3.16.2009

Having my membranes stripped.....

Tomorrow is my 39 week appointment. I called the midwives today to ask them about having my membranes stripped. Turns out they were going to ask me about it anyways. They generally don't do it before 40 weeks, but since he's so big they want to give it a try. Here's basically what it is; they do a pelvic exam. Then they take a finger or this other instrument and rub it around the outside of the cervix. If it works it causes the bottom part of the amniotic sac to separate from the cervix. This causes more pressure to be exerted on the top of the cervix and makes it dilate (hopefully). Another thing it's thought to do is release prostglandins around the cervix which help it thin out. So, I am going for a nice long walk tonight and another one tomorrow morning before the appointment to make sure his head is really low. =) Fingers crossed this will work! It doesn't work for everybody, but if it's going to work at all, labor will begin within 48 hours after the procedure. Who knows? Some women start experiencing contractions within the first 5 minutes. I hope I'm one of them. My dad and brother are also coming up tomorrow. I told them to have their overnight bags with them, just in case! I am, however, just kind of feeling up and down right now, emotional wise. It's sort of crazy! On one hand I'm really excited to meet him and I've been waiting. But, on the other hand, I'm just completely a total freaking mess. Am I really ready? Like, oh crap. If this works tomorrow there's no going back, and in 2 days I'll be taking home a crying, pooping baby, that I'm completely responsible for. That's scary. I think it's normal to be up and down, though. I hope so anyways. I'm not going to lie and say my feelings are all peaches and rose blossoms, because they're not! I don't want to give anybody the impression that I am naive enough not to realize this is changing the rest of my life. I'm scared. But I'm also more excited than I've ever been about anything. Such weird feelings!

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39 weeks + 2 days

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