Well 34 weeks down, just 6 or so left... right??? Right. That's to my due date- 09/06/09- cool, eh? We would actually love 09/09/09, but that seems so FAR away right now... and all I have been hearing is, "first time moms are always late... yadayada..." Weeellllll..... I'm not so sure that BabyW is going to wait.... especially after last night!
I've been having Braxton-Hicks (B/H) contractions since about 25 weeks- they are very common, not harmful and only mildly uncomfortable. It's basically BabyW's way of telling me to take it easy, or they are common when it's hot. Yesterday was hot.... yesterday was NOT B/H contractions....!
It started on my drive home from work (and I didn't even stop for a Slurpee!) in nice balmy 102 degree weather. I had mid-line pain below my belly button that felt like a burning sensation followed by a contraction. These were different than all of my other ones- lower and a bit stronger. After the second one, I began timing them and then promptly laid down to rest once I got home. We were also instructed in our classes that pre-term (anything less than 37 weeks) labor can be caused by dehydration so you're supposed to empty your bladder and then drink a ton of water and then lay on your side. So, I did. And they continued.... and continued. Finally after three hours, I called Labor & Delivery and explained what I was going through and well.... we had a little late night visit to the hospital!
Even knowing that it was highly unlikely that this was "it," we still tossed a few things in a bag and jumped (Jason did, I, on the other hand, waddled and scooched) in the car and made the 20-minute drive to the hospital. Despite some people waiting to clear security, they whisked me back to admitting (woo-hoo- this belly is a free line pass at the hospital!) very quickly. Unfortunately, Jason wasn't so lucky and after about 10 minutes he finally made it to my room.
My nurse rocked... despite the duration of time that I'd been having pre-labor, I still felt a bit silly to be at the hospital, but because of only being 34 weeks, it was important that I was there. She did a great job of making me feel quite normal for being there... she was there five times prior to delivering! LOL BabyW and I were hooked up to some monitors with wires snaking around us- wow- she is a marathoner like her Daddy- her heart was thumping away like crazy! And it went up during each contraction. And then I got to have a fun exam! That, was painful- but we found out that her head is really, really low; but I'm not dilated, so BabyW is not going to make a debut this time- thank goodness! Hearing her heartbeat and seeing her healthy and active (the Doc said she is a wiggle worm!) on the ultrasound was a relief- she was kicking the monitor sensors! Oh, and she is huge--- not alot of room left in there- which explains why I feel and look larger every day! My contractions weren't progressing, nor letting up, so they gave me some medicine to ease them and after a few hours, we were on our way back home. Phew- I- WE- were not quite ready yet for BabyW to make her long-awaited appearance! Even after five years, we could wait for just a few more weeks to get just a bit more done around here! And we might need just a bit more practice on our breathing and relaxation techniques!!!!
So now for the Irony: our 'to-do' list for the evening was to situate the nursery and pack our hospital bags!!! So funny!
Reading this now makes me laugh.... oh Carol, you had no idea what a "real" contraction was like- did you? I also think that if we wouldn't have gone to the L&D for the shot, she would've come at 34 weeks as this is how my labor started..... and I was right, she did come early! ( :
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