Overdue

For those of you keeping track at home...yep, still no baby.  We are now 3 days past our due date of September 1st.  But who's counting?

This girl.  I'm counting.

You'd think after 3 pregnancies, all of which have gone over the assigned due date, I would be old hat at this waiting game.  After all, as several folks have reminded me, it's not like it's going to get easier once Baby arrives.  I should just chill out and enjoy this relative calm before the storm.  Right?

Right.  Well, folks, I am here to tell you that I am failing miserably at being patient this time around.  Yep, give me a big fat F for Patience.  I deserve it.

Most of my impatience, of course, is due to my sheer excitement to meet this newest little member of our family.  I can't wait to hold our Baby Boy in my arms, nurse him, name him, love him, introduce him to his brothers...the list goes on and on.  It's so strange to carry around this piece of our family for 10 months without yet knowing his face, his voice, his personality. I cannot wait to begin knowing this child.  I cannot wait.

But there is more.  Although I don't think of myself as a particularly anxious person normally, pregnancy definitely brings up a string of anxieties for me.  At first, of course, it's anxiety about the pregnancy being healthy.  Will it continue or end early in miscarriage which can be so devastating?  Once I am past the first trimester, my anxiety transfers into concern about the growing baby.  Is everything okay?  Is his development on track?  Later in the pregnancy, my anxiety becomes about getting the baby to full term so his organs are fully formed.  Once I reach full term with a baby, I can breathe easier and relax. Baby is fully cooked.

For older mothers, or at least for me, the relaxation doesn't last too long.  You see, there are increased risks for older moms in late pregnancy.  The placenta can deteriorate at a faster rate, and the risk of stillbirth is slightly greater.  Many doctors do not recommend going at all past one's due date once you are AMA or Advanced Maternal Age (yep, I'm an old lady at the ripe age of 39).  My doctors have been a little wishy-washy on the timing of an induction.  I have gotten mixed opinions, depending on which doctor I happen to be seeing at any given appointment.  One discouraged me from going past my due date at all and said that she offered induction at 39 weeks.  Another refused to induce me until I was several days past my due date.  It's enough to make one's head spin.  To be honest, the whole thing has made me a little nervous and a lot ready for this pregnancy to end already in a smooth delivery of a healthy baby.

The good news is that I have been carefully monitored over the past 5 weeks, and everything looks great.  Amniotic fluid is still at a very healthy level, baby's heart rate is strong and his kicks are regular.  My last appointment was Friday, and I was dilated 2 cm.  Baby's head was way down, and his position is great.  I requested an induction date for this coming week if he doesn't come on his own, and I was told that someone will be calling me with a date.  The holiday weekend is throwing a bit of a wrench into things, so I don't expect to hear until Tuesday now about the induction date possibilities.  But hopefully no later than Thursday of this coming week.  Just a few more days.  We can do this!  Right?

I'll keep you posted once we have an induction date...or, even better, a baby!  Thank you to everyone for your check-ins, your thoughts and prayers, and your kind words over these last couple of weeks.  We look forward to sharing happy news soon!  I will close with this recent picture of Deaglan who is obviously not stressing a bit about a missed due date.  I should really take my cues from him, my soon-to-be middle son.  Not a care in the world, this kid, except when he will get another pouch of apple sauce.  Until next time, folks...