This little lady kept me on my toes for the last two weeks of pregnancy. Every few nights I would have a couple hours of consistent Braxton Hicks contractions that would get me excited and hopeful that this could be it! WRONG. After I would be up half the night, contractions would fade and I would go to bed exhausted and disappointed. This made caring for the boys the next day really tough!!
My due date of February 1 came and went. I knew that she would come when she was truly ready, (and it is not actually abnormal to go two weeks past), but that still doesn't make the waiting easy! I was dying to say goodbye to heartburn and pelvic pain and hello to my baby girl.
February 4th I had a post due date appointment at the birthing center. I was a little disheartened to hear that I was barely 2 cm dilated and my cervix was high, very posterior, and thick. Gah! What about all those contractions over the past month? Sigh. My midwife Carol stripped my membranes (OWIE), but I was willing to try it for a hopeful jumpstart on labor if my body would cooperate.
Wednesday, February 5th I was at my wits end- emotional and tired to say the least. I was so done being pregnant and not being able to be the mommy I wanted to be for Palmer and Russell. Tyler's mom took the day off work to keep the boys so I could get some rest and get a few things done around the house. It was a glorious and much needed break!
After a day of organizing, resting, and errands, I started having contractions around 3:30 pm. Kay was about to bring the boys home, so I told her to hold onto them a while longer, just in case. My mom went to her house to get Palmer for his weekly sleepover in Lewisville and Russell waited at Kay's.
And waited. . . And waited. Around 6:30 I was still having regular contractions, but it wasn't clearly labor. I was going to be so annoyed if this turned out to he nothing AGAIN! It was decided Russell would just spend the night in Plano and I would go pick him up early if June didn't come.
I'm so glad I ate a good dinner of chicken and dumplings even though I had no appetite because I would need the energy throughout the night. My contractions were sometimes ten minutes apart, sometimes more like 7, and I was keeping track on my iPhone notes. At 8:54 I wrote "ouch" next to the contraction time. I folded some kids laundry and watched Top Chef on the DVR. At 10:05 I wrote "super ouch" on my notes. Haha. I woke Tyler up and called the midwife! She said she would get ready to come in, but thought I should wait til they become more intense and I have to concentrate to get through them.
I was nervous that my labor would progress quickly like with Russell so I was antsy to get to the birthing center to feel more settled and in control! Tyler warmed up the car, loaded my stuff, and dozed in the recliner while I paced around the house. Finally a little after 11:00 pm I felt confident my labor was well established and I had trouble talking through contractions. I texted my midwife and photographer friend Beth and headed out the door!
Part II to come. . .
Snow Day 2.27.15
9 years ago
