Baby Update

For some reason I really thought this little guy would come early. He still has 2 1/2 weeks to make that happen, but I was worried he'd come really early. (Starting Braxton Hicks at 16 weeks will do that, I guess. That and feeling SO huge by 34 weeks. For some reason, I feel more comfortable now than I did a few weeks ago- maybe because he's moved down a bit?) I'm very happy to have made it to 37 1/2 weeks, and now I'm really hoping to make it past Brett's birthday tomorrow and Ember's birthday on Monday. THEN he can come (since I have so much control over it...NOT!). 

At my 36 week appointment I was at 1 cm, and the midwife said things were pretty soft (and 50% effaced) and that I'd go fast once I got started. Sounds good to me! Then I was exactly the same at my 37 week appointment but the baby's head was farther down (she could feel it),  

We find out more on Monday! 

I found out that I'm Group B Strep positive this time around, so I'll need to be on at least an hour of antibiotics before he's born. They prefer for me to be on them for 4 hours before. I was telling my great friend (and 8 year walking partner) this, and I said, "They want me in the hospital for 4 hours before he's born?!?! That's crazy!" She laughed at me and told me I'm definitely spoiled and 4 hours is a totally normal amount of time to labor in the hospital. But Brett is really worried about getting to the hospital at all this time around since Aaron came so fast. 

My main concern (other than not loving laboring in the hospital) is knowing when I'm actually in real labor. At the adult session of stake conference on Saturday I looked at the clock every time I felt a contraction (because I was actually sitting still and could for once). They came every 5-10 minutes for over an hour (which was as long as I timed them). That's the definition of early labor! However they didn't grow in intensity, so I'm hoping I'll recognize the growing intensity before I'm in transition. :) Gratefully Brett now works 5 minutes away instead of 45 minutes away and we get to deliver at the hospital that's 3 minutes away instead of 15 minutes. I figure that buys us an extra hour of hospital time even if I wait as long as I did when I was in labor with Aaron (which I've promised I won't). 

Here's hoping everything goes smoothly, and I'm not setting myself up for a super long labor in the hospital. A happy medium would be nice...