32 weeks

This week was not only productive, but very positive too. It started with the visit to the hospital for our pre-registration paperwork and a tour. The RN who did our interview was very compassionate and understanding. It seems like everyone who has helped with this whole process has just bent over backward to make our experience the best possible under the circumstances.

The other great news from this week is that Elspeth's induction date is set! We will check into the hospital for some pre-treatment the night before the induction on Monday October 4th. Then early on Tuesday October 5th the pitocin will start. Some of you might ask, why are you having an induction? The answer is simple, anencephalic babies just don't know when to come. Some doctors believe that birth is triggered by a hormone secreted from a baby's brain. This hormone starts contractions. Since anencephalic babies don't have anything more than a brain stem, they do not initiate labor. Before the days of sonography, women who were overdue by more than 2 weeks or so were suspected to have anencephalic babies. Sometimes these women went 4+ weeks overdue because they didn't understand about anencephaly the way they do now. I have chosen to induce on Elspeth's due date instead of earlier like I had originally planned because I am hoping my body will be more ready for labor and maybe it will go a little more smoothly. We are also hoping that Elspeth will be strong enough by 40 weeks to make it out alive, literally.

Speaking of labor and birth, we had our birth class yesterday. We found a doula named Vanessa Flood through the hospital. She often teaches large group classes but agreed to have a private class with Ryan and I in our own home. Having spoken to several other people in the past I am so grateful that we had this private session for many different reasons. Vanessa made the class applicable to me and let us ask as many questions as we wanted and made it fun too. I really feel relieved after having her come over about the whole labor process. Other people that I have spoken with about their classes said that it was boring, generic and not very helpful. This is totally not the case with Vanessa, she made me feel confident and strong...at least for now. Maybe my really strange nightmares about giving birth will let up for now...I could use a break from dreaming about giving birth naked in a room full of people I knew from high school.

Here's a photo of Vanessa and I on our "birthing" balls.

I am ready for week 33 coming up this next week. So many of you have asked "how do you feel?" I feel good physically, emotionally worn out on most days. I am really lucky because I haven't gotten swollen yet and my back only hurts on days that I have worked a 12 hour shift so I can't complain. I really feel that my Heavenly Father has blessed me to have such a wonderful pregnancy and I will be eternally grateful for such a gift!