24 weeks - Hell Hole

Hell Hole 5k at 24 weeks

 Yes, that's a real gator head!

Exercise: Oddly never touched on this subject because..well..I haven't really exercised in past pregnancies. But I realize now that I can't just depend on my body to snap back on its own after baby's arrival. What I do now will certainly help in the process, and I don't want to have to work twice as hard come February to get back in shape because (thanks to COVID) my first race of last season was deferred, and will now be in May 2021! I started the Move Your Bump program and really love it so far. You get a 7 day free trial, plus I had a 50% off code for my first month so it makes it pretty inexpensive! I hope I can keep up with it. I've been eating alot of fast food lately because pregnancy cravings don't normally strike til 9am and thus, I've never been a meal planner. So I did outsource this and have 3 companies I'm testing out, so I'll report back when I've found my favorite, or a combination of them.

I also decided to run a 5k. 4 days prior to a race. When I haven't run but twice this year (once in January, and again in April). But as you can see, the awards were highly convincing, and with no one else in my age group, I obviously had to participate.

Movement: Feeling some pretty strong kicks over here! Some nights when baby is really active and I'm falling asleep, I'll curl up to Mathias so he can feel the baby kicking his back and we can experience it together. It really is the sweetest thing and although it's no new feeling, it sure doesn't get old.

Grace even got to feel the baby kick a few times! She likes when I press her hand into my belly...the first time she felt a kick, she was watching my stomach then her eyes shot up at me with this happy surprised look on her face. It's like a connection was made and she thought, "Oh OK, I thought I understood before. But now I really get it." And she asked me, "How's the baby come out?" 😂 I asked her, "How do you think you and Edith got out?" And she said, "I don't know. Maybe I crawled out." 

Yes, something like that.

Maternity wear: I finally caved and started wearing maternity shirts and pants to work this week. As much as I like flashing Kate and Amanda with my rubberband pants, it was time to embrace the comfort of stretchy panels. I don't know why I've put it off...perhaps because wearing maternity clothes makes you look pregnant. Right, not like a growing bump doesn't, but I hate the 20 questions I've gotten from patients in the past: "Yes, I'm having another baby. Yes, the youngest one is already 2." So far, only two patients have even noticed, which I'm kinda proud of, but I keep waiting for that well-meaning comment, you just keep poppin' them out! But no one's ever actually said this to me and I'm obviously projecting lol!

On the horizon: Glucose test to rule out gestational diabetes. I don't dread this test. I actually think the drink tastes good! And I do think I'll pass. I've never been a huge consumer of sweets, and although I do like a small bowl of ice cream here and there, it's not every night like with Grace (who I barely passed the test with).

20 weeks - HALFWAY there!

I can't believe we're already halfway there! I'd take a bumpdate picture, but I think I look exactly the same, feel about the same, and gained about the same weight (5lb) as I have before at 20 weeks. Does that mean it's another girl??

Maternity wear: Since my first pregnancy, I've gone up a size or 2 in pants, so they have fitted a little looser post-partum, giving me room to stay in them until now. My current pants are still fitting with a Maeband which has been great! The shirt situation is gonna get dicey here soon so I will definitely have to break out the Fall/Winter maternity wardrobe I wore with Grace.

Anatomy scan: We have one stubborn baby on our hands! Each ultrasound, little babe has refused to roll over from laying on its belly so it was a little tough to get a good view of the face. But once we finally did, our US tech says, "Oooh! Looks angry." 😒 Phenomenal. Baby otherwise looks healthy!!

Movement: Yes! So I started feeling Grace and Edith kick around week 18 - placenta was between me and baby so this is pretty common to not feel kicks until later in pregnancy. But this time around, placenta is behind the baby so I was hoping I'd feel kicks sooner...and I did, by one week. Feeling reassuring kicks against my hand might be my favorite part of pregnancy. That, and kicks so hard Mathias can feel them...which may be happening in the next week or so!

Nursery: Edith was moved into Grace's room when she was about 3 or 4 months old after I went back to work, and the switch was pretty smooth. We don't plan on putting the baby in the "big girls" room...their closet/dresser is already overflowing and I don't want a bunkbed + crib situation in there. Instead, new baby is moving into Bee's room, and Bee is moving into the FROG. Thing is, we have ALOT of renovations to do upstairs before that can happen. You know how much I love a major reno project while I'm pregnant...

