Confused and Worn Out

Haven't written in days since the mood around here is pretty gloomy. If you go by Kelly's last menstrual period, her due date was April 15, which now makes her THREE WEEKS OVERDUE! I am all for letting things happen, and I do believe that everyone will go into labor when it is time, but this has us both stumped. Even if you go 10 days out, for maybe a super late ovulation, that would still make her quite overdue. (On a very positive note, Eleanor is doing very well. She has had two fetal biophysical profiles and is perfect! Though the ultrasound, is notoriously inaccurate for weight, they guessed Eleanor's weight at 9 lbs. 11 oz., almost Josh's exact birth weight.)

So, as you might guess, Kelly has so totally had it and is very sick of her midwifery practice. There is no continuity of care -- you see whoever you see -- and nobody seems to be able to read your chart before they see you. You have to explain yourself each time like you're a new patient. And, everyone comes up with a different number for dilation, effacement and baby's station. I know there is normal variance but you don't want to tell a woman she has gone backwards, do you????? It's stupid and it makes us very angry. It really is pitiful the quality of care and the choices available for birthing women in this country!

I know what Kelly would like best is if she would go into labor and have such a precipitous birth that she wouldn't even have to bother with the midwives. That being said, we just want labor to start -- and NOW! We feel like time is running out. Kelly does not want a medical induction and everything that entails. She does not want to be in a hospital, a place she doesn't trust, with people she doesn't trust. I wrote my wonderful midwife friend, Nancy Wainer, in Massachussetts who helped me with Kelly's birth all those years ago and we're supposed to call her today for some fresh ideas. What I wish is that I could just take Kelly up there and have Nancy attend the birth.

Sunday morning things were pretty depressing around here. Every morning when Kelly wakes up and realizes that she has ANOTHER DAY and no baby, it's just hard. So, crazy me suggested we go and spend one night at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota. I figured it's only 2.5 hrs away (and how bad could it be to be born in the Ritz if there was a very quick birth!). So, I booked a room on the club level (if you've never been to the Ritz and stayed on the club level, you need to go!) and we went, with about 15 minutes notice. We had a great day there, sunning, swimming and enjoying wonderful food. I hoped a little bit of relaxation would help get her over the hump but she had a bad night in the hotel bed, so neither of us was rested the next morning. We were going to hang around until after lunch but Kelly couldn't change her midwife appointment to the afternoon so we left quickly after breakfast and were catapulted quickly back into real life, first with a call from Clint telling her he had gotten a speeding ticket, and then waiting around for a long time at first the midwife and then the imaging place for the ultrasound. By that time, the whole day was gone, all spent visiting "doctors"!

Eleanor, we are still planning for you to come into this world on your own power, so please, please get busy -- our time is running out ...