38w, 6d

I complained long enough and he heard me!!!!

Timeline: 1:40am: My water broke. I woke Mike and he made a mad dash out of bed. We called my friend Anne to come sleep at our house to be with Jace, while we packed a few last minute things.

1:55am: Called the L&D triage phoneline at the hospital. I was told I'd get a call back within a half hour by the on-call doc, and if I didn't - to call them again.

2:10am: Contractions started. Very mild at first, but definitely more than the "uncomfortable" status I'd been giving them for the past several days.

2:20am: Now they hurt. I was squatting anywhere I was standing in my house to help the pain.

2:25am: Doc was supposed to call back by now. I decided that since my contractions were barely a minute apart already (that happened fast!!!), that I didn't need to call back and we decided to just go to the hospital.

2:40am: Arrived at hospital and stopped at the L&D desk to get checked in. I was in rough shape at this point. They escorted me to triage where the "fun" really started. My contractions were no longer plural and it was one big, long, never-ending contraction. The triage nurse kept trying to get me to lay on my back to check my cervix, but I could not even move to that position, it hurt so badly. She finally managed to check me and I thought I'd get the familiar "Can't feel your cervix, it's too high", but she didn't really say anything. Pretty soon my room was flooded with nurses and I had no idea what was going on. They threw up the sidebars on the bed and brought me out of that room... I managed to ask, "Could you feel my cervix?" And she said, "Oh no. Definitely not - it's gone, honey - you're delivering now." And I was SHOCKED. Beyond shocked. We got into the delivery room and it was full of blue scrubs. I was still in disbelief that it was happening right then and there and that the labor part was officially over. Within minutes, they had me in stirrups and the doc arrived just in time to wash up, throw on a gown and tell me to push. 3 pushes later, he was out. 2:53am. I did get to hold him while they wiped him off, and saw him briefly while he was in my room, but then they took him to be monitored in the nursery for the first few hours - he swallowed some meconium sometime and needed to have it sucked out. But he's doing great now, and we're working on breastfeeding. He seems interested, but not quite latching right. We'll get there.

Stats:
8lbs, 2 oz (just one ounce heavier than big bro was!)
20 inches long

I just can't believe how it all happened! We arrived at 2:40, Cade was born at 2:53. 13 MINUTES after I arrived. Amazing. Simply amazing.

And all the little what-ifs!
1) Had we waited any longer at home, we'd have had a home birth. The doctor later told us that she did receive a page to call me, but it was missing one digit in the phone number, so she couldn't call back! Good thing I didn't wait!
2) It also was amazing that in the last several weeks, MN has had unseasonably nice weather and just yesterday/last night it snowed - a lot. We had very slick and slippery conditions - of course I would go into labor on a night like that :P

But all in all, we're in awe. He's so beautiful and wonderful and we're thrilled to death. Didn't sleep all night :) I'm feeling ok - I'm very crampy from the uterus shrinking. It's like having super mild contractions all over again - not fun. But I took Tylenol, I hope it helps.

I called Jace around 7:30 this morning to tell him the news and he said, "Are you KIDDING me?" Too cute. I can't wait to introduce the brothers. :)

38w, 4d

I had two painless contractions this morning when I woke up.... and nothing since.

Seriously? Yesterday, I walked AND RAN on the treadmill.

Stats:
Time - 20:39
Distance - 1.00
Calories burned - 101
Pace - 3 mph for 4 min, then jogged at 4 mph for about a minute (which looked more like a fast shuffle, but what do you expect????), took it down to a 2 mph to catch my breath for a minute, then held steady at a 3.5 mph for most of the rest. Then I did one more 1-minute burn at 4 mph, then ended at 3.5.

The result? One severely exhausted pregnant woman, with horrible abdominal pressure, but no labor symptoms.

W.T.F.

And now, it's Thursday evening and still nothing. I picked up Jace from daycare and the teachers said, "Oh wow, you're still pregnant?"

Er, um..... yeah. Thanks for noticing.

38w, 3d

I've had contractions (non-painful) all day.

Let's hope it leads to something!!!!

38w, 2d

I'm still pregnant.

We thought we could have those damn doctors eating their words by having this kid on OUR calculated due date of 2/11, but we were wrong. Bummer. Our clinic-calculated due date is in a week and a half so I guess we're shooting for that now.

I've had two rounds of acupuncture, some acupressure, 3 chiro adjustments, consumed more than my fair share of pineapple, spicy foods, eggplant parmesan, and special teas, bounced daily on an exercise ball, walked vigorously on our treadmill, taken oils for labor prep, and even forced myself to have secks with the hubs (no offense to him, but it's SO not enjoyable at this point!) - and nothing. Lots of contractions but no baby. He's very stubborn, apparently. Like his mommy.

COME OUT, BABY, PLEEEEEASE!