Things that need to be done by the end of the year, or at least in the next 6 months:

• Clear out existing furniture/boxes/THINGS so we can tear the carpet up
• Build out a closet 
• Paint bookshelf white
• Install a mini-split (AC unit + heater)
• Install new flooring, likely a snap/luxury vinyl that looks like dark wood

I'd love to also do an(other) attic clean-out, re-do the insulation during the coldest months, and replace the banister with a cabling...but if I can get 2 out of 3, I'll be happy! 

16 week update - We saw something on the ultrasound...again.

We are 16 weeks along! I haven't got much of a baby bump to show...maybe next post 😉

What's new: At our 13 week ultrasound, my doctor had some concerns. "We saw something on the ultrasound." Again??

I'd been through this before, with Grace. We ended up doing genetic testing at 19 weeks with her to rule out genetic abnormalities, notably Down's Syndrome. Genetic testing came back clear, and the abnormality (a bright spot on her heart indicating an echogenic intracardiac focus), had closed by the time she was born.

This time, the concern was thickness of the nuchal fold, the back of the neck. It was still within the normal range, just on the higher end of normal. Again, my doctor urged me not to worry. So of course I did. And she didn't tell me not to do too much internet research this time, probably because she knew I would. I did. And what I found actually eased my anxiety. Lots of lots of cases where the nuchal fold was much thicker and baby was born perfectly healthy.

At any rate, it was an easy decision to move forward with genetic testing again, and luckily it took far less than 8 days this time to receive the results. All clear!

Any symptoms? The headaches keep coming! Every few days, I'll feel one start to come on, and it will last for 2-3 days. I'd finally had it and scheduled myself a prenatal massage with the same masseuse I used with Grace and Edith. It was amazing and I haven't had a major headache since. I also started drinking more water. I knew the cause of my headaches was not only holding tension in my neck, but because I drink like a hummingbird. So I got one of those bottles that tell you how much you should've had to drink by a certain time of day. It came to no surprise that I've been drinking about 25% of the amount of water a pregnant person should be drinking. And whatdoyaknow....no more headaches.

I also switched up my Prenatal vitamins. It took alot of convincing on my part because I've used these same vitamins through 2 healthy pregnancies and I didn't want to change what wasn't broken. But seriously, if you've only been pooping every 4 days for 4 months straight, you're willing to try anything. So I've:

• switched my prenatals to something that contains no Iron, since Iron is the cause for the slow in digestion. I still get it from other sources, but damn if the switch has not helped one bit. Still irregular.
• started taking Metamucil. I feel like a 75 year old woman. But I honestly think it tastes good lol, so this has not been a problem for me. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be helping.
• even drinking more water or eating more fiber rich fruit hasn't seemed to help!

Any more suggestions?? I'm all ears.

Food cravings: My food aversions definitely eased up as I entered my 2nd trimester. My appetite seems to be back to normal, and I don't think I'm craving anything in particular. It really is appearing more similar to my second pregnancy than my first. Admittedly, I have been more liberal on food restrictions. I was pretty strict about not eating cold deli meat or raw sushi when I've been pregnant before. But when I truly trust my source, it hasn't stopped me from eating salmon or the once-in-a-blue-moon cold cut. Still, I've been extremely picky about how often I'm doing this (I think so far only 2 or 3 times).

Million dollar question- do we think it's a boy or girl? I am still leaning towards boy because my trusty Chinese calendar haha! I can't even say that it's because this pregnancy feels different, because my pregnancies have been sooo wildly different and this feels like my second. My grandmother is also set on boy, and Mathias is also leaning towards boy. Grace, on the other hand, has formed an opinion.

Me: Do you think mommy's having a boy or a girl?

G: Umm...a girl.

Me: A girl? You think you're getting another little sister?

G: Well I hope so!

Her answer used to waver. But now she's definitely Team Girl! 

 

 

Round 3: "You're like a camel!"

A new little baby will be joining our family in January, which will make us Hickman party of FIVE! I don't think it's really hit me yet. I'll have 3 under 4. I'll have to hashtag everything #3Under4. OR #pandemicbaby. 

Speaking of pandemic. Was now a good time? Should people hold off on trying to get pregnant now? I say...don't let it stop you. Circumstances are always changing and there is never going to be a perfect time. If you're waiting until life is perfect and all the stars are flawlessly aligned, you might be waiting a long time. And tomorrow is never promised. My humble advice: if it's the right time in your heart and between you and your partner, GO FOR IT!

