Week
39:
I
was truly enjoying the end of my pregnancy. I was walking and doing the exercises that my Doula*, Jessica, taught me and my
husband in order to help our little girl be in the right birthing position and
to open my pelvis. I was also happily
cleaning my house, washing and ironing baby clothes. I was in nesting bliss. Though my husband also
wants me to add that I was driving him crazy during this nesting period. Apparently, I also made him clean and
organize too, haha! Any who, one night I
noticed my feet were itching and I later I noticed that my hands were also itching.
I figured I was allergic to something I
was cleaning with, so I started switching out soaps and lotions trying to
figure out the cause of the irritation.
Week
40:
I
met with one of my midwives. There are 5
midwives in my midwife group. The midwife group I used does not check to see if
their patients are dilated or effaced until they reach 40 weeks of pregnancy. Being dilated or effaced does not determine
whether someone is in labor. My midwives
explained that if they prematurely determine how much their patients are
dilated or effaced, then their patients often become discouraged if a lot of
progress has not been made. I
experienced this firsthand when my midwife informed me that I was only 1 centimeter
dilated and 60% effaced. Upon hearing
this information, I became very discouraged.
It didn’t matter what my doula, my midwives and my own reading taught me,
I still became stressed and discouraged.
I knew that I would become more dilated and effaced during my labor
process, but to me the news meant labor was a long way off and at that point in
my pregnancy I was ready to have this baby. Seeing my disappointment, my midwife asked if
I would like to get my membranes stripped (a procedure known to kick start
labor). I declined, because to me this
procedure is a form of medical intervention, which I was trying to avoid in my
quest for a natural childbirth. I wanted
the baby come on her own time.
The
only thing that cheered me up after my visit with the midwife was my full body
prenatal massage. My doula suggested
that I book one on my due date, which was ultimately great advice. My husband also told me to splurge and go for
the longer message. The message was amazing!!! It was just what this soon-to-be mama really
needed. My husband and my doula rock! I went to bed that night with zero stress, but
I woke up around 4 A.M. with intense itching on my feet and hands. Over the last week my hands and feet had been
itching, but this night it was much worse then before. So, at 4 A.M. I went on the Internet and
searched Google for “itchy feet and hands”.
I learned that itchy feet and hands is a symptom of a pregnancy illness
called Cholestasis.
That
Friday morning I called my midwife group and left a message with their nurse. About an hour later they called me back and told
me to come into their office immediately.
*For more information about my wonderful doula Jessica: