Due Date #2

No wonder they call it expecting... for all three pregnancies, I've expected to go into labour much earlier than I have... or will in this case. I'm now officially at due date #2: September 1, and there is no baby in sight. Of course, as is typical for my cervix, I am closed. Not that that means a great deal - I'm not one of those types of women who dilate weeks in advance. In fact, with both past pregnancies I showed absolutely no sign of starting to labour the day before. So there is some sense of hope left that I will not be having a mid-September baby; Caleb could potentially still make an appearance today in fact. However, yesterday I had a stretch and sweep done, as I was apparently "favourable" despite being closed, and yet there's still no Caleb in sight (I'll spare you the details, but it's supposed to work in about 10% of women... apparently I'm not so fortunate to be one of those lucky few). I've a feeling all three boys will make a record with their 10 day late arrivals... just a hunch.

It's funny... I'm really not a superstitious person, nor do I believe in the moons (yes, Tia Connie, I know you're likely going to be right regardless in that he won't come until Friday at the earliest) or any of that, but I do think he has reason to wait (besides that my womb is apparently a warm and cosy comfortable abode). That is because we don't have a middle name. We've yet to settle on one we both like, and Greg is stuck on a list of three that I'm not too fond of or I just don't feel suit this baby. Here's some of the ones I've looked up that I like, though none of them "speak" to me as "the" middle name to give him: Jaxen, Avery, Levi, Asher, Korbin, Halden, Emil, Milan, Rowan, Julian, Kaden, Nicolai, Ephraim, Ewen, Ayden, Malachi and Finley. I don't know... I like when the name flows well, but we're pretty darn stuck. Hence Caleb's reluctant attitude about joining us in person! :)

Anyhow, I'm hoping he decides to make a natural appearance rather than having to be induced, especially as SMGH favours drug inducement (though they're closed this weekend so should he decide to arrive on the long weekend we'll be travelling into London for the delivery). But I hate the waiting game. I'd love to know why our brains aren't able to tell our bodies when to have a baby (or at least be informed via the inhabitant of the womb when he is ready to make his appearance); it boggles my mind at how much we have absolutely no control over! How can I have no clue whatsoever when my labour will begin? It's my body!!

So I'm trying all the natural methods I can think of, save for castor oil, to get this labour started... the boys and I went for a nice long walk today to feed the ducks to see if gravity could play a hand, but as of now I'm feeling little else besides the same low pressure and the dying cramping effects of the stretch and sweep yesterday.

Oh well, soon enough we'll be a family of five (well, six if you count Raider... our fish have long since passed, by the way). I'll be sure to post as soon as it happens, so stay tuned!!