As you all know, I've read almost every pregnancy book out there. Okay, slight exaggeration, but I do feel rather well read on the subject. And I never skipped over the whole labor/delivery part. Because, well, you know, that's important stuff. So, allow me a minute to vent about how they really gloss over this whole business of early labor and how frickin' long it can take.
Did you know that it can last for days!? WEEKS, even?! Maybe it was just me, but I'd always heard the stories of, waking up and feeling crampy and then things slowly got worst, and then the next day, or that night, or sometime within 24-48 hours there's a trip to a hospital and then 12-24 hours after that a brand new babe in your arms.
I'm now logging about 60 hours...
My contractions started on Tuesday - they were pretty random, but painful, and definitely different than those Braxton-Hicks contractions. Having some other fun "labor is right around the corner" symptoms that I'll spare you the details of, I was pretty sure that things were well on their way. In fact, into early Wednesday morning (4am) we had the go bag in the car ready to go and were monitoring contractions that were owee-wowzee for a good 45 minutes; 6 minutes apart when all of a sudden they just stopped. Nothin'. Nada. We shrugged our shoulders and back to bed we went at 6am.
Around 11am, things picked up again. A call to the doctor and they wanted me to come in for a labor evaluation and we spent a good two hours in the doctor's office. They strapped the fetal monitor on me to check on both the baby's heart rate and my contractions. We also had to count the number of movements the baby made. So, heart rate = good. Movements = good. Physical exam...eh, not much progress. But the nurse confirmed that my contractions were "real" and yes, this is beginning labor. She said it more than once. I swear.
So, then, why am I still at home experiencing the same damn thing? Contractions get going, they get more intense and longer and closer together, and then they just fizzle out. It is the most frustrating thing ever. And it hurts. And it's exhausting. I must have one comfy womb, 'cuz this kid does not want to come out.
I did, however, make the decision to go ahead and take my leave from work, making yesterday my last day. I am so glad I did because there is no way I could focus on anything else at this point and I am wicked tired and cranky and could easily create a hostile work environment, so it was best all around that I just bow out. Since I spent the better part of the morning this morning in weepy "get her out of me!" tears, it seems a wise decision, for sure.
And so...the plan now is to see how the night goes tonight, then check in with the doctor in the morning. But things have been pretty darn calm this evening - despite lots of walking during the day and an after dinner stroll through the mall. At least Scott and I are able to keep our sense of humor through all of this. I have to say how grateful I am to have such a wonderful, caring, supportive husband who is not above a good fart joke if necessary. And believe me - it's been necessary.
Still waiting...and waiting...
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