36w, 6d

Had a really good appointment today!

I've been praying about the GBS test all week, afraid of what it might show. Not only is it a high false positive rate, but I wasn't prepared when I got it. I had only been taking probiotics for two days, so they weren't going to help me this time. But, luckily, I'm negative anyway. This was SUCH a huge weight off of me! Being positive would have meant an automatic hospital birth, hooked up to an IV, having antibiotics pumped in me for hours, and the baby needing testing. Instead, this was the last hurdle I needed to jump through to get my birth center birth cleared, and I did it! I looked in my chart and found where it said negative and did a happy little dance in my chair.

I also signed the papers to get my water birth, and I received an email address of the birth center so I can just email them my birth plan and home address since I don't have any printer ink - and that's not the type of thing you want your librarian to print out for you! I need it by next week, so luckily it's already to go.

My blood pressure, for the first time ever, was higher than my normal. Every single time I go, I'm always 106/60. Always. If anything, my blood pressure tends to go lower than that (and nurses tell me things like "huh, you should be dead.") This time I was 120/60 something. No idea what might have raised it, but it's just raised to a normal level so it's not a cause for concern.

On the eve of being full term and 37 weeks, I now weigh 149.5 lbs, which equals out to be 35.5 lbs gained so far. Not bad, since when I had Katie at 40w, 2d I was about 42 lbs up, so I'm right on schedule or even doing a bit better this time.  (I had also started out about 5 lbs more with her too).

As of tomorrow, I can go into labor at any time and be okay still for my birth center birth, which is exciting. What a fun milestone! Everything is all clear, I'm eager to see if I get the birth I want this time.

22 days left until my due date. 9 days left until we buy our tree and get all of our Christmas decorations out. 10 days until December. Somehow, I'm almost at the finish line already! We're going to have a brand new little life soon, just in time to celebrate the happiest of holidays. I can't wait!