Weekend Posty-ness

I’m so good about posting when people are least likely to read. Go me!
So far, each of my babies has been able to come in their own good time- for the most part. I’m not sure Ephraim counts, but maybe he does. I don’t know! He certainly came when he needed to and was as ready as possible under the circumstances. And the rest of them got to pick their own birth dates for which I am very grateful. That’s something I wanted for them.
I’m hoping this baby will be no different. I want to let him or her come when good and ready! That means it could be around when I’m “due,” a week or two before that (oh so unlikely… I’m not that lucky), or 2+ weeks after that (I really hope not…)! This is one area of life for me that I have no control over and sometimes it gets unnerving not having any idea when this big event will take place! I’ve talked to other moms who’ve had as many (or more) kids than I have and have learned that it’s completely possible to go early with one baby and then late with the next. So really- who knows!!
It’s also very exciting though- Labor starting on its own is always such a rush! And there is so much to anticipate in the meantime- not knowing when it’ll happen; not knowing if we have a baby girl or a baby boy; and we don’t have names picked either. There are a lot of unknowns this time!
But that’s all part of why I’m afraid of being pinned to a due date this time. I don’t want the pressure if/when the date comes and goes. If I happen to go way over, I don’t want the pressure and the misplaced concern for our well-being. Did you know that technically you aren’t even “overdue” until after 42 weeks!? 37-42 weeks is considered “term” and a normal time for delivery! Yet I do know women who’ve had perfectly healthy pregnancies and had their babies trigger natural labor a little before 37 weeks or after 42 weeks, so there is also even a little more variation possible there! It is true, though that most women have their babies sometime between 37 and 42 weeks. And this is assuming the approximate due date is fairly accurate which is also sadly rare.
I’m at the point when people are constantly asking “What’s your due date?” “How many weeks are you?” “How many weeks left?” etc. I haven’t figured out the best answers yet except that I can at least shrug it off and say, “Oh- I’m approximately 10 months pregnant.” and hope that gets them off-track. :P I feel enormous and I’m pretty sure I look it too if the comments I get are any indication. At symphony this past week I got, “she’s about to pop,” and “If the Tchaikovsky can’t shake that baby out, nothing can!” Oh- and a friend’s grandma in the audience said during intermission, “You’ve got a pregnant lady up there! Hope she can make it through the rest of the concert!” These comments mostly just make me laugh a lot. :) If only Tchaikovsky could shake babies out!
But I know that I’m normal and healthy for this stage and my baby is normal and healthy too so I try not to let it get to me. At least I can joke about being 10 months pregnant! I wish I could keep from getting any larger, but I’m afraid that’s inevitable (as unimaginable as it is!). I just kind of dread seeing the same people that already said that I’m “about to pop.” If I’m about to pop now then what about in two weeks when I see them again…. Yikes! This is when an invisibility cloak could come in handy! (Harry Potter and Frodo are so lucky.)
My favorite response for “How many weeks left?” is “I don’t know.” Because it’s the truth. I don’t know.