I’m definitely one of those mommies that gets over pregnancy at the end and will do (almost) ANYTHING to get baby out! Part of my desire has to do with being huge and uncomfortable but there is also part of me that is just so excited to meet my little one. Plus I prefer all-natural, intervention free births so getting things started on my own is a big deal in ensuring the birth I desire.
With my first, I didn’t start hardcore trying to get labor started until I passed my due date and the “induction” word start floating around. While my midwives were in no hurry, I didn’t want to take chances and the constant phone calls from my mommy were maddening. (Unfortunately, my attempts at self induction failed and I ended up at the hospital at 41 weeks + 2 days hooked up to a Pitocin pump, my story here).
With my second, we were living in Dublin, Ireland but I chose to come back to Florida to give birth. At 35 1/2 weeks we hopped a plane to London for the weekend. At 36 weeks, my eldest and I flew solo to Denver to see my family. At 37 1/2 weeks we flew solo, again, to Florida. Hubby arrived at 38 1/2 weeks (I was convinced baby would arrive after my due date again) and that is when I began trying to induce labor. She was born at 39 weeks on the dot.
With my third, I started precisely at 37 weeks. He was huge and I was uncomfortable and I wanted him out, in my arms and did NOT want to chance anything going wrong and thwarting my first attempt at a homebirth. Unfortunately, all the trying didn’t get me far and it was another 3 weeks before he came (just 1 day before his due date) but I did get the homebirth I desired.
This one has been different, though. I just hit 38 weeks but I haven’t spent the last week trying to get things going. Why? Because:
Plus we discovered shortly after Doodle was born that Hubby and I BOTH were Thursday babies as well! So truthfully, it will be weird if this little one isn’t born on a Thursday (even though s/he will be the only one of 4 born in a different city).
So I feel like I only need to worry about going into labor on Wednesday or Thursday. The rest of the week I can relax, enjoy my kids and get ready for baby (we still have A LOT of unpacking/settling in to do though we are finally prepared for baby’s arrival!) It’s kind of nice not constantly obsessing over when baby will be here. If it doesn’t happen this Thursday, then we’ll just wait until next Thursday. And if it happens in the meantime, that’s cool too!
