There's only one thing that is certain about predicting when labor is going to begin: no one knows anything. As your due date draws closer your physician will start making all sorts of predictions about when you are going to pop. They will rev you up by telling you how nice and soft your cervix is and throw around words like "dilated" and "effacement" to make you feel like you are getting closer to the big day. You will go home with a big smile on your face and call your parents and friends and brag that you are 40% effaced and are making such great progress — it could be any day now! But in reality, your doctor has about as much luck predicting when you are going to go into labor as you have touching your feet at 38 weeks pregnant.
Last week we got all excited when the doctor told us I was already 1/2 cm dilated and that there was a 50/50 chance I would go early. We thought for certain BGS was going to come that weekend. Bret started tying up loose ends at work and the family was put on alert, only for us to learn that BGS was quite comfortable where she is and had no intention of coming out anytime soon.
We told ourselves we weren't going to make the same mistake twice. At our last doctor's appointment this afternoon I was officially declared 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced, which we know means one thing when it comes to predicting BGS's birthday: nothing. Some women walk around 3 cm dilated for two weeks. Others go to the doctor completely closed up in the morning only to deliver that evening. But that doesn't stop you from getting your hopes up.
Even if no one can predict when I am going to go into labor at least these indicators mean the induction will hopefully go a little easier — after all there are only 8 more cm to go! And that sounds a heck of a lot better than 10 cm. Regardless of what happens this weekend there is an end in sight. Tuesday night we will be checking into the hospital and hopefully by Wednesday evening we will be holding our little girl!
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