Head down and ready for the off

Oops, it's been a while. Like, five weeks, I suppose, since I'm 36 now, and officially 8 months pregnant. There were a few days back there when people were leading me to believe I wouldn't get this far, because I was having cramps and they sent me to the hospital and gave me an IV and put me on a monitor and said "Hmm, yes, you're having contractions", and officially what I was admitted for was "Pre-term labour"; but after a few hours they relented, gave me a jab, and let me go home. Mostly I was stressed because poor B. was back at work, from where I was meant to pick him up after my appointment because he hadn't cycled that day. So he had to get a taxi home. At no point did I really think I was about to drop a sprog.

The cramps continued on and off, and still do, but I'm flooding my system with water and they're much weaker these days. All in all I'm more comfortable than I was a few weeks ago, and sleeping better too, which is great. Every time something happens I think "This is it, now, it'll be this way till the end of the pregnancy", but then it wears off, and things are better again. I like that about it.

The good thing about that day was that I got to lie in a hospital bed in the labour and delivery area and find out what it's like to be hooked up to all the stuff. Which let me to understand that I really don't want an IV or continous monitoring while I"m in labour if I can help it, since it really does feel restrictive. It's all very well to say that you can move about because the IV's on wheels, but that just doesn't cut it. Also, I got felt up in the lady parts by three different people in quick succession, and am now officially without shame. And my lovely midwife ascertained that the baby was not only head down, but actually engaged, and my cervix was 50% effaced. And she said "Well, this baby's not going to be late, anyway."

Since that was two weeks ago now, who knows what's going on with my cervix at this stage. But the baby's still head down, because the doctor I saw this week, who didn't want to do a pelvic for whatever reason, ordered a sonogram to make sure the baby was where it's meant to be, which of course it was. So we got a couple more headshots for free.

Next week they'll do all the cultures and whatnot that they need to do, and then I'll be free to go into labour when ever I choose.

But not until the hurricane plan is written, some would say.