let's just wrap up the baby drama, shall we?

I don't know about you, but I think that all this pregnancy drama is starting to get kind of old. However, for the handful of you who are interested, here is a quick update on the baby situation. I saw my doctor yesterday for my weekly appointment and while there expressed a few of my concerns.

The first was the posterior presentation of the baby. I was curious as to how my doctor typically chose to handle babies in that position (forceps? c-section?) and what it would mean for my delivery. He basically told me that it shouldn't be a problem, except for the pain it causes in my lower back. Because the baby has already descended so low, there's really nothing that can be done to change the situation at this point anyway. What's more, he told me that it wasn't so much the baby that was posterior as it was my cervix. Apparently, when the baby engaged, his head pushed my cervix way far back, which right now makes for nothing more than very uncomfortable pelvic exams. Once I start having big contractions, everything will supposedly line up again how it is supposed to. So there's one worry I'm feeling more relieved about.

The second concern we discussed was my fear that, because I'm so far progressed already, I wouldn't make it to the hospital in time to deliver (let alone with enough time to spare for an epidural, a worry I didn't specifically name, but the sentiment of which was still definitely looming about the room). In combination with the fact that, for a first baby, Garrett came rather quickly, my doctor agreed that these concerns were legitimate. I haven't dilated much further during this last week (because, I'm convinced, I was able to spend so much of last week resting), so this week will just be spent waiting to see what happens. My doctor, however, is not opposed to inducing labor in order to ensure that no babies are born in cars en route to the labor and delivery unit. At my next appointment, he'll check me for further progression and we'll make a plan from there. I know some people have horror stories involving inductions, but I cannot even begin to tell you how much more at ease this option makes me feel.

So for the time being, we're going to keep going as we have been and see what happens. I could still very well go naturally before my doctor would consider inducing me -- especially now that Garrett is back home (I swear, that boy's energy alone is enough to send anyone, pregnant or not, into labor). And, now that I'm full term, that would be fine; we'll just take it as it comes. It helps that I'm feeling -- physically and emotionally -- much better than I was last week. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on handling daily life in the midst of this sweltering heatwave as I look forward to the baby shower my good friends are giving me this Saturday. (Thanks, guys -- you are awesome!) I'll keep you posted if any more baby-related news comes up, but I'm hoping that in the next few days I can post about things of a different nature.