37 weeks + 1 day

So I'm full term now!

On Wednesday (10/7), I'd had more mild and inconsistent pressure waves this morning, but nothing in a regular pattern, and no other signs to speak of (no show or anything). It's kind of like how it was with Miss N the week before she was born.

I'm trying really hard to convince myself that I'll end up with a November baby just because I don't want to hit 39 weeks, or 40 weeks, or whatever, and still be pregnant, and be frustrated. But when my body's acting like it is, it's maddening!

My mild, inconsistent contractions like to start about the time I'm ready to go to bed. They woke me up through the night again, but not enough to get me up out of bed. And by morning they're pretty much gone.

I'm not really expecting him to come before Sunday. Brad's step-mom is supposed to be the one caring for Miss N once I go into labor, but she's leaving town this afternoon for Brad's grandfather's funeral on Saturday and won't be back until Saturday night. Just knowing that she's not available to call, even though I have several friends who would take Miss N if I needed them to, is probably enough of a mental stressor to keep Baby Boy baking for another several days at least!

But then when I look back at my blog with Miss N, I wrote this just nine hours before I went into active labor:

Quote:
I don't expect to give birth any time soon - I haven't had any signs of impending labor. Just constant Braxton-Hicks and menstrual-type cramps and some lower back achiness - but that seems to be my norm these days. I just hope that doesn't go on for four more weeks or I may go crazy. I'm tired of crying from frustration and extreme discomfort!!!
SO WHO KNOWS?!?!?!?!?

And today...

I thought I might be holding this baby boy this morning after waking up at 3 am with a pressure wave that increased in intensity (calling it a pressure wave is like someone calling the Atlantic Ocean a mere body of water, btw!) and lasted for a couple of minutes. It reminded me a lot of how my labor with Miss N was - fast & furious, with pressure waves lasting 2-3 minutes and with there being 30 second breaks between them...not at ALL like all of the books said!!!

But the following waves came in weakened intensity, much further apart (8-10 minutes) and not lasting nearly as long, and I went back to sleep in between them. I was actually quite relieved that it wasn't full-blown active labor yet.

I have had a few irregular ones this morning, but I'm not calling them mild any more. They're short, but intense! I really want this kiddo to stay put until Saturday night when Brad's step-mom is back in town to take care of Miss N. But he'll come when he's ready, and if it's between now and tomorrow night, we'll figure something out.

I've had more random pressure waves all morning - nothing in any kind of noticeable pattern and they're not very long, but they're definitely more than just BH ctx. I hope I'm not in for five weeks of prodromal labor!

6:55 pm: Still having random pressure waves, but nothing organized enough to evict the baby! I haven't even messed with the Contraction Master app on my new phone, that's how inconsistent they are right now. I haven't called my doula or midwife, it just doesn't feel like it's time yet.

Brad emptied the birth tub and refilled it, so now the heater is running to get the cold water up to a comfortable temperature.