38 Weeks Pregnant and Induction

I only have 1 week left!! I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow, but I will talk about week 38. Symptoms for week 38 are pretty much all the same. Although, I have been sleeping a lot. I've been sleeping about 12 hours every night. That is crazy to me! Normally I am fully awake after 8-9 hours of sleep. My body has just been so exhausted this week. 

I don't have any new stretch marks. I've also been using my Palmer's stretch mark cream again, a lot of you might think it's pointless, but it can't hurt, right? No swelling in the ankles or feet, which I am super stoked about. I've been having some Braxton Hicks contractions here and there, but not too much, which makes me really think I won't go into labor anytime soon. Not only that, but I really don't think Rylee has dropped yet. It doesn't look like she has! 

So tomorrow (Wednesday the 24th), we have another doctor's appointment. Once again, he will check for dilation and effacement, yay! Hopefully I've been making progress. Dr. Eiland also told me that we'll talk about my birthing options, as far as waiting beyond my due date and being induced. I told him I will most likely choose to be induced on my due date. OH, before I go any further, my original due date (the one that's actually on my pregnancy verification form) is October 23rd, that's today!! The reason we've been saying October 31st is because when they did the first ultrasound, based on the baby's measurments, they said Halloween is the due date. But based on my last missed period, it's technically today. So who knows really! Due dates always seem to be off, anyway. 

Now, continuing on with my reasons for wanting to be induced... for one, my doctor told me he won't let me go 10 beyond my due date, he'll induce me 10 after my due date if I decide to wait for Rylee to come on her own. He said the reason for that is because there are dangers for waiting beyond your due date. I don't remember everything exactly that he said, but there are definitely risks. Also, I don't feel like pushing out a baby that is over 8 pounds, the baby will continue to grow half a pound each week. The placenta degrades when you go beyond that point, so I definitely don't want to have any issues with my baby because I waited too long. There is a lot of useful information on the internet that you can read about, and I'm sure it will make a lot more sense than the way I am trying to explain it! But, there are tons of things that can go wrong! And if I am actually supposed to be due today, then I definitely don't want to wait past the 31st! 

I know that the labor pains will be more intense if I get induced, and I am fully ready to take that on. Labor is no joy ride in the first place. Many women get induced without an epidural as well, so I'm hoping for the best and hoping that everything goes as planned. I know that the risk of having to get a c-section is increased if you get induced, but like I said, I'm just hoping and praying for the best! Obviously some women don't have a good experience being induced, but some women do. Everyone is different and everyone will have a different outcome, that is true with everything. If my doctor didn't believe that Rylee and I would be safe, he wouldn't offer an induction. I trust my doctor, and he is an EXCELLENT doctor! So glad to have him!

I hope you guys understand my decisions, and I am so happy to have Rylee here soon! I appreciate all of the support and lovely comments. Thank you!