Friend worry-me-story #1: I had a friend that went in for her 37 week appointment and they found she was low on amniotic fluid and that the baby was breach and almost coming out- so they sent her right to the hospital for an emergency C-section. It took her completely off guard and she was not excepting it in any way, shape, or form that she would be having her baby that day- but it happened, and now they are doing great and everything is dandy- but the story still makes me feel a little worried, cuz if you hadn't noticed already, I am in my 37 week too!
Friend worry-me-story #2: Another friend told me of the situation with her first born. They went in for a quick check-up to see if it was okay for them to go see family for the thanksgiving break. So the Doc asked if she had been feeling anything as far as contractions, and how she was feeling overall, she reported that everything felt normal and great, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The doc ran a few scans and tests, and came back in the room to report that she was "IN LABOR RIGHT NOW!" and that she was gonna have her baby that DAY! She didn't feel anything beyond the normal aches of being big and pregnant, but she was apparently in labor and due for having a baby. This story makes me worry/wonder cuz I too haven't really felt much different, but maybe I have had contractions and I just don't know it....
Friend/Family worry-me-story #3: Luckily I made it past thanksgiving and was able to see family one last time before the baby comes, but because I was with family I got to hear lots of different situations from my sister's birthing experiences. Some went two weeks early (which if I were to be like them- I would be delivering sometime this week!) and some went two-three weeks late (as nervous as I am about it all, I am really hope it wont go this long!). They always say you can follow similar patterns as your sisters, but because they is such a broad range of differences, it makes me a little nervous to when it will all play out for me!
Overall, I am prob making this a bigger deal than it is, or that it needs to be, cuz I am just good at being like that. But I won't deny that I sure do think about it all A LOT (how could I not, I have never been through something like this before)! But in a more positive note, because I am such a worry wart about things, it makes me do something about it all- and I have officially put together a go-to-hospital get-up. I know in all the millions of pregnancy books and websites they say to have all this ready anyways, but for my sanity's sake, I am glad I got mine together. I have the luggage, baby bag and car seat all ready and set in the car, so that if something comes up and I space out before getting to the car- hopefully I wont forget it cuz it will already be in the car!
I am excited, I really am, even though with all my worry writings I might sound a little freaked out (which I am too, remember this is something I have never experienced before, how could I not be a little ancy about it all), but I am excited. I know every person's story, every person's birthing experience is different and unique to them and their baby- but when it all comes down to it there is always a common element- their lives will never be the same again! And maybe that's the part that makes me the most nervous, this is the very much "unknown" that I am nervous/excited for that will come as a result of the anxious hospital/birthing moments. Once this baby pops out I will have officially entered into the realm of parenthood- never to turn back (not that was planning to turn back).
Being a parent is something so unique, yet so common and universal, and more or less most people will experience it- so if it is so common, why am I making such a big deal about it? I am not sure, other than even though it is so common, it is still something I personally have not ventured into and crossed the threshold into yet. I can look at all these other stories, or look at other families and "think" I know what it will be like because of what I see in others, but no matter how much I see, I really wont know until I have experienced it myself. I know that things will work out and it all will be great no matter how it turns out, but either way it still wracks my brain- and I will be done now blabbering about this, cuz I could prob go on for a long time.
I am excited and when it all happens, and I will be writing about it too!
As with a final note: here are some more picture updates: here's my lovely baby hump:
Anyway, that's all for today (and I will try not to worry so much)...till next time!