The Plan Stands

We're sticking with the plan, with one modification.

We went in yesterday for a non-stress test in MFM, and I had a nurse I've never had before. Something about her manner made me roll with it when she tilted the chair back (I usually request that they not do this, as reclining is not my friend these days), and it seems the boy didn't like it either. He had smaller accelerations and I could tell he was a little sluggish. The nurse also rushed to judgment a bit; others may have given me an extra 10-15 minutes but she took the paper right to the doctor, who ordered me upstairs to my OB's office for an ultrasound. Which turned out to be a blessing as I got to see my doctor and discuss my concerns face-to-face (thank you, pushy nurse).

The ultrasound looked perfect – fluid was good, and the boy was practice breathing (a concept that still baffles us), dancing around and generally looking perfectly comfortable in there, which is probably why my cervix remains closed. My OB was unconcerned about the NST.

We then discussed both the induction timing and treatment plan, and she made it quite easy for me. She said that yes, Sunday may seem a bit arbitrary, but when MFM says don't push past 41 weeks (which is Tuesday), she's inclined to take it literally. She definitely made it sound like it was in the baby's best interests to get this going on Sunday, so that – combined with the NST being less than stellar for the first time ever – answered that.

She also said that although there is absolutely no way to predict, she would think that I would deliver sometime overnight into Tuesday. Which would be good, because the potentially birthday-sharing mother is, unsurprisingly, driving me bonkers. I told her that the plan was to have my husband call them when the baby arrived, and let them know when they should come to the hospital. That I would need a bit of time to recover before having visitors. Most people, you'd think, would respond in the affirmative – yes, absolutely, whatever you want and need is just fine with us. Not my mother. What she said to me instead was, but we're not just anyone, and don't you actually want us to be sitting out in the waiting room the entire time? She also informed me that she's not familiar with the hospital where we're delivering. Because immediately after I've pushed a human out of my girl parts, I'm sure the #1 thing I'll think sounds like a good time is to go give a tour to my apparently map-illiterate parents who are unfamiliar with the concept of asking the front desk where the maternity floor is. HUGE, sarcastic sigh.

That off my chest (thank you), back to the plan. Regarding the drugs, my OB heard my concerns (she totally called me on google searching) and said that while she does feel the miso works slightly more effectively than the cervidil, the difference is not significant, and since half her colleagues prefer cervidil anyway she has absolutely no issue starting me on that. No more hand-wringing required on my part.

So (barring the onset of labor today, which I'm not banking on) we're definitely going in tomorrow night to start the process. I am thinking a lot of thoughts, but mostly trying to ignore all of them except this one: soon I will meet my baby.