I am also a firm believer in the buffer month in regards to your due date. What I mean is a women can go into labor anywhere from a month early to a month late. That being said I was never forced to live by that rule until now.

No one has been pregnant forever, but it sure seems like it will never end once you’ve passed your estimated due date. I went beyond my estimated due date with both the girls but by a few days at the most. I am currently 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant, which means I am officially into my 10th month of pregnancy.

How am I emotionally?

I have good days and bad days. The first few days where easy but annoying. Well meaning friends and family checked in and my parents came up to help, just in case. The problem was nothing happened. It felt like everyone was watching me waiting for…nothing.

After about 4 or 5 days the frustration sets in. and after frustration comes anger and desperation. I looked up everything I could to see why I wasn’t in labor. The Google gods gave me everything from bad position to wrong due date to bad hormones. I tried everything I could which only made the frustration worse when they didn’t work.

By 40 weeks 5 days I had a break down. The girls saw me cry for a solid 20 minutes because I was so frustrated. Destructo rubbed my back saying “Don’t worry Mommy, he will come out soon.” {It’s amazing to see her empathy toward others at such a young age.) Hubs took off  Thursday and Friday (40 weeks 6 days and 41 weeks) so I had emotional support and someone more physically able to help with the girls. With Hubs here I feel far more balanced. I don’t know if I am coming to terms with the length of this pregnancy, genuinely seeing the end of the tunnel, or just benefiting from the extra help/rest; but I no longer feel like I am loosing my mind.

How am I/we physically?

I had a Non-stress test performed at exactly 41 weeks to make sure Little Dude was handling his prolonged visit well. You are hooked up to belly monitors for 30 mins or so. The midwife checked my vitals and watched his heart beat and movement. In her words “He is textbook perfect”. I even had a small contraction so we were able to see how he handled the stress of labor. All told he is perfect, except for his position.

In essence his back is just a little too far to the left of my belly making it difficult for him to fully “engage” or drop into the pelvis.  This is not really a huge issue, just a reason for delayed labor. Once contractions begin my body will turn him into the proper position, with a little help from me.

I spend most of my day on my hands and knees or in a declined position. This encourages him preposition. My goal is to use gravity to move his back from my left side to my center. Once his head, neck, and butt are in the correct, or ideal position I will encourage him to drop by bouncing on my ball or doing squats.

My midwife also checked my cervix for dilation. I am currently 3 cms dilated but until a women dilates to 4 cm or more she is not considered in active labor. I could, in theory, sit at 3 cms for another week or go into labor today; it really doesn’t mean much.

My cervix was too thick for a membrane sweep so I am now on Prime Rose oil to help thin it out. Again this could mean labor tomorrow or another week. At this point its a waiting game.

So whats next?

If Little Dude doesn’t come by Monday I have an ultrasound and Non-Stress Test scheduled. At this appointment the midwife will check my placenta to ensure it is circulating blood well, check my amniotic fluid levels, and make sure baby is not in distress. If that all checks out another NST is performed and then, if all goes well, a membrane sweep. *A membrane sweep is a way of trying to bring on labor to avoid going too post term or medical induction. During an internal examination, the midwife will try to insert a finger into the opening of your cervix and then gently but firmly move her finger around. This action should separate the membranes of the amniotic sac surrounding your baby from your cervix. This separation releases hormones (prostaglandins) which will hopefully start labor.

This all should go well and result in a baby before 42 weeks.