Non-stress Test and Ultrasound

Now that I am officially past due, I went to the hospital today to take a non-stress test and have an ultrasound. 

I thought last night perhaps I was in labor, but it turned out to not be true. I woke up at 2am (my normal wake up time this week), definitely NOT in labor, just needing to go to the bathroom. And naturally, struggled to get back to sleep... I am still not convinced I ever did. and if I did, it wasn't good sleep because I tossed and turned and woke up a lot between going to the bathroom and my alarm going off at 6:20.

Anyway, the baby wasn't being super cooperative in allowing us to hear his or her heartbeat. It took some maneuvering, but we finally found a position for the monitor and me that allowed us to hear the heartbeat clearly. 

Since I had just walked several blocks to get to the hospital, the baby was also basically napping, so not much movement. It worried the nurse until I explained that usually, after I exercise or exert effort, it takes the baby awhile to wake up. So, she came over and zapped my belly (hence the baby) to wake it up. After that, it was the normal party going on. 

All was well with the baby's Heartbeat and movement. 

Next, to the ultrasound to make sure the baby's current home was copacetic. The ultrasound tech took some measurements and pictures. She assured me baby's head was average size and that the baby was 7 lbs give or take a few ounces. That was very reassuring to me because I was worried about the baby's size. Not only am I now past due, but everyone keeps telling me the second baby is usually bigger than the first... and Silas was 8 lbs 4 oz. So, hearing that the baby was 7lbs made me feel MUCH better! That knowledge will give me a little confidence when it comes to delivery knowing he or she isn't super large. 

I'll tell ya though, I am really getting uncomfortable now. I don't know how women allow themselves to go more than a week past due date (because they don't want to induce). I don't want to induce, but I will be screaming for it if I make it to my 41 wk appointments! The baby is so low, I can't stand up without having to urinate, and is putting a ton of pressure on my ligaments in my groin, causing lots of sudden painful spasms in the groin area. Of course, each time I feel one and bend over in breath sucking pain, someone looks at me all hopeful like, "was that a contraction?"

Hopefully, I don't make it to my 41 week appointments and don't end up having to take the second non-stress test. The baby may not be stressed, but Mama certainly is. Daily headaches, lack of sleep, aches and pains, non-labor contractions... and other things in life right now, are all colliding to create one miserable woman.  Holding a little baby in my arms would certainly make a lot of that go away... at least for a little while.