Let's Talk, Shall We?

I took off the little baby ticker that was on my sidebar.

It was a little creepy that the baby disappears after 40 weeks.

('Cause that doesn't really happen in real life, you know.)

Also, it was causing a lot of people to freak out that I haven't delivered this baby yet.

Let me let you in on a little secret:

I had two due dates.

One was based on my last cycle date,

the other on conception date.

(At this point you may well want to stick an index finger in each ear

and sing la, la, la, la-a-a-a-a-a-a-a.

I'll wait until you're ready.)

Since the time between Elijah and Ruby,

the length between my cycles has increased from 28.5 days

to more like 38 days.

It was like that between Elijah and Ruby,

Ruby and Ivy,

and between Ivy and this baby.

BUT,

the medical community will only use the date of the last menstrual period.

Believe me, 

I've tried to tell them that my due dates should be later.

To that, my ob said,

"Welllll, it'd just be easier to use the lmp date..., so we'll just write that one down, ok?"

All through this pregnancy

I have told myself and many, many others

that I would not be surprised to go into December.

So, why did I even use the November date?

I guess the easiest way for me to explain it is this:

You know how some people leave a clock or watch set five minutes ahead?

To sort of trick themselves into leaving early,

even though they know the clock is ahead?

Yeah, it was kind of like that.
(That, and the fact that it's kind of a long story to relay in passing
at the grocery store or while shaking hands at church.)

Even though I had longer cycles with Ruby and Ivy,

I stayed with their doctor-given due dates.

Ruby was a week early,

Ivy a week late.

You may not remember (or even care)

that I did not do "routine" ob visits with this pregnancy.

It wasn't until 30 weeks or so that I met my midwife.

She and I are using a due date of December 6th, based off the d.o.c.--

still over due, but not by as much.

Does that make you feel better?

It does me.

(Ok, ok, most of the time it makes me feel better--unless you count the few times I have sat in my room and sobbed because this baby is not born YET!!  Dennis has had a front row seat to this and I think it only serves to increase men's assessment that women are indeed a complicated creature.)

You can look it up anywhere--

normal gestation is anywhere from 37-42 weeks.

Roughly 10 % of babies are born at 42 weeks.

I promise I am being vigilant about monitoring baby's movements and

I am in contact with my midwife.

Please don't think me reckless for going "so long"--

it's funny to me (not funny ha ha but funny hmmmmm)

that all the interventions are considered "safe"
but going a few days over my due date is somehow endangering my child's life.

Trust me--
no one wants to greet this newest baby more than me.
Ok, well, Ruby, Linnea, Christopher and Elijah would be right up there,
but my point is this:
if it gets to the point where I am no longer comfortable with being overdue,
I will consider the options available to help things along.

For now,
I'm spending a lot of time sewing, crocheting,
trying to breathe, putting my feet up,
and wondering if we'll be washing up the blue clothes or the pink.

There now--I'm glad that's off my chest.