1/27 – 38 weeks and 6 days
At the YMCA, I drop Riley off at Kid Stuff and head upstairs. I take about 20 minutes on the Octane machine at the lowest resistance; then I walk around for a half hour. I still waddle pretty fast, and I feel bad for the old ladies I’m passing. The Braxton Hicks contractions that I’ve been having sporadically for the last few weeks become regular as I settle into a comfortable pace. I keep it up for a half hour, then head back downstairs to get Riley. The BH keep coming while I’m on my feet, but they stop immediately when I get in the car to go home.
1/28 – 38 weeks and 7 days
I ask the girl behind the counter what’s the spiciest thing they have in the cafeteria. She recommends the buffalo chicken. I also have a cup of fruit with yogurt, and a Vitamin Water.
1/29 – 39 weeks
5:00 pm – I have some really thick white stringy stuff in my undies and on the toilet paper when I wipe (no blood).
1/30 – 39 weeks and 1 day
3:30 am – Period like cramps (contractions). All over a minute long varying 2-9 minutes apart. These contractions differ from any I've felt so far, but I am still hesitant to get my hopes up.
4:30 am – Inconsistent contractions continued. 2-9 minutes apart.
5:30 am – I wake up Brett and show him my timer (app on my phone). I call Labor & Delivery. They confirm that I should be hesitant. I'm sure they talk to a million hopefuls a day who are only having Braxton Hicks. They tell me it’s not consistent enough to come in and to try to take a bath for a half hour and see if they go away.
6:00 am – I am able to sleep for a few minutes as the contractions are about 8 minutes apart consistently.
6:15 am – I’m in bed with Riley and whimpering a little as a contraction pulls me out of sleep. Riley looks at me and says “I feel so bad for you, Mommy.” I tell him not to feel bad because it might mean his brother is coming.
6:30 am – Contractions start growing shorter but more painful. I get Riley up and ask him to get into the shower. I tell Brett to go to work and I’ll keep him posted. Riley gets himself ready with no help from me and no arguing for once.
7:00 am – Riley asks where his dad is, and seems concerned that he left for work. He tells me “You can’t drive me. What if it hurts while you’re driving?” I tell him I’ll be fine, it’s a short drive.
7:09 am – I drop Riley off at daycare and text Brett that I am going in. I call Labor & Delivery who again advise me to just wait it out until I am in “active labor” but I insist that I come in as the contractions were getting shorter but stronger.
7:30 am – I arrive at L&D and they have me stand a fill out paperwork for 10 minutes before even getting me to the triage. Then I have to try to pee in a cup, reaching under my belly to this presents a challenge, but I manage to get a few drops of pee into the cup.
7:50 am – I’m finally checked in with the triage nurse, she checks my cervix and I am dilated to a 3. She wants to get an idea of how consistent the contractions are so she leaves me on the monitor for 15 minutes.
8:15 am – The nurse has me go walk around the unit with a plan to rendezvous at 9:00 am. Despite all that I’ve read, walking through the contractions hurts less than stopping when they come. Note that thus far I haven’t actually been admitted, they’re waiting to make sure I’m progressing before admitting me.
9:13 am – She rechecks my cervix, dilated to a 4. I text Brett to get Riley and head to the hospital. They’re admitting me. At this point I am moaning and crying with each contraction while the nurse gets info from me in between. I ask the nurse when I can have the epidural and she tells me as soon as we get to the other room they’ll call the anesthesiologist down.
9:20 am – I follow the nurse to the L&D room where I lay on my left side on the bed and use the bed railing as an ‘Oh shit’ handle to get through the contractions.
9:30 am-I’m getting an IV put in, the triage nurse is still getting my info into the computer, she promises a shot of Fentanyl to get me through until they can get the epidural put in.
9:45 am –Brett sends me a text asking where to go. I text him back “4th floor”. I get the shot of Fentanyl in my IV and I melt into the bed… still, the next contraction hurts as bad as before. They’re telling me to “breathe through it” and not to scream. I’m crying that I can’t. The contraction passes and I feel hot fluid pour down my thigh. “I think my water just broke” I tell the nurse. She responds that she’ll check me in a moment. I fight through another contraction while I wait. My sense of time is gone. The nurse checks my cervix again. “Yep, your water broke, and your baby is right there. You’re dilated at about a 7.”
??? am – Another contraction and I feel pressure. “Did that one feel like you need to push?” some nurse asks me. I’m not sure how so many people are suddenly in the room. I nod and they tell me “Next time push.” The doctor is positioning herself at the end of the bed and the nurses are trying to get me to roll over onto my back. They’re directing my feet onto the stirrups and I’m shaking my head and crying that I can’t. “Brett’s not here yet! I don’t have the epidural!”
10:04 am – After much swearing, crying, and about 4 pushes, my little miracle is placed on top of my belly. “Would you like to cut the cord?” the doctor asks me. I shake my head no and she does it for me. She tells me gently that when I’m ready, I still have to “deliver the placenta”.
10:15 am – Brett and Riley walk in as they are putting William on the scale (8 lbs even) and I’m getting stitched up.
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