40 Weeks

Here is my 40 week email:
You're in the home stretch. Congrats! Your due date is here, but is your baby? Keep yourself busy in the last few days. Your due date arrives during the 40th week of pregnancy, but it might come and go without fanfare. Changes in your baby's body prior to birth include:
• A surge of hormones in your baby's body might play a part in initiating labor.
• Your baby weighs between 7 and 8 pounds and measures between 18 and 20-1/2 inches long, from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. More or less is OK.

Well, due date is here, and no baby boy yet. I am excited to meet him, but enjoying the last few days/hours before all the excitement begins. I know that God has had a birthday picked out for our little one even before there was time. So am trying not to be anxious about it, and just enjoy the moments of this special time in our lives. I am feeling well, except for some rib pain on my right side. I think that he is a little confused and thinks that the way out is through my ribs. The nursery is done except for some curtains, and everything else is pretty much ready for his arrival as well.

I had an appointment last Monday and had a non stress test (NST). Baby looked great, but it just took them longer to get the reaction out of him that they wanted. He was moving all around, but wouldn't get excited and raise his heart rate. He must be calm like his dad, and I do have a feeling that he is on his own time. I go back next Monday for my next appointment and they will do a Biophysical profile. (BPP) This consists of an ultrasound to look at his overall movements, breathing movements (movement of his chest muscles and diaphragm), and muscle tone (whether he opens and closes his hand or extends and then flexes his limbs), as well as the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds him (this is important because it's a reflection of how well the placenta is supporting the baby). After the BPP, I'll see my doctor, and as long as it looks good I will wait until Thursday, 12/16/10 to be induced.

Here is a pic from last Sunday---39 weeks, and some odd days--not the best picture ever


and a picture of me headed to work on my due date, still wearing my pre-pregnancy scrubs!