less 3 weeks to go...

I'm still feeling pretty relaxed, though in the last couple of days a little bit of a tickle in the throat has turned into a chesty cough. I'm sure it'll clear up soon but it has made my practice of daily relaxations more difficult. It does however help me practice being able to slip into a state of relaxation in less then conducive situations eg. in a hospital birthing suite situation with nurses and doctors coming and going.

We had a doctors appointment yesterday afternoon and took Matthew along for the first time. I'd prepared a great big tub of baby carrots and another of blueberries in anticipation of needing distractions. Matthew was really well behaved and sat quietly on Duncan's lap while my Dr did the usual checks and scans. He wasnt particularly interested in the black and white ultrasound images, nor did he saw any signs of worry when I hopped up on the bed. He simply sat quietly and watched.

Doctor appointment was super quick and unremarkable. There are no scan pictures this time as Baby M's head is so very low and engaged already that it was impossible to get a 3D picture of her. She's ready and I'm ready so it's very likely that I won't make it to my due date according to my doctor. Doctors notations on my admission letter to the hospital are:

Antenatally: uncomplicated, kiv waterbirth and physiological 3rd stage, (EFW 3.2 - 3.4kg), ROA, No CRN

Let me translate - keep in view that I've requested for a waterbirth and requested for a natural delivery of the placenta. Estimated fetal weight is between 3.2 to 3.4 kg. Baby is currently 'Right Occiput Anterior' which means that she is head down with her spine curved along my right side, kicks can be felt under my left ribs and punches can be felt above my left pelvis - I've become quite the expert in figuring out what position baby is laying in. No CRN means that there is no cord around the neck.

Some of the other things we have decided to do differently this time is to request for delayed cord clamping and for Baby to be 'roomed-in' which means that she will stay in my room for the duration of my 2 day hospital stay rather than taken to the nursery.

My next visit to the doctors is on Tuesday. Will keep everyone posted.