Hey Y'all...

Today was my 38 Week appointment and is going as it should. I am officially at 38 weeks and 3 days for anyone that is participating in the Baby Chili Pepper Count Down. We have also passed the point where I had Kyla. She was born at 38 weeks and 1 day, just one day after being taken off of 5 weeks of bedrest and medication to stop contractions. I have a feeling that Miss Chili Pepper is taking her time and will stay safe and cozy inside of mom until she is good and ready to come out...probably around the 5th of November.

Thankfully today's weigh-in was not as traumatic as the last one. I actually lost weight! Yeah! And relax...I am allowed to actually lose weight at this stage in the pregnancy. So don't even think of yelling at me about not eating enough! My blood pressure is great and my iron levels are starting to rise...so I guess that means that I still have the go ahead to eat more steak!

Had to wait almost 2 hours to see the doctor and boy did that cause a ruckus! My mother called me just as the doctor was walking in, hung up when she received my voice mail and then immediately called again. The doctor laughed and told me to answer it...that he could wait since Brad & I had already waited so long for him. So, I quickly told mom that I was just meeting with the doctor now and would call as soon as I got out of the office. She was not very happy...probably thinking that I was in labor and wasn't telling her!

My gi-normous baby bump was measured and she is coming up at 39 weeks. She is still in the head down position, so full steam ahead for a normal delivery. The doctor also showed Brad where and how to press so that he could feel her head too. Not sure if Brad was too excited about that, but at least he didn't turn pale and pass out! Her heart rate sounded great and she did let the doctor know that she was not very happy about all the poking and prodding...kicked him a couple times to get her point across.

We went over all our our birth preferences, as well as discussed the HypnoBirth processes more in-depth. Today's doctor was a different doctor than last weeks...and overall, they both seem really interested in the process, as well as receptive to helping us achieve the natural, drug-free child birth that we are desiring. He also wanted me to make sure that I dropped a copy of the birth preferences off to the hospital to make sure that they were also aware our our wishes. Did that after the appointment and that really sent my mother into a panic!

After this discussion, he did the routine check to see how everything is progressing. I am already started to open and thin (aka as dilating and effacing) I am at 1 1/2 cm open and about 50% thinned. Now that does not mean that I will be going into labor anytime soon, but it does mean that things are starting to happen and that I will more than likely have her within the next two weeks. I was told that if I do not have her before 41 weeks, that I need to start doing some alternative methods to start labor...because I really do not want to be induced!

We have our 4th (and final) HypnoBirth class tonight. This is just a wrap-up class that will go over any of the last few items that we haven't covered, as well as refreshing our memory on any of the previous items that we have learned. Tomorrow night, we have a preview tour of the hospital...to acclimate ourselves to all of the changes that have happened to the hospital in the 4+ years since we had Kyla. After we get through these next two days, I think we both will feel pretty confident that we are as prepared as possible for Chili Pepper's arrival. Now if we could just get her room settled and the chair seat in place!

After all of this, I finally called my mother back...and she was freaking out! Why did my appointment take so long. What is wrong! Was I in labor? Why wasn't I including her? Etc. Etc. When I told her that I was heading to the hospital to drop off more paperwork, she really flew around the room backwards! Later, I learned that she had called my father, as well as my sisters, freaking out when she couldn't reach me right away! So, I spent the next hour or so talking with everyone and reassuring them that I was not in labor or keeping any thing from them. You have got to love families!

Well, I have to go for now. Will be sending another update next Monday after my next appointment.

Love to you all,

Kara & Little Miss Chili Pepper