Well just to make you aware of what is going on. Debbie (midwife) just left and everything is going great. She said I am fine the baby is fine.
There is no need to go to the hospital just because I'm "late" and if the baby were to pass meconium while inutero, it will probably get filtered out by the time he comes out or if it is thick when he comes out, precautions will be made and he will be properly handled to prevent contamination. In other words, he is not breathing it in or swallowing it at present. Those were some of my concerns. She also said babies can pass meconium at 37 weeks too. And also, the baby is not terribly big either. She doesn't feel like I'm going to have a large baby or a small baby, but probably around 7-8lbs. She said she's had other moms give birth at 43 weeks to babies around 9lbs with no problems or complications. Some women just gestate longer than others.
She didn't do anything to naturally induce today as I had mentioned previously because she feels strongly that everything is happening as God has made me and the baby to do so. She is coming back Tuesday and may try a membrane sweep then, which could possibly break the waters and that in itself could be helpful or not. Even then, if the water did break, she doesn't put a time line on when I should be concerned, but that precautions will be made to prevent infection and so forth.
There are no signs at the present that I am at risk or the baby is at risk and/or not doing well. We are both doing great and gestating along nicely. She said it is typical for women who are having their first birth to go longer than the "norm" which in itself is just an average. On top of that add more time for a longer menstrual cycle (which for me is around 35 days average), and add yet more time for a family history of longer gestation periods (which I also have). So I would be just about due now. Having said that, I could go longer than even that estimation. I just wanted to share that with you all so you can share that with others who have concerns about my situation. In this country the average induction rate is 25%. It shouldnt' be more than 10%. Induction can be dangerous and risky to the mother and the baby. Although I know plenty of people who have had induced labors and they and their babies were fine, that is not something I'm going to do. Having no signs of problems, there is no need to induce or go to the hospital. If there were, that's what we would be doing. I just want to help dispell any concerns that in turn are causing fears. There is no need to fear, God is in control.
On another note, having spent a significant time in Africa this past year, I think about how those women fare in maternity care. Many children there do not survive past age 5 (post breastfeeding) but the babies, they are the healthy ones (that are not diseased and are in mother's care). God has made this body to do this task and it will in fact succeed. Debbie told me of a midwife she knew who was helping in a remote African village and had no fetascopes or anything much that would aid in monitoring the babies during gestation - most of all, no due dates. She would palpate the women's abdomens to feel for the baby when they were obviously pregnant, ask them a few questions and send them on their way until they started labor. That's pretty much how it works in nature.
That's the latest and I wanted to let you know of my progress. Hopefully next I'll be letting you know more about the baby and less about my pregnancy! :)
XOXOXO
Meg
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