40 weeks and 5 days

I am now five days past my due date. I definitely didn't think I would make it this far. I had another midwife appointment this morning, and I am now 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced, and "all systems are a go," as the midwife said. I am thrilled with this news, given that it took at least 24 hours of regular and uncomfortable contractions for me to go from 1 to 3 cm and 50% to completely effaced with Ewan. At risk of providing you all with too much information, I'll also share that the midwife stripped my membranes this morning in hopes of getting labor going, but they are recommending medical induction at this point. My first blood pressure reading was a bit high, and they also think baby is already at least 9 pounds. Given that everyone predicted Ewan would be between 7 and 8 pounds and he was 9 lbs, 6 oz at birth at 40 weeks, and based on my mama instinct, I believe them. I know it was a tight squeeze to get him out, so I am comfortable going with their recommendation at this point. I would also like to maximize our post-partum time with my mom (who is arriving at any minute!), as well as my time with baby before I have to go back to work at the beginning of February. So, although I did not anticipate it coming to this, I am scheduled to be medically induced at 7:30 a.m. this Friday. I am trying not to think too much about it, though, because I think there's a good chance of me going into labor naturally before then. Between the stripped membranes and an acupuncture treatment I have scheduled for tomorrow morning, as well as some things I might try at home, I have a lot of hope that baby will decide to come on his own within the next day and a half.

I am so excited to meet this little guy within the next few days, and thrilled that my mom will be here again for the birth! As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing like having your mom around when you're going through something challenging or are in pain. We will have quite the birth team, though, as two of my friends hope to be there, as well as the doula who was originally supposed to be at Ewan's birth (and of course Troy, midwife, and nurses). We hadn't planned to hire a doula this time around, mainly due to financial reasons, but we all felt sad that she couldn't be at Ewan's birth and decided to try to make it happen this time. It was so beneficial having someone in that role at Ewan's birth, even though it wasn't who we had originally chosen. So I feel great about the amount of support I'll have in labor and post-partum, and am just keeping my fingers crossed that I don't find myself giving birth to an 11-pound baby!