So here I am sitting at the table about to eat what most people would consider a bland breakfast. Cream of Wheat to my right and warm chocolate Breakfast Essentials to my left and I am feeling anxious! Someone should really tell a lady, especially an impatient one like myself, how the last week or two feels like the longest damn eternity of your life. I’m being dramatic but seriously the days have been slowly continuing. I am ready to meet my baby and hubby is ready too.
We had a bit of a scare on December 5th in the evening just hours after my first cervical check. The doctor said I was not dialated at all and that it would still be some time. I could deal with it because after all I was only 38 weeks. I had felt sick since we got home that evening and decided to cuddle with Jonathan on the couch and Netflix the evening away. He stayed home from work because I was feeling like crap and it really made all of the difference. Around 7 PM I decided to take a shower to see if the nausea and minimal cramping I was feeling would go away. As soon as I got in the “minimal” cramping turned into strong cramps a minute or two apart and then started to feel constant. It didn’t feel right so I called for my knight in shining armor. He had to help me out of the shower because the cramping felt so unpleasant and the pressure was super intense.
I remember thinking okay this has to be it, but what about the water show? Why is it so constant and quick? Either way Jonathan dressed me, prepped the car, and ushered me into it faster than I could process. Did I mention that my husband is a damn super hero? Well he is…fun fact. We had called Bobbie to see if the pain I was feeling was labor and what we described sounded like it could be so it felt even more compelling to head to the hospital. My mother-in-law Cecy called Jonathan and reminded him to help me keep calm and told us to keep her posted as my mother also requested. A few streets away from home the pains stopped and I felt a lot better. I told Jonathan it must’ve been a false alarm and that we should turn around.
Long story short, we didn’t turn around because he wanted to make sure me and baby girl were alright. By the time we got there I had no more cramping but still had some pelvic pressure. We walked into the hospital just in time before they closed the main doors and went to triage. I told the nurse what happened and she had me change into the most fancy hospital gown with an exclusive peek-a-boo backside and lay down on the comfiest bed in the world. It really wasn’t bad but you sure don’t feel as glamorous as you’d like to when your tush is hanging out the back of a hospital gown that feels like a tent, but I digress. The nurse asked me some questions and had me drink some water while resting for a bit.
The whole time we were there Jonathan was waiting patiently keeping our family posted and making me laugh to pass the time. It didn’t help that there was a woman clearly in pain moaning on the other side of the curtain. I kept looking at Jonathan in a comical yet terrified way signaling how uncomfortable her discomfort was making me which made me think “Wait until that’s you in a week or so.” I felt bad for her but it also gave me the reminder of why women are so badass! We go through excruciating pain for hours after carrying/creating a human for 10 months and then it’s all over and it helps start a beautiful new chapter in our lives. If we’re lucky we have support and love that temporarily distracts from the painful parts and if we don’t we still know that there is a job to do and we get it done.
The laborist came in a little later and also checked me. She told us that the doctor appointment we had in the morning was probably the cause for the cramping since it seemed to have also caused some spotting and a lot of discomfort. She advised me to stay hydrated and rest. Both ladies that helped us that evening were so nice and it made me feel a lot better about how the experience would be when the real thing was happening. It was definitely a good practice run too!
We now have 4 more days of waiting or more if we’re being a negative Nancy. I have tried everything to keep my mind off of the wait. I had an appointment on Monday and still had no progress at week 39 but the doctor said it could be that way today and tomorrow we could be delivering a beautiful little babe. That gave me some hope along with the idea that trying some natural labor inducing techniques could be the answer to my prayers. I’ve heard from multiple people and sources from the wonderful worldwide web that Red Raspeberry Tea is supposed to help induce contractions along with the other common wives tales like doing the nasty and taking long walks. Let’s just say the methods I’ve tried aren’t working and even though the tea is tasty I’m a little disappointed.
So now what do I do!? I sit around waiting for raging waters or contractions to start while completing little boring tasks to fill my day. I’ve made a list for any moms-to-be that are wondering what else they could possibly do to pass the time like me:
1.) Clean. And if you’ve cleaned everything that you could think of try cleaning the stuff no one ever thinks of like the underside of the couch cushions, the pantry shelves, or organizing your husbands sock drawer.
2.) Binge watch Call the Midwife on Netflix to get an idea of how horrible the conditions were in Poplar, London in the 1950s for mothers and pregnant ladies like yourself.
3.) Play an addicting game like Candy Crush like the candy crushing savage you really are.
4.) Go raid a relatives house for the snacks you haven’t eaten already at your own humble abode.
5.) Force yourself to sleep even when your mind is still hung up on waiting for the baby to come.
I could seriously go on but I guess the moral of the story is that you should be patient and enjoy the quiet while you can. I’ve had many experienced moms tell me that this is the best time to catch up on the sleep and relaxation you won’t get back for a long time but trust me when I say I am happily looking forward to the never-ending feedings, the diaper changes, and the one sided conversations I’ll have with my baby girl. I cannot wait to hold her little hand while she’s sleeping and admire the miracle that me and my husband created because aside from all of the crazy that we will go through as new parents this is the best journey that we will start any day now.
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