Thursday, March 8, 2012

She's Here!

My contractions started at 9:15 pm, and she was born at 4:15 am. I got my all-natural birth, although her head wasn't perfectly positioned and I ended up with an episiotomy. She just wasn't coming out, though, and I was starting to tear, so I can live with it. She weighs over 8.5 pounds--much bigger than her sister! She looks just like T!

I am utterly wrecked, as I only got an hour of sleep this morning. Hoping to get a little more once I eat dinner. Will post a more complete birth story soon.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Now In Labor

Shortly after that last post, my labor started. I've been having painful contractions for about three hours. They started out about 7-8 minutes apart, and are now about 5-6 minutes apart and lasting 35-45 seconds. I called my doctor, and she said I can go to the hospital whenever I want, but that I don't need to go until I am having them 3 minutes apart, and they are lasting 1 minute in length.

My doctor also said that when she left the hospital a couple of hours ago, it was really busy, and that she also has two other patients who are in labor. It sounds like the hospital is going to be slammed tonight, and I won't have a chance to use the birthing tub. Bummer.

Okay, now to go focus on labor.

Hmmrgh

I don't really know what to do with myself. I'll be 40 weeks on Friday. I had Miss M at 39 weeks 3 days. (I should mention here that since I was keeping such close track of my cycles, I know EXACTLY what day I conceived with both pregnancies, so my due dates were really solid with both pregnancies.) I really thought I would have this baby early, particularly given how active I've been. That obviously hasn't happened. I've been having loads of contractions, and last night they were so bad they woke me in the middle of the night. I was sure that I'd wake up in full blown labor later on. But, it didn't happen. In fact, once I got up this morning, the contractions went away entirely. (The same thing happened last Thursday). We hung out at home this morning, I took a nap, we went for lunch, we took a long walk. . .and still, nothing. I'm having contractions, but I just don't feel like they are going anywhere.

So that leads me to, should I go to work tomorrow? I don't really feel like going to work any more. I hate to waste my scant maternity leave hanging out at home doing very little, though. Not that hanging out with Miss M and T is "wasted" time, but I do feel like we'll want that time together AFTER the baby is here. Sigh. I don't know what to do. I certainly don't want to go into labor at work. And have I mentioned I don't feel like going to work any more? The new management team really is so disorganized that I don't enjoy being there right now. I'm ready to be out of there for a while.

I also just kind of want to be left alone with my thoughts right now. I don't want to deal with anyone. T keeps commenting about how little I've spoken to him today, but I just don't feel like it. I just kind of want to hang out and read and be mellow (except when Miss M is talking to me, because she's just hilarious). He doesn't understand that, I can tell. But going to work will be even worse, because people there really won't understand wanting to be left alone!

My doctor likes to text her patients, which I find really funny. She texts with normal test results, for example. (I assume if there was a problem, she would actually call.) Today she texted me to make sure I was okay, because she was at the hospital and saw my record out in the delivery ward. Since there is no way I could deliver without her (this hospital doesn't have roving delivery doctors or an ER--you HAVE to see your own doctor to deliver there). I assured her (also via text) that I had no idea why they might have my records out, and that I am still enormously pregnant and waiting for something to happen. Her response? "Great!!" Um, that's not really the word I had in mind.

It's not that I'm uncomfortable, or in a hurry to deliver, or frustrated or at my wit's end, or anything like that. I know a lot of pregnant women are just DONE at almost 40 weeks, and I think with Miss M I was just about there. But this time around, I'm still quite comfortable, no doubt thanks to all of the walking I've done throughout this pregnancy. I'm truly not in a hurry. I think what's bothering me is the work stuff, and having so little leave, and being so worried about using well the time that I have. If I had unlimited leave, I'd be hanging out at home and not giving a second thought to when the baby might arrive. Every morning that I wake up and I'm not in labor, I struggle with what to do, and whether I feel "bad" enough to use a precious day of my leave. I don't know how to let go of that, though.

I guess I just have to take it one day at a time, and see how I feel in the morning. There really isn't much else I can do. This morning I was exhausted from being awake from the contractions in the middle of the night. They actually were somewhat painful, which is what woke me up. I might feel totally different tomorrow. Plus, I can take another long walk at lunch and go shopping, if I go to work. There's an incentive to going in to work!

And now, for a little TMI: I just had to run to the bathroom while writing this post (occupational hazard of being almost 40 weeks pregnant). I've lost bits and pieces of my mucous plug over the last week, but I didn't think I'd lost it entirely. Well, there it was when I pulled down my pants when I just went to the bathroom. It was an enormous glob on my underwear, mostly creamy/clear, but slightly tinged pink. Even though I know it doesn't mean anything about when I'll deliver, it does make me feel a bit better that all of these contractions are leading somewhere, and that I am indeed getting closer.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Today's Update: Still Pregnant

I went to work again. I really do feel great. It's hard to believe I'm feeling this great at 39 weeks pregnant and carrying 35-ish extra pounds, most of it in my belly. It's amazing how much of a difference it has made to keep active throughout my pregnancy this time.

I'm ready to be done with work, though. New management has made things really chaotic and disorganized, and now that I've wound down all of my work, the chaos is even more noticeable to me. It's kind of maddening.

