Going with the Flow

I may feel a bit more uncomfortable by day (maybe this is a good sign??) but my mantra this week is to just "go with the flow."  I'm ignoring that I'm almost two weeks past my due date.  In a moment of weakness I asked myself if my body is hormonally defunct and not programed for birth, but then I got a grip and reminded myself that all pregnant women are designed to give birth eventually and besides being ridiculous, it was presumptuous to consider myself a special exception.  I'm not nuts, I promise you...

I've been pretty successful at not dwelling on when it's all going to kick off this week, but at the same time have done a few more things to encourage the little lady to flow on out of me.  These include:

• Another curry with Chris - we are taking advantage of our "only us" time while trying to spice up my system.  This meal - a Madras main - was spicier and tastier than the Rogan dish I had last week.
• I ate another pineapple - yum, I do love pineapple
• I went for induction acupuncture - I visited a therapist highly recommended by my yoga teacher in hopes of opening up channels of energy within....I'd never been for acupuncture and don't really understand the science behind it, but I did find the session relaxing, soothing and pleasant.  I could barely see/feel the needles, even when the therapist stimulated them throughout the session.  He explained that his induction technique is more stimulative and less relaxing than other forms of acupuncture, but he was very gentle all the same and no part of the procedure was uncomfortable.
• I went for a second membrane sweep - again, this was more uncomfortable than painful, and generated similar symptoms to my last sweep.  Unfortunately there didn't appear to be many changes down below - baby's head is engaged but not fully, cervix is soft but posterior - but the midwife said she did a thorough sweep and that things could change quickly once my body decides it's ready for birth.
  
• I busted out my high heeled boots for walking - I've been walking a lot but reverted to flats as pregnancy progressed.  With all the snow and ice of late, any type of heel was out of the question.  But now that the roads are clear, I decided some extra clunking and thumping a la heels might combine with gravity to suit my "baby please drop down further in my pelvis" purposes.  
• My butt is totally the shape of my Pilates, now birthing ball - if I'm sitting at home, I'm on that ball.  I may not have used the ball for years but with the amount of time I've clocked on it recently, it is totally worth the investment!
  

Though the NHS policy is to induce labor by 42 weeks, following my midwife sweep today I spoke with the doctor at hospital who agreed that as all appears well with baby/me, I can delay induction provided I come in for daily, 45 minute fetal monitoring.  That means if I don't give birth by Friday, I begin the monitoring. If the monitoring shows all is well, I can continue down this route until I give birth or decide to be induced.  The midwife/doctor answered my questions and listened to my thoughts objectively. 

Maybe something will shift before Friday, but if not I'm going to give my body and baby a few more days to go with the flow before deciding in favor of induction.