Just an update on the midwife visit.
1) This was the MW I didn't like the last time I went to the birthing center, but she was great today. Maybe it was just my mood? Anyway, I am so glad this visit went WAY better than the last one.
2) She told me my weight is perfect. That was good to hear.
3) She "investigated" and um... why didn't anybody tell me how painful that could be? Righto. At any rate, it looks like Romulus is still head down but not looking to make a move anytime soon -- which was exactly what I wanted to hear.
4) She mentioned other aspects of my anatomy and said that if she had to describe a body best-equipped for doing this birthing business as easily as possible, she might just describe me. Then she said, "I mean, you've even got the big hips to boot!" Awesome! (actually, I appreciated it, but that is probably the only time/place where I would take such a comment well). Then she added, "You've had the ideal pregnancy, haven't you?" And I said, "Yeah. Can't complain." She nodded wisely and said, "I hope the birth goes just as well. From what I can tell, you should coast through it." It was cute.
5) She also asked if The Boy is African, and when I confirmed she said, "Ok, if you don't give birth by the tenth, call the front desk and tell them that it's your due date but nothing's happened. They're going to say, 'That's ok, wait a day or two...' but you should respond by saying, 'No, the father is African.' Then they'll tell you to come in and they'll set up an appointment for you." Apparently, African babies grow a little more "ripe" as she put it, so he really should be here by the tenth.
6) But in her opinion, he's not coming before the 4th, either. So hey! All is good! C'mon June 8!
7) As I was leaving, she said, "Make the most of these last two weeks. Clean the house!" It occured to me that she obviously knows her clients well, as I am sure that's what at least 80% of us do maniacally in our remaining weeks. My house is clean, but I'm cleaning it again next weekend, for sure.
uh, ripe? seriously? will he attract fruit flies?
re: #3...yeah, the "investigation" really does hurt and is very uncomfortable. hate to say it, but it's a sign of things to come. hopefully little Romulus will come on time and you won't have to endure too many of those kinds of check ups. Ayva was at 10 days late and so i was unfortunate to have way too many for my taste. also, not to be a downer, but more of a realist, one of my midwives essentially said the same thing to me about how it looked like i should have a really easy labor and that the baby was smallish. she was wrong. not that i had a really difficult labor, but that same midwife had a heck of a time getting my baby out and ended up having to get help. plus Ayva was over 8 pounds, so not really a smallish baby. her comments made me have high expectations that weren't really met. i would just hate for that to happen to you.
I was thinking that maybe she just says that sort of thing to make people feel at ease... I mean, she even said, "I could be wrong, you could have a lot of difficulties, but at least it looks like you have a good base to work with..." Those midwives are such nurturing types, I think it's at least 50% psychologically-motivated. I am sorry to hear you had to get checked so many times. I'm already not looking forward to the next time. 10 days late...grr. I'm pretty sure Romulus is going to be a big one, though, so at least I'm mentally prepped on that front.
I've been reading your pregnancy journed off and on and really enjoy it!
But here I just had to put in my two cents! My daughter was exactly like Romulus--just where she should be at 37 weeks or so. She was perfect for her due date After that PAINFUL exam, guess what? Twelve hours later she was born IN MY HOME with the SAMU there in time for me to push once and she was out! She just decided she was gonna come out, and I didn't even have much of a labor. The hospital assured me I was just havng cramps, because labor couldn't possibly come so fast and relatively unpainfully after my last exam.
Oh and by the way, they were sure I was going to have a long, diffcult labor because of my build.
Oh my God Catherine, that is a crazy story!
Yeah, but she turned out just perfectly. Just goes to show...
and it makes one of the best party stories EVER.
African babies get more ripe? ~cough~.
"Ripe" being my shitty translation of the word she said - "mure" - that apparently people take issue with. Maybe "mature" would be better?
I wonder if it's true, though. Stastically speaking?
Oh that's wonderful. Just a few short weeks! I think all women get told their babies will be big beforehand if there is the slightest oversized belly pooch so they can be prepared. I had an ultrasound every month with my son and was told he was going to be huge based on the weight taken from the scan (and my weight gain! ) I got scared and everything & worried. He was average though, fine. I've heard this lot of times from different women. They really can't know for sure!