bruised!
WALKING--approximately 3 miles at the MOA yesterday
Sex.
Spicy foods--on multiple occasions (This seems more widely accepted, as opposed to eating eggplant.)
Nipple stimulation with my breastpump
Stripping of membranes by my doctor THREE times
Vigorously cleaning my house, many times

Does anybody have any secrets? I really want to go into labor on my own before Sunday.....

Chiropractic Voo-Doo

Today I had one of my colleagues that specializes in a chiropractic techinque that utilizes muscle testing assess my current situation. He performed muscles tests in which he asked my body questions, and then elicited a response through contraction of my triceps muscle. These were his results:

Baby girl
Will be born on Sunday, March 2 between 6 am and noon
Will weigh between 7.5-8 lbs

I will just say that while not everyone "holds stock" in this technique, he performed this when I was pregnant with Emma, and was right on with most of the categories!

Only time will tell.....

41 Week Appointment

Not much has changed since my appt last week.....
BP: 126/80
Weight gain: 1 pound this past week
Fundal height: 36 cm--baby dropped even more!
Heart rate: 140 bpm
Cervix: Still 2-3 cm and about 50% effaced
Membranes were stripped, and we are waiting impatiently!

Plan: Induction on Sunday (my dad's birthday!), IF no baby before then!

Looks like this may be a March baby afterall!

{HUGS} for Baby E!

Sisterly love!

PAST DUE!

Due date photo, after baby dropped!

Ready!

The carseat.....and Emma.....are ready for "Baby E!"

Week 40 Appointment

BP: 120/76
Weight gain: 1 lb this week--21 total
Cervix: 2-3 cm dialated, 40% effaced
Heart rate: 150 bpm
Fundal height: 38 weeks, meaning the baby has dropped even more!
Membranes were stripped excessively, acupucnture was performed last night to induce labor. Spine is in line!

Induction will take place next week if nothing occurs before then.....

Daddy's prediction: Baby will come tonight or tomorrow.
Mommy's prediction: It is going to take pitocin and breaking of water to get this baby out!

Currently: Moderate cramping post-membrane stripping, with intermittent contractions.

5 days.....or more?

I have 5 days until my due date, which means it could be today, or 19 days from now. I am getting a little frantic, as I thought I would have had the baby by now, and I am scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C. and present in front of thousands in 3 weeks. You do the math.

It was not so great coming to work this morning. We had yesterday off as it was Preseident's Day, so most of my patients and colleagues fully expected for me to not make it over the long weekend. Well, I did.

Yes, I am still here. No, I did not have the baby. Yes, I will keep working until I deliver, even though, yes, I am waddling a bit more. Yes, it is getting really hard to adjust people, but yes, I can still do it. No, my water will not break on you.

And yes, it will come when it is ready, AND NOT UNTIL!

Waiting Game.....

Today marks the entrance into my 40th week of pregnancy. I am filled with emotions. It has gone so fast, and God has truly blessed us along the way. The tough part: WAITING. Don't get me wrong--I am not miserable, too uncomfortable or crabby, but it is so hard to sit and.....WAIT. At this point, you can't plan more than one-half day in advance. I am trying to enjoy my last days, and savor some time with Emma, but this whole waiting gig is truly a tough time.

Oh My Yummy Stars.

I LOVE Mountain Dew. I know, it's bad, but I LOVE it. Yes, Mountain Dew is contraindicated during pregnancy because it is loaded with sugar and caffeine. Yes, drinking the diet version helps with sugar content and calories, but still provides that jolt that every sleepy Mommy needs, and the fake sugars that will someday be outlawed by the FDA. I have done very well this pregnancy not delighting in the so-called addiction. Every once in awhile, I will ingest a bit of caffeine, or perhaps a diet soda, but overall, I miss it terribly.

Emma and I were strolling through Rainbow Fresh today, and I noticed that Pepsi products were on sale (if $3.99 is still considered a sale). I picked up Josh's fave, Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi, and stared at the green box staring back at me. Maybe in a year-and-a-half when I am done breastfeeding Peanut #2 I can enjoy this pure delight again.....

