Who would have thought it, but yep, the baby’s officially overdue since yesterday! Not much under normal circumstances but considering that V was born at 36 weeks and that I was put on medical leave on the 21st May due to a short cervix, it is pretty amazing! But it’s like my doctor and I have concluded – pregnancy is NOT an exact science and the doctors can’t really explain why this baby has decided to not come out yet! Don’t get me wrong, I am really pleased that we will have a full term baby! Here are some thoughts on “due date +1” (BF +1):
– I have had my membranes swept twice – first last Monday and then again yesterday. Ouch! and so far, no result…
– I had “a show” (slempropp) last Tuesday & Wednesday. Euck! and no result…
– I am 3 – 3,5 cm open since last Monday… and nothing!
– I could have opted for the choice of being induced from my due date (i.e yesterday) but unlike many Belgian women (according to my English doctor*), I prefer waiting. If the baby hasn’t decided to come out, it’s for a reason – not being ready!
– In Belgium they let you wait one week after the due date before inducing – which would mean on V’s birthday next Tuesday! Nooooo, that just can’t happen! I want the two siblings to at least have separate birthdays even thought they will have them in the same week as their paternal grandfather (7th) and their father (12th). 😦
– I weighed myself in the hospital yesterday – weight gain a little less than 8 kgs. With V I only gained 3 kgs but that was because I got gestational diabetes and wasn’t allowed any carbs the last month (plus delivered at 36 weeks of course) – I wouldn’t recommend it (I was super hungry!)…
– Check-ups every two days now until next Tuesday. It is amazing how thorough they are in Belgium! In Sweden I think you get a check-up once per week also when you are overdue and they induce around 2 weeks after the due date (in some regions 17 days!!).
– One good thing about this baby not being born yet – the newly renovated maternity ward was opened last week with more private rooms (which I have the right to with my medical insurance!).
The flowers on the balcony are still beautiful
– One sligthly bad thing: we are planning to fly to Sweden on the 19th September – a bit too close to the birth now, especially if the baby decides to not arrive before next week.
– Yesterday morning I woke up (or rather lay awake the whole night) with a cold and a sore throat – not ideal not feeling 100% when due to give birth within the next few days!
– Brussels is experiencing a late summer heat wave – temperatures of 29-31 degrees predicted for the next few days! It was really hot when I gave birth to V and boy, was I thirsty – and I didn’t get anything to drink 😦 (security measure in case you need an emergency caesarian, which I don’t understand because Swedish women get both food and beverages while in labour!?)
Every morning I stand on the balcony and wave goodbye to V and O when they leave for the creche / office. V still insists on wearing his wellies despite the heat so I have actually started to hide them 😉
*) However, yesterday at the hospital I overheard a discussion between a woman and her doctor where the doctor said that she had to have an induction this Thursday and she was trying to negotiate not having one yet. Apparently the doctor was worried about the placenta (and she had had some kind of accident?) so he told her to come to the hospital tomorrow evening for the preparations.
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