Ok so I say there's no perfect time, but if you're slightly superstitious, then maybe there is. You see, the Chinese calendar was correct in predicting both genders of our girls (if you remember, both were kept a surprise)...and according to the Chinese calendar, there were only a few months this year where we could've conceived a boy. Bear with me...

Do I think superstitious people are a little crazy? Yes. 

Do I think we're having a boy because the Chinese calendar says we should? Also yes.

How do you feel? Generally unwell. My mind is tired and my body is tired-er. I have had zero appetite, my food aversions are aplenty, I'm getting really frequent headaches that often last for days, I have to force myself to eat breakfast or dinner, and (sorry, you must be new here if this is TMI) I only poop every 4 days. Which sounds pretty identical to my first trimester with Edith. She is very independent about her play time, and doesn't seem to need me as much as Grace. I'm sometimes able to nap when Edith naps in the afternoon, but that leaves one 3 year old who is craving my attention. It's so sad when she asks me to play with her and I feel so tired and nauseated that I can't. She wants to go to the beach, or the pool, or the playground, or to chase her...and I can't. I really hope I get some energy back this month cus I don't want her to remember this side of me 😩

Baby bump: I was able to catch the baby's heartbeat on our at-home doppler but Grace was less than impressed haha. Maybe once she sees my belly growing again, it will become more real. You can't really see a baby bump, but I can feel it when I try to lay on my belly. I haven't gained any weight yet, probably because I never got quite down to pre-pregnancy weight, and I definitely never lost the extra fluff so baby must be just suckin' up the reserves. Like a camel. My mom even thought she saw a little baby bump. But I had to admit, no that's actually the small spare tire I've been carrying around since I had Edith 😐 I need to bring my maternity clothes down from the attic, but hopefully I have another month before I need them again.

Other new news: I may be updating every 4 weeks just like I did during our second pregnancy. And I may just bring back the Wordless Wednesday posts! There's a "catch all" post I made at the end of each pregnancy so I can go back quickly and compare them all: Grace / Edith

Also, I've merged the old blog with this new one to keep it on one platform that is MUCH more user friendly! It's so much easier to read and to navigate, I'm not sure why I didn't do this sooner.

The Birth Story

Just to recap: Pregnancy announcement / 16 weeks / 20 weeks / 24 weeks / 29 weeks / 32 weeks / 36 weeks / 39 weeks / What I packed in my hospital bag

As soon as we decided to try for baby #2, the first gender specific purchase I made was a blue Templeton Silver paci clip. I already had a pink one for Grace and I just knew that this baby was going to be a boy.

40 wks 2017 vs 40 wks 2018

Throughout my pregnancy, I constantly pointed out the stark differences. With Grace, I had to have ice cream every night. This time, my cravings were all over the place. I also gained less weight but my belly appeared much bigger. I was less emotional, less forgetful, my skin and hair completely changed from oily to very dry, I had less heartburn, and I carried differently. Initial feeling after that first ultrasound was pointing towards boy. Given a due date of Thursday, August 23rd, I just always had a feeling that this baby would be early. Not by much, but a little early. Like, Tuesday.

Even nature was on my side with predictions. 3 weeks before due date, I was already 1cm dilated. Something I wasn't with Grace until labor actually started. Then 2 weeks before due date, I was 50% effaced! We had Grace take a couple photos with a pink hydrangea in case it was a girl, and a blue one in case it was a boy as our birth announcement. She didn't smile (I'd even call it a frown) in a single pink hydrangea picture. Well, it has to be a boy then!

A few friends and family had dreams it was a boy. One so specific that it was not only a boy, but coming at night. I also had the same exact dream. I don't know if it was out of persuasion, hope, or genuine feeling, but even Mathias was sure we were having a boy. With nature and my husband on "my side," I went into nesting phase with the decision not to wash any of the girl specific clothes. You won't need those, I validated.

The week before my due date, I tied up all my loose ends at work, fully expecting Friday to be my last day. Contractions will start on a Monday and I'm having this baby Tuesday. It will be at night. And it will be a boy.

It's so funny how sure I was that day and how over the next week, I would completely give up on any premonitions I had. It's like that old Real World slogan, "You think you know...but you have no idea!"