Now perhaps you follow Erin's blog. She found a compromise to her all-time favorite Coca-Cola---Caffeine-Free Coke. But the thought never crossed my mind.....until it stared back at me today. Caffeine-Free Mountain Dew. YUM-O. It tastes just like the real stuff. What will they think of next?

I gotta run, there is one chilling in the freezer as we speak!

Pregnancy Photos!

Here are some photos at 39 weeks! It is so hard to believe that it could be any day now!

Week 39 Appointment

I had my 39-week check-up this morning. Things are progressing nicely! I have had several contractions each day since this weekend, so it was no surprise that I am now dialted to 2-3 cm. I am approximately 40% effaced, and was told that the head is "ready to go." (Station -1-0???) My BP was 136/76, and I have held steady at my current weight for the last 2 weeks. Doctor still says it could be any day.....well, duh! :)

I am still quite comfortable. Clumsy for sure, but feeling pretty darn great. The heartburn is ridiculous, but to be expected. I pee at least every hour, am sleeping pretty decent, and seem to have everything ready to go! I am content to keep dialating at this rate, and keep telling myself the more I do at home, the less I have to do in the hospital! I am certainly not wishing to go into labor yet, but am ready when the timing is right!

Names

As of today, February 11, 2008, Josh and I have decided on the names for our little Peanut, whether it be boy or girl. Good thing, because I have had several contractions the last 2 days. There is definitely some "action" going on down there! And now when baby arrives, it won't have to be called it!!!

38-Week Appointment

I had my 38-Weeker this week. Things are progressing right along! My BP was perfect at 126/76, I had lost a pound since my last visit (stress) to make my total weight gain 20 pounds. My cervix is dialated to 1 cm, is 30% effaced, and the baby's head is at station -2. The heart rate is consistently 150, and I measured 37 1/2 weeks! All in all, a great visit. I am told it could be any day.....

I am feeling really good, with minor aches and pains, and appreciate a good night's sleep. The heartburn is getting a bit ridiculous, but the end is definitely in sight!

Thanks for all of your support, blog friends!

38 Weeks. Long time.....No Blog. My Bad.

It has been a long time since I have updated my blog. Many reasons come to mind, but the best of which is we have been frantically preparing for our arrival. I am now 38 weeks along, which in my mind means I have about 4 weeks (Emma came late) until Peanut arrives, but as many of my prego friends and Dr. have pointed out, IT.COULD.BE.ANY.DAY.

I will start with Sarah--a fellow Pregnant Posse Member. Yeah, she and I were supposed to be roommates at Woodwinds, considering our due dates were a mere 4 days apart. Well, she decided to have her baby last Friday. CONGRATULATIONS Aaron and Sarah, and Welcome, Natalie Ann. We are so happy to be a part of your life. However, this realization, along with 2 other friends that were due right around the time that I am due had their babies this weekend too, leaves me feeling PANICed.

So, that is what we have been doing--frantically preparing for our arrival. I am still not ready, but if it happened today, I would be okay with it! I am finding how much more complicated it is having another babe at home. Thankfully, our wonderful Nanny, Naomi, is ready at moment's notice to come sweep up our precious Cupcake, and take care of her until Gma and Gpa Ruckman arrive from Milwaukee. We located the car seat this weekend, made a final Target run, emptied the camera of pictures from Emma's 2nd birthday to make room for birth-day, semi-packed a bag for Momma at the hospital, bought tiny diapers, some nursing bras, rearranged the furniture to get Emma into a big girl bed and the crib and changing table in our room, etc., etc. We are semi-ready.

But did I mention that we are so excited to see what gender of baby God has decided to bless us with? I have lost all sense of whether it is a boy or girl. I thought all along boy, but had my one and only dream last week about the sex, and it was a girl! I am just so excited to meet the little bundle..... And in GOD'S TIME, we will do just that!