Alright, so I knew what I was getting myself into, but I certainly can't remember being THIS miserable near the end. Don't get me wrong. I know I have always had a hard time near the end, but not like this. My pelvis makes a popping noise every time I move, I feel like I'm physically dilating when I stand up (though I know I'm not), I am getting contractions that hurt every night (but am not really in labor), I have no motivation to do anything and just want to lay there all day (though I can't and even when I do, I'm still in pain), I have a sciatic nerve problem that I've had since Ani was born and it's not going away (this is a major part of my pain and if I didn't have this, I wouldn't be complaining this much). I'm waking up at least a couple of times at night to pee, which is no small task as every step I take HURTS!
Do you think this is a sign that this should be my last one? My mom would say "yes" and even my husband would agree, but for some stupid reason, I can't come to terms that this is the last one. Am I dumb? Have I lost all brain cells due to five pregnancies? Am I one of those people who likes to punish themselves? I don't know. I just don't feel "done."
Because we are going on a family trip to Utah leaving on July 2nd and I figure that I need a full week to recover before we leave, I have decided that starting June 15th I will be doing all those crazy things some people swear by to put myself into labor. I feel like I don't have a choice but to be induced on the 24th if I don't do it myself. Is this selfish? My husband thinks it's not a good idea, but what does he want me to do? He'd probably say it would be okay to leave the day after I gave birth! So, here is my plan:
June 15th:
1:Sex, Sex, and more sex as it produces the same chemical (oxytocin) that doctors use (pitocin) to start labor.
2: Eat Fresh Pineapple (has enzymes that help to ripen the cervix)
3. Swing on my swing set (help gravity pull the baby into position)
4. Jump up and down in the swimming pool (another gravity helper)
5. Nipple Stimulation (never done this before, but they say it releases hormones that naturally occur when you're in labor)
6. Acupressure applied by my husband (it's said that in the web between the thumb and first finger and four finger widths up from the ankle are pressure points that release hormones that start labor).
7. Have doctor strip my membranes
8. Take a warm bath to relax before bed
I'll do this for a couple of days and see how it goes. If nothing happens, then I'll have to turn to more drastic approaches like the dreaded castor oil.
Gosh, I am just so anxious for some reason. I guess if I didn't have this Utah deadline I wouldn't be so worried. I keep talking to my husband about it and he's sick of listening to my "what if's." I decided to just blog about it to get it off my chest.
