Getting the party started
I took a Zumba class at work today. It still feels really good to move around –and makes me forget that baby and I are spine-to-spine– and I can take it easy, since I was just taking class instead of teaching. It was a great class, and the best part was when my boss walked past the door, saw me dancing, started laughing and mouthed, “What are you doing?!”
I ran over to say hi and talk to her, and she asked when the baby is coming out.
“I have no idea.”
“You’re crazy.”
I love her.
39 weeks and still moving and grooving 🙂
I went into the locker room to hang out with my work friends after Zumba, and they were all taking bets on when the baby will make her appearance. A few friends have asked me if there was anything I was doing to try and kick start labor, besides continuing to workout.
This entire time, I’ve been happy to wait for her to decide when she’s ready to come out, and even more so since I found out she was in a less-than-ideal position. Last week, before I knew she had flipped, I researched some natural ways to encourage labor in the event that I got to 41 weeks and the midwives started talking about induction. (They used to let patients go to 42 weeks, but now it’s 41)
Here are some of things I found:
(please don’t do anything to try and initiate labor without talking to your doc and get mad at me, mmm k?)
-Walking. This is supposed to be beneficial in helping the baby flip over, too
-Dancing. Same- it could also encourage her to flip
-Mattress mambo. Even with someone as debonair as my husband, the discomfort has finally put a damper on things. Plus, there’s no better way to seduce someone than crawling around on your hands and knees and moaning in pain every night.
-Acupuncture. I was going to go see my acupuncturist this week anyway for the hip pain and posterior position, because I know it will help. It’s just a matter of making an appointment and going. If I go to 41 weeks, I could also ask him to press the button to get labor going.
-Castor oil. Some people swear by this one, other people say DON’T do it. I’m not sure I’d be down with this one, especially since it can cause you to dehydrate- not something you want to deal with before going into labor.
-Herbs. The midwives and my homeopath would be great resources for this.
-Spicy food. Since I’ve been drowning my food in hot sauce and red chili flakes this entire pregnancy (and my entire life), I don’t think this will be much of a factor. Word on the street is that when the baby comes out, the fluid smells like what you’ve been eating… if so, baby is going to be a spicy little meatball.
-Massage. This sounds like a fabulous option, because even if it doesn’t work, you get a massage out of the deal 😉
Did you try any methods to encourage labor naturally?
Taking guesses on when the little one will be born, too 😀
My original guess was Christmas weekend, so my next guess is January 3.
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I just can’t wait for the day (soon) when I log on and you haven’t blogged yet 😉 I’ll anxiously await your post with news about your new bundle of joy!! Ahhh sooo close, and crazy how time flies, really- I still remember reading your post about finding out you were pregnant. Good luck you will do fabulous! 🙂
thank you! <3
i'll definitely throw a quick post up before we head to the hospital 🙂
yay! 🙂
My mother in law said she tried castor oil with my husband b/c she was so desperate to go into labor! She said it made her go into labor really quickly- but she was also projectile vomiting & had horrible runs too. She was too embarassed to tell the labor nurses why she was so sick, but they kept saying they hadn’t every seen anyone as sick as she was while laboring. 🙂 She never did tell them! She said she wasn’t tempted at all to try that with her next 2 (& final) babies. Hahaha! It sounds horrible….I don’t think I would want to try that one!
yeah that sounds a little (lot) rough!
I went to 41 wks 4 days before labor started on its own. I did have hot wings the night before so maybe that helped? My practice lets you go to 42 weeks which I’m so grateful for! Some babies just need longer in there. Hope your labor starts on its own! Ill guess jan 5 since its Epiphany!
I drank raspberry leaf tea and did a lot of squatting a few weeks prior to my due date and my babe came 10 days early. I was terrified of being induced do I wanted to do anything and everything I could. I had as acu appt scheduled to get me going but ended up not needing it:-
My guess is January 7th, which is my birthday 😉
And you ARE crazy for taking Zumba @ 39 weeks pregnant. But you look fabulous of course! I’m 34 weeks and still taking kickboxing (moderating some of the moves of course). Hey, as long as we’re still feeling good doing it, I say what’s the harm?!
Congrats to you on your soon-to-be little bundle of joy! <3 your blog and can't wait to find out the name you chose!
You are so adorable!
I bought a raw revolution bar towards the end of my pregnancy (34ish weeks) the yellow one thats sweetened with agave nectar and my husband was like, you should NOT eat that, he just didn’t like the sound of agave nectar, and when you look it up online it has some mixed reviews at eating agave during pregnancy. Anyway, I headed his warning and didn’t eat it…UNTIL he was gone one morning (at 36.5 weeks) I ate it and it was SO good, and I started getting really bad cramping and then my water broke and then I went to the hospital and had a baby. I mentioned this to my OB and she said it was probably a coincidence….but I’m not sure if I’m convinced.
whoa, that’s crazy! i usually stay away from agave (even though i do like those bars!) but that’s very interesting….
I had a friend on a mommy board try the castor oil. She did go in to labor quickly, like within hours, but was also pretty miserable from vomiting and runs.
I on the other hand, made it to 39 w and was diagnosed with mild pre-e so midwife wanted to induce the next morning. I asked her how she felt about sweeping my membranes as a last resort before the induction. She GLADLY did it RIGHT AWAY (I was not prepared lol) and I was having cramping later that day so my older children gave me back rubs. We were due at the hopsital at 5 am and around 2:45 am or so I got up to go to the bathroom. No sooner had I laid back down and my water broke around 3 am! Rushed to the hospital and I was having my baby girl at the same time my induction was supposed to start – she was born at 5:05 am on April 29th just as they were showing the Royal Wedding. I think that was a cool day to be born, but it scares me a little if I look too much in to it. 😉
You are doing great! I wish you the best of luck! FYI, my oldest son – he was born January 2, same scenario and his little sister at 5:05 am. He waited just long enough for New Year’s to be over. Perhaps your little lady will do the same!
I wish it was today! Ze Bebe and i would share a birthday!
aww! happy birthday 🙂
My guess is January 6! I can’t believe you are at the finish line, you will be a rock star for sure and can’t wait to start hearing about the new baby in posts!
All four of mine (and with three of them) my water broke shortly after a drop in the barometric pressure with the weather…….Any thunderstorms in the forecast where you are this week?