Full Term - A ticking time bomb!

37 weeks  4/8/12

Here we are ladies and gentlemen, baby boy is officially full term. 

At my appointment last week I got a bit of discouraging news. Baby boy is still measuring big, really big, like 96th percentile big. At 36w3d he was measuring 7lbs 9oz, accounting for error of +/-7oz he is already over 7lbs. For the first time this entire pregnancy my OB seemed skeptical that I will be able to VBAC. Because my previous c-section with Lily was not the result of stalled labor she has been confident all along that I would be able to avoid surgery this time. Due to the baby's measurements she is not thrilled about allowing me to postpone a c-section past 39 weeks. For those of you doing the math, that is two weeks from yesterday. She went so far as to offer to book the surgery for 38 weeks if I wanted to just be done with this whole pregnancy thing. I have to admit, it would definitely be tempting IF every fiber of my being wasn't telling me that a second surgery is not the way to go. We want to have more kids and it is pretty much universal consensus at my practice that 3 c-sections is the absolute limit, and that is under the best case circumstances.  

As of right now there are a few things that we know. First, because I had a c-section they will not use any drugs to induce labor this time. Once I am in active labor they will consider giving me pitocin to move things along if otherwise things are looking good for me and the baby. Second, my OB filed the paperwork for my c-section, I just got the call (literally just this minute) from the booking coordinator at the hospital!

 :::takes several deep breaths:::

I was able to postpone the surgery until the 30th!! Not only does that give me the best chance of going into labor on my own but it is also with the same OBGYN who delivered Lily (he also did the second surgery after my miscarriage last year), which just makes me feel AMAZING. I have total confidence in him and trust that he will take excellent care of me and the baby. We'll see how my OB feels about my decision when I see her on Wednesday (gulp). I have a feeling she isn't going to be too thrilled. 

So we are left with three possible scenarios:

1. I go into labor on my own and successfully deliver the baby before my scheduled c-section date. (If he really is a monster it stands to reason he will want out sooner rather than later...right?) 

2. I go into labor on my own but complications arise (i.e. he is a monster and I physically can't deliver him) and I end up needing a c-section. 

3. I do not go into labor on my own and the baby is delivered via scheduled c-section on April 30th. 

If it is possible to will this baby/my body to cooperate everyone should expect a birth announcement in the next ten days! Unfortunately, I don't think that my will has very much to do with how this will all play out. Once I am in labor I will definitely stick to my guns and hold out as long as is safe for me and the baby, that much I can control. What I can't control is the whole going into labor thing! Let's face it, if there were a sure fire "home remedy" for inducing labor everyone would do it. I am not above trying the old wives tales within reason. But I can tell you right now I am not about to ingest anything intended to "stimulate my digestive system". Yuck. 

So place your bets...date/weight!