40 Week Appointment

Well, I went to see my doctor this morning, and he says that... drumroll please... I have made ZERO progress since last week! I remain 75% effaced and 1 centimeter dilated. It's depressing!! The good news is that our little guy still has a strong and steady heartbeat, and he is clearly a happy camper in my womb. Still... All the waiting is making me crazy!

Before I left the office, I scheduled a 41-week appointment for next Tuesday. If I still haven't popped by then, the doctor will schedule an induction. I'd really rather not be induced, but it's also not safe to go too far past the due date (the placenta starts to deteriorate and not function as well). So I'm REALLY hoping that things start naturally sometime between now and then!

I've also been thinking about the whole due date thing. When I first found out I was pregnant, I was 99.9% positive that my due date was October 22nd, based on a whole bunch of factors. We had been trying for a while, so I'd been charting temperatures, etc. I was pretty sure about things. Well, the doctor based my due date on the date of my last period, which is how he came up with the 16th. Subsequent ultrasounds confirmed that the baby was growing appropriately for its gestational age-- based on that due date (the 16th). BUT... what if I was right all along, and that his REAL due date is the 22nd? What if he's just been "measuring ahead" all along, and is destined to be a big baby?? Who knows? It really bothered me when the doctor said I was due on the 16th, and I clung to my original thought (the 22nd) for a long time before finally giving in. To me, a due date of the 22nd makes much more sense. But we'll see... I just can't wait to meet him, whenever he decides to make his grand entrance!!

P.S. Gus says that the baby is just waiting for nicer weather... It's been raining here all morning! :P
P.P.S. Check out this picture I found... I LOVE it!