37 Week Check Up

Today's visit went very well. My Rh factor was positive (this is good) and I tested negative for Strep B (this is also good - no extra day in the hospital). My uterus was measuring right at 37 weeks and I asked the doctor if Hayden was ginormous and he said no. He also checked my cervix today. Ouch. I was dilated about the width of his finger tip, 50% effaced and the station was -2. If you haven't read 1000 baby books like me this is probably useless, but as a reference the cervix has to be dilated 10 centimeters and 100% effaced in order to deliver a baby. The station refers to an imaginary line going across the bony pelvis. When the babies head is above this line it is a negative number, at the line it is zero, and below the line is positive (when the head is coming out). You would think all of this data would "mean" something, but it really does not give an indication of when labor will begin it only suggests that things are progressing. I have lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, but I have not had any real contractions. I go back next Thursday to check the progress again :)