39 week update

This morning I went to the doctor to check on the baby- we will be 39 weeks tomorrow. Everything is looking exactly like it should. Here is the rundown:

2cm dilated

80% effaced

Belly is measuring 39 weeks (right on the money)

I lost 1lb from last week (Most likely due to swelling I experienced last week. It has completely gone down which is great news) +29lbs overall

Doc was able to feel his head- said he is head down and ready to rock-and-roll

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So I have heard so many different schools of thought from women concerning how their doctors approach the final weeks of pregnancy and how they address going past your due date. To each, his own and please don't take offense if you totally disagree with me....this is just my perspective as my first pregnancy comes to an end.

Today I asked my doctor what his beliefs were and why. Dr. Guedon will not induce your first child before the due date if everything is progressing normally…period. He said it’s so important to let your body take its course on your first child so you know what your body needs in order to prepare. It may need more time to grow/stretch/dilate, etc. Not to mention the baby might need those extra days to position and prepare. Not only will this provide you an accurate frame of reference as to how your body works for your next pregnancy but he said many 1st time inductions can lead to c-section due to the body not responding because it's just not ready to have a baby. Not that c-sections are frowned upon but once you get one you need to have the remainder of your babies by c-section. I know c-sections are routine but to me, surgery is surgery and if there is a way to avoid it, I will.

He said inducing in subsequent pregnancies is very common and he's much more flexible in that situation. In our situation (first time baby approaching the due date) he said he will do a stress test the week of the 18^th (3 days post due date) if the baby has not come and at that point we will consider our options (most likely he will induce early that week) but he said as of now we just play by the little guys rules. I told him I really respect him as a doctor for letting mother nature take its course and letting God be God when it would be easy for Doctors these days to play God, especially to keep a complaining woman shushed.

I am sure if I was swollen, miserable, or sick I might not be so accepting of his cautious principles but as a first time mom, I am so grateful for such a quality caregiver.

I will keep you updated as we head into the last week of the pregnancy and please pray for this little guy and his mama if we do go into labor this week. As eager as I am to meet Austin, I am also very nervous about labor and everything to follow. I pray that I will make a good mother and that God will lead me through the sleepless and helpless moments with confidence and patience.