We are two days away from being officially "full term"!!! Any day from February 17 to March 20, little Esther is going to make her arrival. (My due date is 3/10, my OB said he'd let me go 10 days over.) While all I have been given is worst-case scenarios and statistics from the medical side, he's agreed to let me try for my coveted VBAC if Esther comes on her own between 38-40 weeks. If she goes past her due date, we're most likely going to schedule a c-section to avoid risks of uterine rupture. I told him that sounds fair, at least he's willing to let me try (which is the whole reason I went to his practice in the first place).
On non-medical fronts, I'm getting an amazing amount of support! So many of my friends and family are giving me the cheers and encouragement that I feel I need to go in with the right attitude. I was also able to meet the wonderful woman who will be my doula for this experience. She's in training and I'm very excited to be able to work with her. I had my first meeting with her on Tuesday and we hit it off right away. I was so nervous of having every stereotype I dreaded (crazy, agenda-ridden, "grasp your power from Mother Earth", man-hater) and she is the exact opposite. She's sweet, calm, peaceful and supportive. I think I thanked her for not being crazy about 3 times... :) Not only that, but she volunteers with the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Tidewater (as I did last year, just a different area) and she and I are on the same page with all the big stuff. She specifically said "My only agenda is your agenda." Praise the Lord! :) While He hasn't answered all my prayers how I expected or hoped (seriously, how often does THAT happen?!), He has made Himself known and present in every aspect. And that... that is the biggest encouragement that I could ask for.
So now we wait. I'll keep hanging out on my exercise ball with my invisible hula hoop trying to work her down, which she is already well on her way. She's already lower at 36 weeks than Neva ever was. I'm interested to see how everything plays out. Emily (my doula) said my biggest job now is to stay relaxed. This is easier said than done. Life likes to get in the way of that. Things like toddlers getting sick, husbands working on their dissertations, husbands working full time and then trying to prepare for a new baby coming into this crazy world like to keep you from relaxing. We'll get there. :)
I'm looking forward to my mom coming out and helping. It'll be fantastic having her help with Esther and Neva. Hopefully Tim will be able to get a little bit of a break now and then too. :) It's just odd sitting on the couch knowing you're in the last page of a chapter of your life, not knowing what the new one holds.
