Friday, May 30, 2008

Engaged and palpable

Last night's dinner was lovely. My two girlfriends gave me lots of tips on birth and life with a newborn. And I cooked so much chilli that I had more than enough to freeze in preparation for Little Planet's arrival when we may not want to cook as much.

This morning I saw my doctor. He checked baby's heartbeat and proclaimed it steady and strong. Then he palpated my belly and confirmed that she is in an excellent birthing position - her back to my tummy and head down. In fact, he found that my baby's head is very close to being fully engaged into my pelvis. He could only feel 2 finger-widths of the base of her head above my public bone ("2/5th palpable"). This means she's nearly ready the greet the world. My belly has been looking different this week: it used to be high and taut; now the top is soft and the bump has really dropped downwards; my stomach has room to stretch out now and is gurgling away with (too much) freedom.

I got very excited as my due date is 3rd June, but then he said this doesn't necessarily mean labour will be fast and baby can still come late, especially in first births. I'm next due at the antenatal clinic on 4th June where, if labour hasn't started, I am sure they will do a membrane "sweep" to kick start things. Still, I ate alot of pineapple today and felt rather sick - silly me. I will bounce away on my birthing ball this weekend to further assist gravity. But... not before trying to see the new Sex And The City movie tomorrow in town.

It's the weekend, yipppppeeee!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Girls rock - like to do everything on schedule :)

My doctor did not induce me until nearly two weeks after my due date.. had the membrane sweep done but did not help in my case.

Very exciting times ahead, enjoy it :)

Anonymous said...

Hi SO! Once you were induced, did you find progress to be rather rapid and even more painful? I ask because I've read that induction - though it is absolutely necessary in most cases - can lead to a more painful than normal labour as contractions come thick and fast and the body does not have time to build up its natural pain relief hormones. No need to answer this if it is too personal :-)

RD said...

This is where my knowledge becomes very sketchy... can do little than wish you well. But I do really come into my own in the 2m-6 year age range...

Best of luck and will be monitoring these pages daily...

xoxo

BB

Premalatha said...

Walk PH. it helps. When I went to hospital for the check up, my only interest was in getting myself admitted. I thought i must have been less dilated for that as the pain wasn't real bad. so I paced up and down the hospital corridar. I dilated 6cm when they checked. I don't know whether I induced it by walking or it just happened..

have some good sex. everytime make it thrice, i know it sounds crazy, but that is what I was taught in antenatal class.
I wagely remember that the induction means injecting the thingy which the body normally produces during sex. so, sex is as good as an induction. and a better one as you have rightly got it that (I have also read and heard from others) induction does cause all those you have mentioned. I do not want to scare you but induction mostly ends up in C section or intrumental assistance.

walk walk walk after membrane sweep. that will certainly help. i know one girl who walked all day and delivered the baby that night. walking also helped her to feel the pain less. she was the only person who told me that the labour was just little more painful that he usual periods pain!! bless her. she was the only one who gave me some hope that i could do the normal too when the worst comes, in my case ;-)

Anonymous said...

Premalatha, thanks. Walking and sex - easily done!

Anonymous said...

And remember to rest, if you can - you need that strength. I second the walking. Although it didn't help much in my case. Try to rest as much as possible during the first part of labour. Sounds insane but that's what my yoga teacher said. And don't worry about induction, most likely you'll manage nicely on your own! Good luck all three of you :)

Priyanka said...

All the best for a smooth and easy delivery! You must be counting every minute now. I WISH I could watch the 'Sex in the City' movie too, I hadn't missed a single episode of it :(

Unknown said...

Walking's great for a normal birth . And remember to stay calm during labour - stressing out, excitement and panic makes matters bad (note Im not saying "worse")

Priyanka said...

btw, I know what you are going through, I went thru the same a month back. Just fyi - The pains after induction aren't that bad, you might just have a :( expression on your face. But I wish you a normal delivery!

Anonymous said...

Love the walking suggestions. I've had an energy spurt so will hoover the entire house today - that will keep me upright and moving. Anja, I will try and rest too though this sudden enery spurt is annoying. I was out much of the day yesterday in Central London with M and hardly felt the need to rest. Unfortunately I couldn't get into see Sex And The City because it was all sold out. Will have to content myself with waiting for the DVD :-(

Anonymous said...

ohh wow..I am learning so much here..am I am so excited about little planet halder..all the best!!