Happy Due Date to ME! (2)

Today I am officially 40 weeks pregnant! Come out when you're ready, baby, I'm yearning to see you and kiss you and feed you and and hold your sweet little booty in the palm of my hand

I feel very fortunate that both of my pregnancies have made it to the 40 week mark. Even though I get a bit antsy as the EDD approaches and passes (just like anyone would!), I know that my baby will come when she’s ready, and I accept that.

It’s been 35 ½ weeks since I saw that little plus sign in the CVS parking lot. After 10 calendar months of TTC, I was both shocked and elated. I immediately called to schedule an appointment with my OB (Dr. Soper, whom I love). Zach and I spent a few weeks exploring our different birthing options (hospital vs. birth center vs. home). By the time we heard a heartbeat at Dr. Soper’s at 10w 5d, we had officially decided to switch to a CNM (Andrea Dixon, whom I also love!) and plan a birth center birth.

Being a client at the birth center was an awesome experience because I was given control of my pregnancy. I was in charge of testing my OWN urine with the little dip sticks and I got to weigh and record my own weight in the privacy of the bathroom. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but being given that little bit of trust and responsibility was empowering for me.

When I was nearing the end of my 2nd trimester, I had the privilege of attending a home birth, acting as doula for one of our very own IMLMs. Wow – that birth changed me! I loved seeing how hands-off the midwife was. I loved seeing a woman laboring safely in her own home, with no IVs or monitors or things that go “beep.” I loved seeing her, her newborn, her husband and her 2 older children all hanging out in bed together just hours after the birth. It seemed so right, so normal and not at all scary. I was sold!

And so we switched care providers again, to another CNM, Lynda Barton-Kirch, who catches babies at her client’s home. And so began the most interesting part of our journey! We had supplies to buy, closets and rooms to organize, decisions to make, and so much to plan for! We’ve been to 5 different health food stores looking for various supplements and herbs. We’ve filled up an entire dresser with birth supplies in the room we’ve converted into our “birthing suite.” We had the pleasure of hosting our midwife, birth assistant, doula, and friends and family at our house for the official “home visit” around 37 weeks. And now we’ve got a giant birthing tub filled with water upstairs, just waiting for someone to labor and/or birth in it.

In addition, we’ve spent 18 hours in Hypnobabies classes and 30-45 minutes each day “practicing” my relaxation. I’ve been to the chiropractor weekly for the past 2 months. I’ve spent countless hours reading and re-reading (and sometimes re-re-reading). I feel so prepared for this birth, emotionally and mentally. Just waiting for my body to get the memo :)