Monitoring Fetal Movements

I am 37 weeks and 1 day pregnant. There isn't long to go now. Officially, my baby is now fully developed and could be born without complication (and quite probably a full head of thick hair). It's a wonderful, beautiful feeling to know that we made it to the end ... but the baby isn't on the verge of falling out just yet, there's quite likely a few weeks to go.

I've been advised by my obstetrician and various books that I should be counting my baby's movements. If I register a decline in activity inside my uterus, I should contact the hospital. My doctor told me there should be 10 movements before morning tea.

This frantic counting from the moment I wake up has me a little bit worried during those times when the baby is asleep. Sometimes I realise I've been a bit preoccupied with other things and I haven't noticed for hours whether the baby has moved or not, and so pass a few tense moments until I feel a telltale wriggle from inside me telling me everything is OK.

I'd really like to be able to relax. Didn't we make it? Haven't we reached our final goal? Why now, in these last few weeks, can't I take it easy? I don't want to be counting movements, it's tedious and stressful and I haven't actually once counted to 10 because I always lose interest around 5. This simply isn't how I want to spend my day or even the first few hours before morning tea.

And yet I'll just take a moment to pause now, pat my belly and check to see what's going on. Baby's sleeping ... should I call the hospital or wait, worried and anxious, until baby moves again?