37w, 1d

We are FULL-TERM, kid - so let's get a move on! :)


That belly is just not the most comfortable thing to be carrying around, so be nice to mommy - come out so daddy can carry you. For the next 18 years. Heh heh heh. :)

I have a chiropractic appointment this morning in hopes to open up my pelvis some and relax me so that baby is encouraged to move downward. Then I'll probably take it easy for today and tomorrow and then Mike and I have our last birth class to attend tomorrow night and you can bet after we get home from that, that I'm already planning the acupressure, sex marathons, and spicy food and pineapple pig-out. And I've talked to a couple of acupuncturists about making appointments. So let's hope something works! Bring it on!!!!

36w, 3d

I had my 36 week appointment on Monday.

I was actually nervous because I didn't want to leave feeling let down. Having gone through one overdue pregnancy, I am paranoid that this one will be overdue too.

As part of the appointment, I had an internal exam and was really PO'd to hear that the doc couldn't even feel my cervix to check for dilation or anything, because it's too high up. WTF. So due to that, he figures I've made no progress toward labor at all. I was miffed. So basically, baby is ready - lungs developed fine, all parts in order, he's ready to come out developmentally - just hasn't moved down far enough yet! However, I've heard that from a lot of people and from reading a lot of websites, that baby doesn't necessarily have to be dropped into the pelvis to go into labor. In fact, the most common information I'm getting is that with first babies, they drop before labor occurs - anywhere from weeks to a few days before. With subsequent babies, labor can happen without having baby drop. In that case, what's the big deal if he's up high? Cripes. I don't remember ever "dropping" with my first pregnancy - at least I didn't feel it anyway. I just figure, I may as well go through the steps and maybe TRY to get him to drop or help him along (exercise ball, lunges, stairs, walking, etc.) and then maybe I'll have better luck doing the other home methods to get this going. I might start with a chiro alignment to get my hips to open up for kiddo to settle in there, later in the week. We're hoping to get this rolling by late next week - fingers crossed! :)

And not saying the doc doesn't know his shit either - he's the doc after all. And he's a great guy - super level with you, not even doctor-like at all, more like a cool guy who checks your whoo-hah every now and then. :) He is very sympathetic to my pain with the ever worsening sciatica and the recent potential Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction disorder causing my pelvic bones to hurt horribly, and to my unfixable broken tailbone. So if nothing else, he knows I'm in pain and that I'm not just trying to be unsafe about delivering soon. He gave me the all clear for labor at that appointment and knows from watching me that walking is becoming impossible.

He did prescribe a few things to get this going:
- Treadmill waking
- Swimming
- Bouncing on my exercise ball while watching TV, etc.
- Sex.

So, I know what I'll be doing for the next two weeks til the 38 week appointment! :) All of those things, plus faithfully taking my Evening Primrose Oil capsules to help ripen the cervix. Let's hope it does something! I don't want to be pregnant anymore!!!!

34w, 6d

35 weeks!

32w, 6d

GOOD LORD THIS PAIN SUCKS.

Buuuut, I digress.....

Here's Cade's latest 4D images from Tuesday's appointment:





What a cutie! :)

32w, 1d

Had my 32 week check-up today!

The doctor said baby is measuring big! Not sure what that means.....I was hoping it meant they were maybe a little off in predicting the due date and that he'll actually come sooner OR that they'll induce sooner, but neither was mentioned. Darn.

Cade's heartbeat is at 140 bpm, so he's doing great. And he was very playful during the appointment so the doc could see firsthand what I have to go through every day!

We also discussed my terrible sciatica pain and constant inability to get around the house without holding onto things or husbands (ha!) and having almost constant pain and he said we can discuss "stripping my membranes" at my 37 week appointment. I'm not sure if that means he'll DO it then, or discuss it for the following week or what. Man, if he'll strip at 37 weeks, he will be my new best friend!!!!! I had this done with Jace on my due date and labor STILL did not start on it's own, so I ended up being induced at 41 weeks and I don't want to go that late again! So if he'l do the procedure at 37 weeks, I can be hopeful that perhaps labor will start before week 38 or 39. Here's to hoping!

All in all a great appointment, and I go back in 13 days for another check-up! Woot! Home stretch!

(AND we have another appointment at the 4D place tonight because Cade wasn't being so agreeable to being photographed at the last one, so we're excited for that!)

31w, 5d

Wow. The first baby was born on Wednesday, from my "March 2009 Expecting Club" message board I've been participating in. The pregnancy lasted for 29 weeks and 5 days, so the baby is very preemie, but according to the latest post, she's doing well and breathing well and is very healthy for a 29 weeker. I just can't believe women I've been chatting with for the last several months, who are due in the same month as me, are starting to give birth. I'm only 8 weeks from my due date, how scary and exciting! All I have to say is, this kid better stay the heck in there til February 8th at the earliest. I'll be 37 weeks on that date and then - by all means, kiddo - make your entrance! :)