First of all I want to say going "past" your estimated time of arrival (or 40 weeks) is full of hormonal and mental ups and downs. Add prodromal labor on top of that and phew what a ride.
IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW...
If you've been here long enough you know I had my daughter, Logan, at 38 weeks and 3 days via an induction. If you haven't been here that long you can read about her birth here. So as much as I got my hopes up about having him "early" (quotes because I believe babies come exactly when they need/want to) I had no idea how this would play out. The weekend I hit 37 weeks gestation I thought I was having some prodromal labor and I really didn't need him to come that early. Luckily things simmered out. Never the less weeks 38,39, and 40 also came and went. Week 39 was the hardest..mentally because it was past the gestation when I had my daughter but he still had enough time to come early. Haha nope 40 came and I officially was past my "due date". At that point I thought I had let go of any expectations of his arrival. Sprinkle in more prodromal labor, (some may call it false labor but everything has its purpose and every Braxton Hicks is a contraction no matter how "small") and Hello Week 41!
My weeks changed on a Sunday and this Sunday felt different: I woke up went outside and had my coffee and just felt a strong pull to go in person to Soul Church. I was having contractions off and on and wasn't sure if we should go or stay. But we went and the song choices and message you guys was SPOT on exactly what I needed to hear. Especially Make Room by The Church Will Sing. I immediately added it to my birth playlist after church. [Listen to that Sunday's message here] I needed to trust God and let go of trying to force labor or worry about when it would happen (don't we all). My contractions continued pretty much for the rest of the day (yay good vibes and oxytocin) but I was thinking and saying to my husband "It's probably not happening." To the point I didn't even time them. So after some deliberation and joking about having a baby in the car we decided last minute to take our daughter to see Disney On Ice. Haha. The contractions fizzled out during the show...yet again. I was hoping they would come back after such a great day during the night...but they didn't.
So now its Monday no signs of labor, Blake went off to work. The only thing (other than labor) that I was waiting on was to get a birth box package I bought myself from The Little Milk Bar . I really wanted the robe and I hoped that I would have it in time for labor. Cue a little mental breakdown (not my first during this pregnancy) and a huge release of tears, feelings, and maybe anger? I just remember asking God please let it be soon. The stretching skin on my belly felt HORRIBLE. If I didn't have that I probably wouldn't have been so miserable. I couldn't even let my clothes touch it. Ouch, dont recommend.
I wiped my tears went inside to cuddle with Logan on the couch where we proceeded to ask Jack to come on out soon. We had a chill rest of the day and that night I decided to take a bath using the bath bomb from my birth box! After the bath I was laying in bed and started to notice that with what felt like stronger Braxton Hicks contractions (which I'd been having for weeks -_- ) Jack was trying to turn. It was so crazy my belly looked like it was shifting every time!
See >>> crazy right!
I texted my birth team and showed everyone the picture. I knew he had to be trying to turn and if he was I wanted to give him as much space as possible! So I sat like this for a while and then decided I should go to sleep just incase. I went to sleep with a peanut ball in the flying cow girl position to keep everything open..you know just incase....