My Inner World

Desired result of membrane sweep: The Onset of labour
Actual Result of the membrane sweep: 1 very sore and dissapointed Mieneke

40 weeks tomorrow..... Fingers crossed!

Had another check up today. The registrar was the same man that I had seen last week and that I hadn't really gelled well with. When the "Head Doctor" came in I was delighted to see her and she suggested a membrane sweep to see if that would help get things moving. I gladly accepted and then it turned out that HE would be doing the procedure. In hindsight I feel like I should have requested someone else. Not because he was male, but because I didn't feel comfortable with him.
My regular doctor has a very exotic name and is from Egypt, I believe. He then made a rather derogatory remark about Egyptians. Completely uncalled for!
Seeing as allot of his colleagues seem to be from the middle east/Africa (Just a guess, mind you. They wear headscarves and those beautifully coloured all covering tunics) and he himself seems African (or Carribean), I have to wonder how popular he is with his colleagues if he thinks remarks like that are funny...

When I asked about the level of discomfort this sweep would have, he said it was different for everyone but that he would be able to handle it if it were to be done to him. To which I asked him how many people HE had expelled from his body. Started off on the wrong foot there.
Now, I have had internal examinations before and this man had no sense of decorum at all.

The ladies that did it before, were all very respectful and talked me through it. This guy just said "now." and went for it. To say it was painfull and degrading would be an understatement. I felt like a flaming farm-animal.
He told me that if things had'nt started moving by next week's check up he would do it again.... Over my dead body... If I have him again, I will request one of the other doctors. If he doesn't like it, tough. It's my body and I decide who touches it.

On a more pleasant note. The Midwife that did the pre-check up pronounced my name perfectly when she called me. My name is very hard to pronounce so I was rather surprised. Turns out the lady lived in the Netherlands for 12 years and we were able to converse in Dutch. My first pregnancy hospital visit where I could speak in my native tongue. Was a very pleasant thing to be able to do. Hopefully she will be on duty in the delivery ward when I go in!

Right, I will be sure to let ye know if the sweep worked! (Fingers and toes crossed!)

For a few weeks now, I have been getting these shooting, debilitating pains down my spine. They run from the base of my skull down to my tailbone and all I can do is sit completely still and wait for them to pass.
This morning, I sneezed.... My spine seized up and now I am walking like a 95 year old lady carrying 3 bags of heavy shopping in each hand!

But the Munchkin requested a "Jammie Day" during the week and thankfully I had agreed that that could be today. This means we stay in our pyjama's all day long. We have an extra treat in the afternoon ( I am thinking Ice-pop today) while we paint/do Playdoh and she gets to choose what we have for dinner today. (Chicken in the Pot). I will not have to drive anywhere, lift anyone up the climbing frame or carry a shopping basket through a crowded shop whilst trying to remember what the heck it was I went in there for in the first place anyway!
God Bless Jammy Day.

Right, as we..ehm.. type, I am 38 weeks and 5 days pregnant. But who's counting? Well, that would be ME!
This pregnancy has proven allot more demanding both physically and emotionally than my first one and as far as I am concerned this is definitly our last one.
I have something called SPD and boy is it no fun at all.
I have so much respect for women who happily go through several pregnancies even with the most severe of discomfort but I'm sorry to say. I am not one of them. I keep telling myself that it couldn't be for a better cause and that it's not going to last forever. But the thing that keeps me the most sane is that after this, I won't have to do this ever again!
Even with the moodswings ("Poor Paddy" is all I can say), the pain and fatigue though, I still feel enormously blessed to be allowed to experience pregnancy and that everything is going so well with this baby. I WANT this baby, I have wanted it for a long time and I can't wait to meet it. I can't wait to hold my baby, to feel it in my arms, to smell it's head and to hear it's first cries. I would rather have it be sooner than later! ;)

We (and by "we" I mean Paddy, as I physically can't do much at all!) are in the midst of last minute baby preparations. I just made up the Moses basket and we have all the clothes washed and put in the drawers. My hospital and labour bags are packed and are in the hall awaiting our departure for the hospital.

Munchkin is very excited about becoming a big sister and sings "Twinkle Twinkle, little star" to the baby frequently.
For some reason, she keeps thinking the baby is in my bossom rather than my tummy. I have had some strange looks when she strokes my breast saying "I love our Baby Mamma!" and puts her cheek against it!
Bless her, we have tried to explain it to her several times but the idea won't budge! I would love to know where the idea came from. Now, I am fairly large up top, so maybe she thinks the baby would have more space up there? :-)

Ok, this is about as much "behind the computer time" as my back can handle at the moment. Going to put my footsies up with a nice cold drink and read a few more pages of the new Harry Potter before going back to the baby preps.

Love and light,

Mieneke

As of approximately 45 minutes ago, we are back Online! Due to complications with the pregnancy (All is well now!) I had to leave work earlier than intended, and in that same week, the Internet at home died..... So I was without the WWW for a good number of weeks. Talk about feeling like you lost a limb! But, we are back now! Thank Heavens!

I am looking forward to reading up on your respective blogs after I get this new PC secured, I HAVE MISSED YOU GUYS!

Love and light,

Mieneke