37 Weeks and Counting

We've reached the full-term mark this week! Last week we really thought that we were going to meet Charlotte after having multiple days of 5-10 minute apart contractions that lasted for 8 hour stretches. But no... this baby apparently is not only stubborn but has a flair for the dramatic as well! At the doctor appointment today I found out that I'm 4-5 cm dilated. Hooray for at least a little progress! Her heartbeat measured 152 bpm and she had hiccups during the whole exam. I'm also more than 80% effaced and she's moved to station 1+ meaning she's dropped pretty darn low in my pelvis. It's hard to pull my shirts all the way over my belly now that she's so low! I had no clue what station 1+ meant so for all of you who also aren't familiar with some of the baby labor lingo...

"Progress in labor is assessed by means of several parameters, namely cervical consistency (soft to firm), cervical effacement (shortening), cervical position (posterior, anterior, or mid), cervical dilatation (0 to 10 cm) and station (-4 which is just coming into the pelvis to +4 station which is ready to be born). When the top of the fetal head (or other presenting part as in a breech presentation), arrives at the level of the ischial spines, the baby is said to be at 0 station or "engaged.” Primigravidas (women having their first baby) typically engage before labor and may enter labor at -1, 0 or even +1 station."

So all in all... things are moving along! As much as both of us have loved every minute of our pregnancy and have had the best time being surprised and excited by each new stage of the baby's development, now that early labor has begun, life isn't too comfortable. Thomas has been awesome at keeping me positive and encouraging me to continue to enjoy the last few days of pregnancy. As frustrated as I was last week, I know that without his positive perspective I would have gone completely bananas. This week I've been much less discouraged and we've been enjoying our last few days of 'family of two' time by going to the movie theater, eating out and running other miscellaneous errands that might be tough in the first few weeks after she's born. Thomas has bet that she'll be born on the 20th so wish us luck!