preparing

At my appointment Wednesday, the midwife checked me and once again told me my cervix was "hard as a walnut".  Not really what I wanted to hear.  She said that she would be pushing it to call me 1 cm dilated, but that I wasn't completely closed (a bit of good news I guess).  I asked her what I could be doing to help things along and she told me to start taking evening primrose oil which will help soften my cervix.

I am also drinking red raspberry leaf tea twice a day to help strengthen and tone my uterus (should also help it recover faster after delivery) and sitting on a birthing ball pretty much any time I sit down.  It should help open my pelvis as much as 25-30% and help baby Oscar to engage lower in the birth canal.  I am trying to help my body along so that when I go into labor, everything is favorable for a shorter labor than I had last time. 

And, of course, walking!  Cody and I have started walking each evening to help move things along.

38 weeks:
Total weight gain of 26 lbs.  No real contractions, just braxton hicks.  I am feeling more pressure in my pelvis but I don't think I will have little Oscar too soon...so I am trying to enjoy every single movement that I feel inside my belly while he is still "all mine".