Monday came and went, then Tuesday came. Every question of, "When are you having this baby?!" was answered with a sullen, "I don't know." What was SUPPOSED to be my last OB appointment, I walked into the office and surprised everybody just by being there. We decided then, that if the baby did not arrive on his or her own by due date, we would have one last Ultrasound on Monday to check fluids and make sure baby hadn't grown TOO big (at 40+4) and induce on Wednesday (at 40+6). Schedule it, but I won't be there. This baby is definitely coming before then. It might not be Tuesday, but it will be at night. And it will be a boy.

Well, Wednesday and Thursday came and went and the 2 week eviction notice went...unnoticed. I was officially overdue. Friday...Saturday...Sunday still no baby and still answering more questions with "I don't know." I had officially reached boiling point. I walked into work Monday feeling so defeated. Not mad to be overdue (I get it, babies come when they want to come), but upset because my "motherly intuition" appeared to be nonexistent and in a perpetual state of "I don't know." Surprising the staff at my OB appointment (again), I came out with an updated photo of our (fat and much heavier than Grace) baby. I'd finally accepted that this baby was completely content staying put. This baby wasn't coming early. And probably wasn't coming on a Tuesday. This baby was staying put til induction. Which was scheduled for 7:30AM.

A fellow overdue mom shared her experience with a scheduled induction, in that she showed up at the hospital and they had to turn her away! Several unexpected patients came in already in active labor the night before, and there were no beds available for her. OMG! Could that happen to me?? Sure enough, the hospital called me an hour before induction and told me there was no room at the inn. Are you serious??

I almost started crying but was too mad. We all know the feeling, the scary kind of anger that presents as cool and collected where all you can do is start nodding and agreeing with everything. Luckily, 45 min. later, they called back and said a pt was discharged and a bed had opened up for me! (I later found out of all the scheduled inductions, I was the only one who got to come in that day.)

At 9AM, the doctor broke my water. For the next 6 hours, I was given Pitocin and my contractions were very slow to progress. They were frequent enough but nowhere near painful. I'd had charlie horses more painful than these. Around 4PM, I was warned the anesthesiologist had 2 surgeries to head to and if I wanted an epidural, now would be the most ideal time to get one. Remembering my blinding contractions with Grace, I thought there's no way I want to experience that again and NOT have an anesthesiologist within an arm's reach. On the other hand, my pain level was only at a 2, sometimes 4. Better safe than sorry though...bring on the epidural! It was more painful than I remember. Probably because my pain was already at a 10 when I got it last time and it was more of a sweet release!

Again, for the next 6 hours, my contractions were slow to progress. I had only dilated to 6cm after 12 hours of labor. And was not a "soft" 6 at that. By now, the baby's heart rate was doing crazy things. They stopped my Pitocin and an Oxygen mask was put over my face. That must've looked so scary for Mathias! My doctor watched me closely over the next 2 hours before warning me that if baby's heart rate continued to look this concerning (and by this point, I was still only 7cm dilated), we would have to start considering a C-section. Something none of us wanted to happen.

Nothing about the pregnancy and labor had progressed as expected. What was one more thing? Although disappointed with my body, I just wanted baby to arrive safely, by any means necessary. But I also wanted to be able to pick up my toddler and hold her when I got home without the fear of ripping stitches.

The baby must've heard this internal struggle because in the literal 11th hour, baby's heart rate regulated and I dilated to that ideal "soft" 10 making it safe to finally push! After about 30 min of pushing, Mathias leaned over me and announced (after getting over his own initial shock), "It's a girl!" A girl??

So after all that, it made sense! As a parent, just when you think you've got it all figured out, you realize you don't! At 11:56pm, our Edith McPherson joined our little family of 3! McPherson, because it's my father's, grandfather's, great grandfather's, AND great great grandfather's middle name! Edith, because we just like it :-)

This baby has surprised me in every way possible! And has just been a reminder to humble myself, stop acting like I've got it all figured out, and embrace more of the "I don't know!"

What I packed in my hospital bag

Today is my due date. I honestly didn't think I'd make it to this day, but here I am! And I feel no closer to delivery than I did on Monday. I think back to last year when I was seeing posts from a friend who also thought she'd go early but had reached her due date. She was complaining the night before that the baby wasn't here yet and how "over it" she was. I remember thinking...you could still have several days! Why are you already complaining? You're not even "late" yet.

