Well it is 12:56 am on Friday 20th April, my official due date. I have been up for the past 2 hours after experiencing very annoying braxton hicks contractions and terrible reflux for most of the night. So I figure rather than lying in bed in pain and discomfort I would get up and see if I can use a bit of gravity to keep the acid that is burning my throat out to calm down, I think I have chewed about 8 Gaviscon tablets so far. I was secretly hoping that the contractions I was having were going to get stronger but alas it is not to be, just discomfort and frustration. The mere thought of having my baby on its due date is almost too good to be true, my other 2 pregnancies went so far overdue I thought they were never coming out.
I had an appointment with my OBGYN on Wednesday and we discussed the possibility of inducing labour if I haven't gone spontaneously by the 24th April. This I agreed to as I went to 42 with the last 2 and it was very frustrating and very uncomfortable and considering it is just getting hotter and more humid here in Thailand I am definitely finished with being pregnant. But in saying all that I would much prefer to go into labour myself before that date to avoid the pain of induction, it is so hard and painful with no real lead up into it that it scares me. I was lucky with Lillie that she was more than ready to come out and once the Pitocin was starting to run she came out within 3 hours, I doubt I would be that lucky again. I have other concerns about having a normal vaginal delivery as well, the hospital here in Pattaya are very conservative and almost "old school" about their views on delivery, basically lay on your back with a monitor and wait it out in pain and for me that is worst case scenario as laying prone on my back in the most painful position I can lay in now, let alone when I am in full blown labour. There are no baths for water treatment and pain relief, there are no fit balls or birthing stools or bean bags to try out different positions, the labour room has a bed, a couch and a TV and that's it and it is really small too. I hoped to labour at home for some time before going into hospital but my doctor would prefer to have me admitted as soon as possible and monitored due to the fact that the babies cord is around his neck and they need to monitor his heart beat. But in the next sentence she reassures me that a big percentage of births have the cord present around the neck and the mother can still birth normal and naturally without a problem. So which is it? Do I stress about him losing oxygen with each contraction or do I trust my body it knowing how to labour and let most of the work happen naturally at home? I think the second choice fits better with me, I know I will be uncomfortable and pissed off if I admit to hospital too early and I would feel much better being around my own house, with my own bathtub and bed to use until the time comes that we decide to pop in the car and head in to see the hospital.
At least I made it past the dreaded date of the 19th April which is the official Pattaya Songkran festival. My doctor advised me that the main roads accessing the hospital are virtually impassable on this date as they are full of revelers cruising the streets in their trucks throwing water, dancing and partying the whole day and night away. As my mum arrived in Thailand late last night I thought we would take a early trip into town to get some groceries and have lunch and even as early as 10:30am the streets were full and people were well into the festival frenzy. It looked like alot of fun and I was jealous that I was 40 weeks pregnant and couldn't join in. Especially on a super hot day like it was sitting in the back of a ute being drenched in water looked like a great idea. We had thought maybe of borrowing a ute and driving in with me as designated driver but when it came down to it, I didn't want to palm the kids onto my mum on her first night in Thailand and I didn't want to be the sober boring sister up front driving while everyone else was in the back throwing water and drinking and having all the fun, I selfishly said no and we stayed home probably much to the disappointment of Marcus and our friends but I am 9 months pregnant I am allowed to be a bit selfish and grumpy, but I think my grace period for being a hormonal bitch is just about over, it would be nice to return to the normal thinking and feeling world of humanity.
So now it is 1:30am and I haven't had a contraction for over 30 minutes now I am going to try and get back to bed and pray that come morning I either get some sleep or start real labour.
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