Update - 32 weeks

I had a good check-up yesterday evening now my doctor is back from holiday, where we discussed potential induction dates, delivery methods and strategies, the risk of wet lungs at birth, the risk of failed induction leading to C-section, monitoring frequency going forward etc. I'm having weekly appointments from now on, which was the OB's own proposition.

I had a foetal heart-rate monitoring session yesterday afternoon which was fine and have also re-done the 1 hour glucose test as a double-check since I failed it the first time. If I fail it again then I have to do the 3 hour test again.

My OB reiterated that none of the dates we have discussed are rigid, but we have agreed on something tentative. I was wondering about how I would react to having a date as I had my induction date for V. and he didn't make it to that date despite passing u/s and heart-rate monitoring with flying colours three days before he died. The date wasn't something I was feeling necessarily relieved about getting. But overall I think I am feeling OK about it.

Since I am taking 100mg of aspirin every day, and we decided not to start LMWH shots, I had figured: no epidural possible. It takes 10 days for the aspirin to get out of your system and I didn't want to stop taking the only anti-coagulant I am taking at the end when it's the time of highest need. I also didn't want any risk of spinal cord bruising due to extra bleeding in the "blind" space that anaesthetists have to use for epidurals. And since I had epidurals with both V. and A. I was thinking that this birth could be different by not having one. (Obviously I hope the prime difference will be something else).

My OB is quite pro-epidural though. She would prefer that I had an option to have one even though I may not want or need one. She suggested that I switch to the LMWH ten days before delivery as that only needs to be stopped the night before, to leave my options open. As I type this, I couldn't help thinking, "and if Beanie dies and I'm delivering another dead child then probably I would want another epidural anyway." So we'll see what we decide.

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My husband and I slept in separate beds yesterday. It was planned! We are both keeping each other awake - I wake him up every night by turning over in bed, getting up to go to the loo sometimes several times, getting up because of general insomnia. He wakes me up every night by rolling himself completely in the duvet without me and because he sets his alarm at 6:30am every day for work. So we tried sleeping separately - and although I hate to admit it, we both slept much better. I only got up once for a loo run and slept pretty much the rest of the night.

But it won't be a permanent arrangement - every now and then to catch up sleep but not every night.