The Waiting Game

Morning all!! Have you ever had to wait for something? You know, wait for an uncertain amount of time?

Wait for something you desperately wanted but had no clue when it was going to arrive? Like a package? Or an occasion? Or perhaps I don't know, a baby?

I am 38w and 4days pregnant. I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions for awhile now but for the last three days they have been 8-10minutes apart. And then last night they dropped to 4-6 minutes apart.

Now for those of you who don't know, Braxton Hicks contractions are contractions that prepare your uterus(the thing the baby grows in) for labor. They are relatively painless and can happen sporadically.
When you get closer to delivering the baby they may become more intense and more consistent.

I was having them about 5 minutes apart for over two hours. I tried calling my hubby at work but I couldn't get ahold of him(of course right??). My mom was over preparing to watch the kids for the next few days in case I delivered.

So my hubby comes home, changes and we're off to the hospital to get checked out and see how everything is going. Little man Blake here is active as ever. And of course my contractions die down to one like every 12 minutes. I'm not dilating at all. Nothing is progressing. So we're sent home lol.

Now here I am playing the waiting game. I wait and wait and I have no clue when this blessing is coming. Now here's a little history of how my past waiting experiences have gone.

Seamus 2006

With Seamus(my eldest) I had inconsistent Braxton Hicks contractions for about 2 days. They weren't intense but they were there. Then one night while eating lasagna and drinking orange juice, I started having actual labor contractions. So we jump up(well Richard did lol) and we were off. The car was already packed and we didn't need a thing. From the looks of it you would have thought we were moving into the hospital. Richard had his PS2 and magazines. Pillows and clothing and other miscellaneous items. We get to the hospital get hooked up to monitors in an Early Labor room and settle in. I get to 4cm and I'm admitted into an awesomely cool birthing suite. At about 12am my contractions stop and I pass out. The next morning I'm checked and I'm about 5cm. Then labor hits again. I'm given an epidural(I HATE those) and a few short hours later with a vacuum, pushing on my stomach and worried glances, we welcomed our precious son Seamus at 1:21.

Lylian 2008

Lylian was another story. I delivered Lyl at 38w and 4days. That morning I had seen my doctor and had gotten my membranes stripped. They agitate the membranes around your uterus or water sac. I can't remember. All I know is that it really hurt. Then I went home and had two tablespoons of Castor Oil. That stuff is, well you don't want to take it if you don't have to. I now know why parents would discipline their children with it. Anyway, I took it with Gatorade. A few short hours later I went into labor and went to the hospital. I get checked again and it's the same song and dance as with Seamus. Except, when my contractions stopped they tried to send me home. But I and a fellow nurse fought tooth and nail. I was 4 cm dilated and admitted under the ruse of pain management. I was induced the next morning and then by the early afternoon I delivered Lylian at 3:18.

Maddalaena 2010

Maddalaena's went completely differently. First I woke up in early labor. There was no stripping of membranes or having contractions for multiple days. We went grocery shopping in the morning(we had no food) and I wore heels to help advance my labor. Then I had my Dr.'s appt. By that time I was 4cm and ready to go. We get to the hospital walked a few laps around the Labor and Delivery floor and my water broke( that never happened with the other two. Seamus the broke on accident and Lyl I was induced(they broke it for me)). Then I was admitted at around 4. At 8:45pm I had Maddalaena.

 

Seamus 2012                                         Lylian 2012                                   Maddalaena 2012



So now you know the general background of my labor and deliveries. Which way do you think this one will go? Do you think he'll be early, late or on time? What were some of your experiences with labor and delivery, if you've had any?