The Hubby and I had our 37 week prenatal exam today. It was pretty much a repeat of other visits - arrive 15 minutes early, wait forever past appointment time, wait some more in exam room, blood pressure, baby's heartbeat, etc. The only difference is that I'm considered full term now so the doctor swabbed me for Strep B, STDs and checked my cervix. I am officially one centimeter dilated. Hubby's response: "One down, nine to go!"

I'm not completely prepared for all of this. Mentally we've both been preparing ourselves since November 6th, the day we discovered we were having a baby. It's just all the details that are left yet undone. I still have to put up curtains in the nursery and replace/cover the crib bedding we were gifted. Snoopy is not my bedding of choice and doesn't go with our jungle theme at all. As my due date, July 9th, is quickly approaching, I really need to get my hospital bag together and print out a quick outline of my birth plan for the midwives so there won't be any misunderstandings.

This whole giving birth in a hospital thing weirds me out. Hospitals are for the sick and dying, two things that have very little to do with the natural process of giving birth. Unfortunately we don't have any other options right now and far be it from me to spit at free military medical care. Under better financial circumstances I would have opted for a water labor and delivery at home, but even disregarding the financial burden involved in a private midwife and tub rental, my husband and everyone else is totally opposed to the idea. Sadly, in this culture of fear and societal thinking that "Doctor knows best," it's hard to get around those types of personal views.

I'm scheduled to go back in on Monday. Hopefully having weekly appointments from now on will give me something to look forward to and shorten the time that I have yet to wait.