But I totally get it now. It feels like AA Step 1 where you admit you're powerless.

So with the extra time, a friend suggested I share what I packed in my hospital bag since I have several other pregnant friends right now!

For baby:

What to bring

- Going home outfit. I brought a newborn outfit for Grace and it was HUGE on her. So this time I'm bringing the same outfit we brought Grace home in (since doc say this baby is for sure bigger) + a preemie size onesie just in case

- Pretty swaddle and a cute hat if you don't want to use the hospital issued ones.

- Baby book if you want to get the baby's footprints stamped in it

- Blanket/car seat cover just in case it's cold or raining

- Socks and mittens

What not to bring

- Diapers and wipes. The hospital will provide these. Bring home alllll of them!

- Baby wash. Some parents choose to wait til they're home so they can give baby his or her first bath. I thought I wanted to do this too, but you may be more exhausted than you expect and the nurses at the hospital will do this for you. But if you have your own special wash that's not Johnson & Johnson, I'd bring it

- Pacifier. Again, hospital will provide, but we chose not to give a paci until Grace was a few weeks old. Nipple confusion and whatnot. It was even written in the birth plan not to give her a paci til she'd latched. 

For myself:

What to bring

- Insurance card and ID: Have it easily accessible so you're not fumbling for it or someone else has to retrieve it for you. It's probably going to be the first thing they ask for when you arrive at the hospital.

- Birth plan: Make sure your doctor, anyone who will be present at birth, and all nurses read it so everyone's on the same page.

- Car seat

- Stress ball/aromatherapy rollerballs....anything that will make you feel comfortable and alleviate stress while in labor. I'll say more about this in a minute!

- Pretty robe: It feels so nice to put on something that makes you feel a little more human than the hospital gown once baby is here!

- Nursing bra

- Nipple cream: This one is my favorite! You don't have to wipe it off before baby nurses

- Basic toiletries: Travel size shampoo & conditioner, body wash, face wash or face wipes you can use in bed, Chapstick, lotion, deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste, contact case & solution

- Towel and wash cloth: The hospital has these but they are smaller than a hotel towel and rougher than sandpaper!

- Mints or gum

- Phone charger

- Bluetooth speaker: I didn't make a playlist, but I put on my favorite Pandora station, "Hipster Cocktail party." It's got a good mix of old and new and even some of the nurses asked me for the station before I left the hospital!

- Fuzzy socks or bedroom slippers

- Cheap flip flops for the shower

- Loose yoga/lounge pants to wear home: Or, if you're having a c-section, a loose dress

- Button up shirt or loose nursing shirt to wear home

- Boppy or nursing pillow: I actually used mine during labor to turn around and stick my face in hahaha

- Hair ties & hair brush

What not to bring

- Underwear. Unless you really want to. The hospital will provide the mesh ones with pads (bring allll of them home, more than you think you'll need) but if you want a nice alternative, these Depends are amazing and will help you feel a little more human.

- Oil diffuser. As mentioned above, aromatherapy is a great thing to have to alleviate stress, headaches, nausea, etc. Rollerballs or small personal inhalers are a good option, or these lavender infused stress balls. They smell amazing and gives you something to focus on.

Funny story: On Day 1 of 3 days of labor, my friend CJ came over to the house and gave me this little stress ball infused with lavender. It was a gift someone had given to him, and he thought it might help me. And boy did it! I don't think it left my hands til Grace arrived. It even stayed in my purse (not on purpose, that's just how long I hoard things) until I was getting ready to pack my hospital bag again. I fully believe it got me through labor and I've carried it with me every day of Grace's life. So naturally, it has sentimental value. I left it where Grace couldn't reach it to remind myself to put it in my "bug out bag" but it wasn't quite out of reach of our friend's 3 yr old who lives down the street. She came over for a playdate and when I came home, my stress ball was gone! I knew the little girl must've found it so I searched and searched for it, eventually assuming she had taken it home with her. When I told Mathias what happened, he said he'd given her a little red ball last time she came over and he told her she could take it with her. OK, that explains it. She must've assumed since she was given that ball she could take the stress ball too. Don't panic, she's 3, she'll remember where she put it.

