39 weeks: the final countdown

Eloise is fully developed and will make her entrance any day now. Her hair is growing, her nails have probably grown past her fingertips, she's gaining weight, and her brain is adding neural connections.... just as would happen if she were on the outside. She's been head down for many weeks now and it's pretty easy to identify body parts pushing out of my belly. She feels huge.

I continue to have daily contractions but they don't progress. At our prenatal appointment last week we learned my cervix hadn't progressed since the week before but it is still dilated to 2cm and 80% effaced. Due to high Inhibin A levels, my OB wants to induce sometime between now and 40 weeks, so in the next week or so. I'm really on the fence about this because, as I'm sure is true for most women, I'd like to go into labor on my own. She offered to do a membrane sweep at my prenatal appointment tomorrow, which is the least risky and most natural form of induction. The procedure involves sweeping a finger around the inside of my cervix to separate the amniotic membrane from the uterus. She said with my "favorable cervix" there is a 50% chance I would go into labor in the next three days. If that doesn't work or I decide not to do it, she wants me to make an appointment for induction with Pitocin. I'm doing my best to avoid Pitocin due to the side effects and increased risk of c-section. If only I knew if/when I'd go into labor naturally, that would make the decision so easy! I've decided to wait until I'm in the exam room tomorrow and listen to my intuition in the moment. Evan said he supports whatever decision I make, however, he too prefers a natural birth.

I had a non-stress test and amniotic fluid check today. Eloise is less active these days but her heart rate is still good. Amniotic fluid is a little lower but still within the healthy range. An exciting experience at today's appointment was getting to see her practice breathing on the ultrasound! I saw her little ribs expanding and contracting as though she were breathing. The nurse said that's a good sign and earns her two points on her biophysical profile. That's my girl!

We're in the middle of a heat wave in Portland and it has been in the 90s. We don't have central air so Saturday we decided to head to the neighborhood Park and Rec pool for a while. Cool water + buoyancy = pure bliss. Each time I've gotten in a pool I feel Eloise moving and I imagine she's practicing her kicks in there. I also enjoyed a refreshing cherry slushy on the pool deck. It was a good day.

I'll end this post by sharing a photo of my point of view at the pool. I swear I'm wearing bikini bottoms but it's been a while since I've been able to see down there.