3/5 engaged

Went for my antenatal check up this morning and Cupcake is now 3/5 engaged. That seems like a nice, steady descent. I'm thinking I'll probably go into labour next Thursday night, you know the night before we move. That might spice things up a bit. Good lord, can you imagine?!

Everything else was fine. The bump is the 'perfect' size and Cupcake's heartrate was excellent. Now, the waiting continues.

The one thing that was a bit shocking this morning was my care. At my last antenatal appointment two weeks ago I saw a substitute midwife because the usual midwife was off sick. When I went in for my check up yesterday they didn't have my appointment down so I had to see a GP today. That was fine but then when I went to schedule my next midwife appointment I was told that she was booked for the next three weeks! I could have the baby by then. Not great.

Thank goodness I'm not a frantic first-time Mom. I think I would've burst into tears at the reception desk. Being 35 weeks pregnant and told that you can't see the midwife for three weeks - I am not impressed. At this stage of the pregnancy I'm supposed to be having antenatal appointments every week so I've been booked in to see the GP again next week. It's with Dr Khalil, who is really excellent, so I'm not concerned but I'm sure the situation would be distressing for a lot of women. Your midwife becomes your touchstone in pregnancy and their reassurance is so important. Feeling like a number that has somehow slipped through the net isn't a nice feeling at any time but especially not when you're weeks away from giving birth.