Doing the Math

[35 weeks @ (80% effaced x 2 cm dilated)] x 100% insomniac = completely counterproductive

Argh. At least we're 80% ready for the baby (in the absolute minimal sense) after a burst of probably ill-advised activity today . . . the rest will have to wait until AC is awake since some of the things that need to be sorted out are in her room.

I wish the new baby would sit tight for another week, ideally two, so we could be more confident she was really ready. AC was born 10 days before her due date, which was still full-term. If this baby is born within the next couple of weeks, she will be a late-term preemie (i.e., probably fine in the long run, but more risk of complications and a longer hospital stay). I just looked back at this blog and saw that last time I posted that I was 80% effaced, I gave birth less than 12 hours later. Yikes. I was more dilated then, and it doesn't really mean anything for sure anyway, but I really can't imagine that she's going to hang out for another 5 weeks until her actual due date.

I'm less worried about the birth itself than the orchestration of the logistics. AC was born so quickly that I feel like we need to be able to activate our plan for childcare and get to the hospital superfast, at any moment (last time, I didn't have painful contractions until I was almost 9 cm dilated, and I was pushing within about 45 minutes--fortunately, we were already at the hospital following up on a routine appointment that day . . . this was a blessing but has me somewhat fearful of giving birth without warning at home, in the car, or worst of all, in public). Since my parents live a day's drive away, AC's angelic babysitter, who is like a member of our family and one of AC's favorite people in the world, is on call and already has a bag packed in her car. And in case we have to head to the hospital with AC in tow, our friends who have a toddler (and hence a toddler carseat) are also on backup call so that they can pick her up and drive her back to our house if necessary.

Of course, the second labor could be completely different--this baby could decide to cozy in after all until 40 or 41 weeks, or she might position herself in such a way that I have a much longer labor, or my water could break at a different stage in labor. Who knows. She already seems different from AC. Maybe it's silly even to say, but she kicks differently. AC would push her feet under my ribs hard, or pound frantically like she was trying to bust out, or rest for long periods with barely any movement; this baby rolls around gently and quietly and almost constantly, in a very reassuring and peaceful way.

Even though I'd like her to stay inside for longer, I also can't wait to meet her.