Saturday, June 22, 2002

 

So I really thought I was going into labor yesterday.  

On Thursday night, as usual, I got home from work and parked myself on the couch with my feet up.  This really helps the swelling.  Anyway, I usually get the most random braxton hicks contractions at night.  Or maybe I get them throughout the day and I'm just too busy to notice them until I get home.  

Around 7pm, I noticed that the contractions are very frequent.  I started eyeballing them and they are about 5 minutes apart for an hour or so.  I told Greg what was happening and he said, "I better get my Daddy outfit ready."  (Greg said that since he'll be in pictures with the baby, he wants to make sure he looks all cool with a carefully put together outfit so when the baby sees the pictures later, he won't look like a dork .  Of course, it's okay for me to look like crap.) 

There I was, feeling fine really, thinking what I needed to do still if I'm really in labor.  Knowing that I probably still have a bunch of time, we ate, took showers and went straight to bed at 9pm.  Yes, Greg laid out THE outfit on the window seat all ironed and ready.  By this time, the contractions were still coming and going but did not get any stronger or closer.

Friday morning came and Greg was getting ready to go fishing.  I vaguely remembered him asking me if I felt okay and if the contractions went away.  I said I slept okay and didn't feel any different.  So he left.  I got up a few minutes later and did my morning routine while the contractions go on.  I guess they must have been really mild still so I slept right through them.  They are still about 5 - 10 minutes apart, but not strong.

So I went to work, my last day, and told a few early folks that contractions started the night before.  About 4 seconds later, 53 women were surrounding me reprimanding me on why I came to work and has no way to reach my fishing crazed husband.  I guess it was just instinct, but I assured them that I was not going to give birth in my cubicle. One of my coworkers did make me time the contractions and they were very consistent, 5 - 10 minutes apart.  Most people suggested that I should at least call the hospital and let them know.  I agreed, but since I had so much to wrap up on, I didn't want to call and have to go in right away.  So, stubborn me, I worked until 1pm and headed home.  

Greg and I went out for lunch.  I called Kaiser at around 2:30pm and was on hold for 15 minutes for a nurse to get on the phone.  In the mean time, I had 2 contractions.  So I explained what was happening and the nurse says that if they are mild, I should stay home.  If they start to get stronger and lasting over an hour, I need to go in and get checked.  

By 7pm Friday night, 24 hours from when the contractions started, nothing's changed.  Contractions keep coming and going, but not getting any stronger and seemed to be spacing out to 15 minutes.  I thought maybe they were going away... then at 7:30pm, a really bad contraction came.  My lower back was hurting, my whole stomach cramped up and pain shot out from the sides.  That contraction lasted at least 2 -3 minutes versus the 1 minute painless ones that I was feeling before.  I tried to breathe through it but I didn't know it coming so I was taken by surprise.  Tears came out of my eyes and Greg was pretty useless holding my arm (with eyes still on the TV - baseball scores were on).  I thought, if this kind of contractions keep going, I'm definitely going to the hospital and back up right into an epidural needle.  

Well, that kind of contractions never came back and the painless contractions kept going on.  It's Saturday afternoon now and they still come and go.  Sometimes they hurt a little, but I wouldn't call them painful.

So Greg's been wearing his Daddy outfit for a couple of days now and still no sign of baby coming soon.  Sigh.

 

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