D - Day !!!

Thursday 5th August 2010

Well finally this day has arrived and baby is holding out to the bitter end! I managed to get my induction appointment changed to today - 42 weeks over. I'll be going in at 6pm tonight, again depending on if they have a bed for me. So it may take a few days for baby to actually make an appearance, and I'm guessing it will, but at least I'll be in the right place trying to make things happen!

My midwife appointment went well, everything as it should be. However, she wouldn't give me a sweep because there was no sink in the room and the facitlities were just not adequate. She told me that there is no evidence that they work and it wouldn't stand in my way of getting induced. She suggested using clary sage essential oil in a bath or rubbing it on my tummy in a carrier oil. I was a bit unsure as my Auntie is a retired aromatherapist and I used to work for her on a saturday when I was at school. I'd remembered that clary sage was not to be used in pregnancy. So I rang her.....the reason it is not to be used (before 38 weeks) is because it can induce labour, and therefore can cause miscarriage if used too early, similar to raspberry leaf tea. I had a bath with 10 drops of oil in and later on in the evening I put 4 drops in a teaspoon amount of lotion which I rubbed on to my tummy. It smells lovely, although is very strong, and has relaxing properties. No baby, but I do feel relaxed and slept quite well. I think I will put some drops on a tissue to put under my pillow for the labour.

It feels weird to be booked in to have the baby rather than it just being something natural that could happen at any time. I feel like I'm going into hospital to have something removed, which I know I am, it's just weird that it will be my baby that I have been waiting sooo long for!!

If I don't go into labour by 9pm, my husband and mum will have to come home and wait for a phone call that I have gone into labour so that they can come back in. It'll be strange when they go and leave me in the hospital. I've never spent a night in hopsital since I was 4 and my mum stayed with me then.

Still, I'm excited. We're finally going to meet our baby by the weekend, finally know whether it is a boy or a girl and who he/she looks like!! I'm hoping this is my last blog on pregnancy and the rest will be about being a new mum. It's been a long time and I can't say I've enjoyed all or much of it - what with the tiredness, nausea, heartburn and anxiety but I'm certainly glad to be at this stage now, even though it's going to hurt!!

Bring it on...........