3...

Had my last doctor's appointment before Tyler arrives. His heartbeat is strong and sounds good. I have not made any progress on my own (still 1.5cm dilated, and only about 50% effaced...no I haven't gone backwards, it just felt different last week than it does this week apparently). The doctor also stripped my membranes today (which was not the most comfortable experience, but she is generally good about being quick with that sort of thing). She said this should help get things "ready" for Thursday, which she fully expects us to make it until Thursday (so nobody get their hopes up too much for Tyler arriving any earlier).

Below is an explanation of what "getting your membranes stripped" means... warning, this may be TMI for some of you (so stop reading if you think that may be the case):

Stripping the membranes of a pregnant woman is almost a guaranteed way to bring on labor naturally.

Stripping the membranes is when a doctor inserts two fingers into the vagina and makes a sweeping motion inside the cervix to loosen not only the mucus plug but the bag of water from the uterus.

This procedure is best done when the mother has already started to dilate, or open up. Stripping the membranes when a mother is not dilated may cause discomfort and even pain. So it is much better to do this when the mother is at least 2 cm dilated.

The reason that this procedure is a natural way to induce labor is because removing the mucus plug as well as disrupting the attachment of the bag of water to the uterus will cause the uterus to contract. Often times, once the mucus plug is removed (which is a thick collection of mucus that seals the cervix from anything trying to enter the uterus), labor starts within 3 days.