Where the Wild Things Are
Today is my last official day at work (I'm going in "unofficially" on Friday) (and maybe Monday) (and possibly Tuesday if I have nothing better to do) (note to my office: CHANGE THE LOCKS!) and it's equal parts relieving and wrenching. I wrote about it over at my Work It, Mom blog, which you should check out not only because I told you so but because the site just launched its long-awaited redesign today and the folks in charge there would love your feedback about what you love/hate and what works/doesn't.
In pressing baby news (and I do mean "pressing," as in physically, as in ow), yesterday was my latest doc appointment, and everything seems to be all fine and good as usual (only up another half a pound since last week!) and the doc in charge still says the baby's likely to come early because he's RIGHT THERE. I'm choosing to believe her and let the naysayers fall by the wayside. Step back, naysayers; I have some important things to get done considering my child could arrive AT ANY SECOND! My cervix is ever thinner and now a whole fingertip dilated, and it really is just a hurry-up-and-wait game at this point.
The one thing I was curious about this week was seeing if the doc could give me some specifics about the baby's position and probable size. I'm still hoping to avoid an induction, but I also don't want, in trying to avoid it, to go so far overdue that I have to have an induction, only with the added strain of pushing out a baby that then weighs a full pound more than he would have if I'd just gone with the proposed induction two weeks earlier. The one bit of speculation I can cling to here is that the doc estimates the baby will be around 7.5 lbs., which is just fine by me and, O ye gods, PLEASE let her be right.
As for the position of the baby...well, he seems to be head down, but the whereabouts of his other parts are a bit mysterious. I feel long bones track across my belly from one side to the other, and I get pointy bits jabbing out absolutely everywhere--the result being that I have no idea what he could possibly be doing in there aside from knitting a sweater with sleeves enough for each of his octopus arms. What I do know for sure is that whatever he's doing he does it constantly, which means I'm constantly apologizing for the fact that he is cramped and squished, and also constantly complaining because I'm already so stretched as it is that I really don't appreciate all the extra nudging and shoving.
Judging from where his heartbeat was strongest, the doc guessed that his back was to the right and his "small parts" (e.g., hands, feet) to the left, and we were all content with that answer until she started really feeling around and looking ever more perplexed. "What IS this?" she said, palpating a solid mass where no solid mass should be. "If this is the butt and this is a knee, then...what IS this?" She never did figure it out, but I thought I'd mention the incident here just so you'll be prepared if the baby comes out with two heads. Two heads and eight arms. I always knew we'd find a way to make money of him somehow!
oh god
I would have had a mini freak-out at the "what IS this?" - if only because I feel like doctors should be more sensitive than that
I am choosing to believe that Wombat will be making a post-Thanksgiving dinner appearance and your office will be forced to survive without you :)
I should clarify that she's not insensitive; she just knows we can take a joke. Not that my baby having two heads is a joke but...you know what I mean. We actually have way too much fun at the doctor's office, and after the baby's born I hope we can move beyond weekly internal exams to something less intimate and more social, like hot tub parties after the kid's asleep!
Yes! Knitting a sweater, or equivalent craft-making, is exactly what it feels like when my baby moves around, too, now that he's getting bigger and has less room to negotiate my uterus. I often compare the movement to that of a rotissering chicken (or turkey, seeing as we managed to find one weighing in at 8.5 pounds - not unlike the size of most newborns - CREEPY). He can't quite do kick flips anymore, so instead he just rotates.
Congrats on your last day of work. Mine is in less than a month, and I CANNOT WAIT.
Hi...delurking just to say that when we were pregnant, our midwife recommended spinningbabies.com. It might help you figure you your baby's position. =)
Last day of work! How exciting! I was totally unaware that the position of the baby could be felt like that. Pretty cool.
Hi leah - i have been following your story for some while now - just to say that i had 2 girls at 8.6lbs and a boy at at 9.25lbs within 3 yeas and they all came very fast - so much so that i was sure that they would charge me for another in the supermarket! the worst thing you can do when you start labour is to tense up - if you can relax and go with it it will be quicker and much more rewarding - lots of love honey and best wishes to you, simon and wombat! (bless him - he'll be called that for ever!!)
I have butterflies in my stomach (um, without any mysterious masses) just thinking about all of this!! This is so exciting! It seems like those nine months just absolutely flew by!!
I have butterflies in my stomach (um, without any mysterious masses) just thinking about all of this!! This is so exciting! It seems like those nine months just absolutely flew by!!
Whoops....sorry for the double post....see? Lookit how excited I am!!!!!
The idea of him knitting a sweater in there is hilarious and adorable.