◉_◉

Not. If anyone has ever lost a thing in the house, a toddler is the last person you want to include in your search party. I called her dad and asked him to take a peak around their house to see if she'd brought it home. He said it wasn't there and she told him she didn't take it.

At this point, this 3 yr old innocent angel is a thief and a liar. I go into a rage-induced search. It's not here. She has it. I know she has it. And she's gonna tell me where she put it.  

"Ask her where she last saw it at my house."

Too much to ask of a toddler? Probably, but I'm desperate. I can't possibly deliver a baby without it.

"She says it's in the ball pit."

OK. I hop online and order these in case I never find it again because I have searched the ball pit. It's not there. But, I haven't searched inside the balls in the ball pit. Some of the balls snap together. And maybe the stress ball is small enough it can fit inside one that snaps....

So for my pregnant friends reading this, you're in luck. I now have 3 extra lavender stress balls to help you in labor!!

What I'm not bringing but you might want to

- Hairdryer: I let my hair air dry and haven't used a dryer in maybe 2 years, so I've left this out but you may want to bring one

- Makeup: There will be pictures and who wants to look like they just gave birth to a baby?! 

- Magazines or a book: Between labor and having a new baby to stare at, I wouldn't have found time for reading material, but it might help some in labor!

- Underwear: As stated above, the hospital will provide the mesh ones with pads (bring allll of them home, more than you think you'll need) but if you want a nice alternative, these Depends are amazing and will help you feel a little more human.

- Nursing pads: My milk didn't come in for a few days, so I personally didn't need these at the hospital

- Belly band or this one: These help the postpartum body get back to normal 

- Tucks pads: The hospital will provide a peri bottle and dermoplast, but this is a nice substitute

For Mathias:

Mathias made his own little "bug out bag" so here's what he brought:

- Snacks: The hospital will feed mom, but they won't feed dad!

- Advil & Tums: The hospital has these for patients only unless you want to purchase them at the gift shop!

- Pillow: The hospital has plenty, but it's nice to have your own

- Clothes/socks/flip flops

- A copy of the birth plan

- Basic toiletries: Deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste, contact case & solution

- Phone charger

- Nice camera if you don't want to use a phone

39 weeks - last post before baby's arrival!

Preparing for baby's arrival: I served this kid with an eviction notice one week ago, informing him or her to vacate the premises within 14 days. Grace listened! Wondering if this baby will follow suit. My gut tells me I won't be at work next week, so I'm trying to wrap up everything now. All along, I thought baby would arrive on Tuesday - 2 days before due date - so we shall see! The newborn clothes are washed and hung, infant necessities have been taken out of the attic, and I played with my new pump and figured out how to use it (which subsequently gave me a nightmare that it suctioned so hard off center that it made a third nipple!!) I have at least halfway packed my hospital bag, but still need to install the car seat. I will this weekend! See...nothing like a few minor contractions to get you motivated to pack a bag lol

How do you feel? Swollen. My feet look like sausages at the end of the day, I've been 1cm dilated for 3 weeks, and I am 50% effaced! Which is more than with Grace! At 39+5, I was not dilated at all and none percent effaced. 

Baby's size: I honestly have no clue. We had one, and only one, ultrasound this entire pregnancy, and that was back around week 19. I haven't fallen off the growth charts like I did with Grace, so I'm going to assume that means this kid is bigger. Grace was 6lb 7oz, but I'm still guessing baby #2 will be under 7lb.

Total weight gain: 30lb. Exactly the same amount of weight I gained with Grace! Hopefully I can snap back as quickly too!

To strip or not to strip? We're not talking about the sexy kind of stripping here. This week, I had the option to have my membrane's stripped. After debating on it for a week, I decided against it. From my research, I found that it only works 50% of the time, and couldn't find a positive correlation to it working better with second pregnancies or if there was already some dilation happening. I also found that of those 50% that it "worked," I couldn't definitively say it was solely because of the procedure, but that some of these women were just ready to go or it still sometimes took 3-4 (sometimes a week) more days to go into labor. So odds are looking more like 1 in 8. Plus I heard it's a rather painful procedure. And I felt best not to rush things along...Grace wasn't exactly late and I honestly don't think this baby is going to be overdue. So I told my doc she could strip my membranes next Tuesday if nothing happens on its own by then. And, not that I think it will be necessary at all, we'll induce on the 29th if I don't go into labor before then. (I better go into labor before then!!)