Over Due

Today I am officially 3 days over my due date, although this doesn't mean anything. Most first time moms are pregnant for up to 2 weeks after their 40 week due date. I hope this wont be so in my case but this is something I don't have control over. I try to act very patient but I am not, not at all. I want this baby out! I want to hold her, kiss her, squeeze her and never let her go. She probably senses this and wants to steer clear of all the embarrassing love her Dad and I will put upon her. 

The midwives at the Birthing Center have given me tips to get the cervix softened and to hopefully dilate, here they are:

1. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea- This was the hardest thing to find! We drove all over looking for it, even went to a natural food store and finally ended up at Central Market. The one store in all of Austin that carries it (I'm sure Whole Foods does as well). I drink tea every morning yet I was a little apprehensive to try this one because I hate fruit flavored tea. Before getting pregnant I drank Black English tea and then switched to Pregnancy tea. But the Red Raspberry Leaf tea doesn't taste like raspberries at all, thank god!
2. Exercise Ball- Apparently rocking your hips back and forth and also doing figure-eights is supposed to guide the baby's head down into the pelvis. So on my exercise ball I sit and wiggle.
3. Sex- Yup, that's right sex. Giant 40 week uncomfortable sex. While it doesn't induce labor (unfortunately) it produces a prostaglandin release which can help soften the cervix and prepare for dilation.
4. Walking- I have stayed very active my entire pregnancy, only stopping for 2 weeks when sciatica was kicking my ass. Aaron and I walk the dogs every morning for about 2 miles. I am usually waddling along behind Aaron, but not anymore. He said he has never seen me move so fast. I want Penelope out, dammit! Trying to work up a sweat and get that heart rate up. Tomorrow I plan on walking laps around Aaron, lets hope the dogs and him can keep up. I wait for no one. 
5. Pineapple- Eating a lot of pineapple to induce labor is an old wives tale, but it couldn't hurt right? Yesterday I ate an entire pineapple in less than 30 minutes while bouncing on my exercise ball. It was a miracle I kept it down. Too much pineapple and too much bouncing made this pregger nauseous.