I took a long walk with a friend to get lunch today. We went to this "healthy" place that she loves, that serves yummy soups and smoothies. I had a green chicken curry with rice and a mango-banana-orange milkshake. The soup was incredibly spicy. I was joking that if that didn't make me go into labor, nothing would. In all seriousness, it worked as serious colon cleanse about 20 minutes later. Not what I had in mind. . .

As the day has worn on, I've had crampiness and increasing contractions. For a while, I thought I might go into labor. Now that I'm home and in comfy jammies and sitting with my hot water bottle, I'm less convinced. I'm definitely getting closer, but I'm not feeling like I'm there yet. I sure am tired, though. I think it's going to be an early night for me. Right now Miss M and I are snuggled up together watching Little Einsteins, but as soon as it's time for her to go to bed, I think I will too!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Still Here Waiting

When I showed up for work this morning, people wanted to know what I was doing there, and truthfully, so did I. But I felt great, and there was nothing going on this morning--not even any Braxton-Hicks. So, off I went. I have a limited amount of maternity leave, and to me it doesn't make sense to spend it at home when I am feeling as good as I am. I mean, I'd love to hang out with T and Miss M for a while before the baby comes, but I think we're going to need that family time together after the baby comes, and I can't have it both ways with jut limited time off.

I took a long walking/shopping break at lunchtime. My office is perfectly placed for some really great shopping--crazy high end designers and affordable stuff, too. I was gone for almost two hours (oops!). I found a really cute sleeper that is decidedly local in nature (and reasonably priced), and finally found the type of blanket I've been looking for (also reasonably priced), which I like to use to rest the baby on while nursing. Miss M has a similar blanket, and sleeps with it every night now. Since we've bought so little for this baby, I really, really wanted to get a couple of things. Plus, the outfit I bought today should coordinate nicely with the outfit I've packed in my hospital bag for me to wear home. Gotta think about those going-home-from-the-hospital photos!

Since I was still around work today, I also went to a wedding celebration for a friend of mine that I work with, which I thought I'd miss out on. It was nice to be able to be there to help the happy couple celebrate. She had a fabulous dress made for the wedding, and everyone was in high spirits, which was really nice.

I've been having lots of contractions tonight, but just more B-H. I'm off to bed now. My official due date's on Friday. Tomorrow is the day I thought I'd have this baby. According to my own calculations, my due date should be on Saturday. I had Miss M four days before my due date, after doing lots of walking for three days before I had her. Tomorrow will be four days before my due date (at least, the one I calculated), and I've just done three days of long walks. Symmetry calls for my water to break at around 6am tomorrow morning.

I've been thinking that it will be weird if my water doesn't break this time. I really struggled to get the contractions going after my water broke last time, so I don't know what to expect if the contractions actually come first.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

39 Weeks

I'm still pregnant, and we've had a nice weekend. We went to the zoo again yesterday, and walked a ton. We walked tons more today. We had breakfast out, walked in the rain, did some shopping, then hung out at home. I've had contractions all afternoon and evening, but they don't hurt and don't seem to be progressing. I made potato-leek soup for dinner. It's been a pretty ordinary weekend.

I'm up to 149.2 pounds this week. I have a few of what appear to be stretch marks, or tiny broken blood vessels on my belly. They're on the bottom of my stomach, so it's a little hard to tell. Overall, I feel really good, and feel like I'm in good shape. I'm so glad I kept active during this pregnancy--I'm in so much better shape than with Miss M. I think it will help when I'm in labor. I hope so! So now, it's all about waiting for this little one to arrive.

And that's about it.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Some More Good News

After the version on Tuesday, the doctor wanted to see us today to see how things were going. I will be 39 weeks tomorrow, but this was more of a check in appointment. My urine was clear today (oddly, no blood like on Monday). I've gained more than a pound since Monday, but whatever. But the really good news? The baby is indeed still head down, and low enough that the doctor doesn't think she'll move again. Her back has also come around and is in a good position. In fact, the doctor called her position today "perfect." I was so happy to hear that!!!

I was so worried, because I have hard parts on both sides of my abdomen when I have contractions. But, one is a bum (she's shifted around from one side to the other, so I wasn't completely going crazy), and the other side is her feet or knees. She must be pressing hard during contractions--that's what I was feeling and thought was her head.

Speaking of contractions, I'm having loads. They wake me up at night a ton. They happen all day. I am having so many more than I had with Miss M. The doctor said that it might be my uterus trying to make up for the time it lost when she wasn't in the right position.

The doctor also thinks I am some time away from going into labor. My cervix is slightly shortened (I think she said it's still 2 cm long), and I am maybe a fingertip dilated. So, I will probably walk loads this weekend, which is what I did with Miss M. Only, my stomach and back muscles seem to be taking it harder this time, so we'll see what I can tolerate!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Waiting

I played hooky from work today. I wasn't going to. I showered, got dressed and ready, said goodbye to Miss M and T, and even put my shoes on. But I just didn't feel right--lots of contractions all morning, and lower abdominal cramps. So just when I was about to leave, I decided I was being ridiculous in going to work, and I emailed and said I wouldn't be in.

Of course, after I did that, the cramping went away and the contractions stopped. Now I feel like I wasted a day of my maternity leave. Miss M and T and I went to the park (twice), took a walk, and had breakfast in a cafe, so the day wasn't a total loss. I thought maybe the walking would move things along and increase the contractions, but no such luck. We just got back, and I feel just fine. I guess I'll do some work now (Miss M is napping), and maybe take a long walk later today.