38 Weeks!

My doctor’s appointment was last Wednesday and I had a surprise internal check. I guess he normally starts them at 38 weeks, but since I was close (37.5 weeks), he asked what I wanted to do. I was curious, so I went ahead and told him to check. It turns out that I’m 75% effaced and 1 centimeter dilated. I was in complete shock. I realize that this is not a huge amount, but I just assumed that since my body was so uncooperative in getting pregnant that it would be just as stubborn with the process of delivering the baby. Of course, the outcome of that is yet to be seen, but I was just so relieved and encouraged that some things were beginning to happen on their own. The doctor even told me that he didn’t think I would go much past my due date if at all. I know every person is different, but this too came as a complete shock. I have thought all along that I would be at least a week, maybe 10-14 days late (maybe even later if they would let me go that long). It was a bit of a wake up call to my husband and me both that we needed to really get things ready because this baby could be here anytime.

I had been feeling a bit crampy at night. This was very minor cramping, but it was there. Since my appointment last Wednesday, I haven’t felt much cramping, so I was a tad discouraged that things might be stalling. Last night however, I began feeling many sharp sensations in my cervix area. These are unpleasant, but they are very quick and definitely not contractions. Some of them are so strong they stop me in my tracks. I really had to sit down last night because I couldn’t take them standing up. After I sat down for a while, they seemed to subside, but I’m getting them again today. I have googled this (of course) and others report similar sharp pains at this stage of pregnancy as being related to the baby’s head descending and coming into contact with nerves in the area creating a “lightning rod” effect. This sounds very similar to what I’m experiencing. I do think the baby has definitely dropped, so that would make sense. No matter what it is, I just hope it’s related to my body preparing itself to evict a baby.

My next appointment is Wednesday again, and although I’m trying not to get my hopes up, I am hoping for some further progress on effacement and dilation. It probably isn’t all that relevant to the actual date and time that I will go into labor, but again gives me the much needed encouragement to believe that my body was meant to do this and despite its trouble getting pregnant, we can expect a NORMAL type of delivery.

I would also like to note that for those who have heard that an internal check is exceedingly uncomfortable, you can rest assured that it really is not. I found it to be no big deal, particularly when compared to some of the things I endured with my IVF. Would I choose to have my OB's hand and half his forearm jammed up my hoo-ha over taking a walk or having a snack or whatever, of course not, but it certainly is not even as bad as a pap smear.