Week 41

No progress today at the doc appointment. I'm still not dilated, although the doctor did say that my cervix has softened and that, really, the baby could come at any time. I'll be induced on Sunday, September 12 at 8:00 pm if I haven't gone into labor by then. Here's how it works:

8:00 pm - The doctor will give me a vaginal insert called Cervidil which is a prostaglandin (also present in semen) that helps soften and thin my cervix. He'll leave that in there for 12 hours.

8:00 am (Monday morning) - If I don't go into labor after being given the Cervidil, I'll be given Pitocin (a synthetic form of oxytocin) intravenously. Oxytocin is a hormone that your body naturally secretes when it is ready to go into labor. The Pitocin will basically cause me to start contracting if I haven't already (contractions that I've heard are much more sudden and painful).

Although it is a relatively safe and common procedure, I do really really hope I'll go into labor naturally before the scheduled induction. It's just that inducing labor can cause more fetal distress, immobility for me during the process since the baby will have to be electronically monitored, and an increase in the potential for having to have a C-section.

These are the reasons the doctor gave me for inducing at 41 weeks:

1) Amniotic fluid levels tend to start decreasing after that much time, creating a less hospitable environment for the baby.

2) The placenta starts losing some of its efficiency after 41 weeks.

3) The baby could pass its first bowel movement (meconium) while still in utero, which could cause fetal distress if ingested.

COME ON, BABY!!! GET HERE BEFORE SUNDAY!!!