Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Looks like my son will be born on....

If you read my last post, you know that this morning I had a doctor appointment. 

My 41 week doctor appointment. 

We discovered that since my last appointment I lost a little over half a pound, which apparently is normal for this stage of the game. 
My blood pressure is still good.
Still no protein in the urine -- (in case you're wondering, this, along with blood pressure is how they keep check that you don't have preeclampsia)
And Baby's Heart Rate was spot on!

She checked me again, and well. Absolutely no change since Sunday/Friday. 
1 cm dilated
50% effaced
-3 station

SUPER! 
(major sarcasm here people)

So they scheduled my induction. 

Seems as though, [unless by some great power he comes earlier (doubtful)] that I will be having my son on!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Unless it takes longer than 24 hours
Which I don't think is possible or likely with an induction
OR
For some reason the maternity ward on that day is going CRAZY with ladies giving birth

So after they scheduled my induction and gave me my paperwork, they hooked me up and gave me a Non-Stress Test (NST) to make sure Baby is doing ok, and will be alright until Monday to be born.

After 45 minutes of the NST, and it was only supposed to be 20, the midwife came in and saw that Baby's Heart Rate and movement were really good, and under no stress.

I felt so terrible for Dean too. He worked last night and works again tonight, so he was sitting there, just about falling asleep the whole time. He's such a good husband and going to make such an amazing father. I'm so proud to call him mine. 

So, now I've been home for a bit, I took a nice long nap and now I'm going to plan some meals I can make and freeze this weekend for when we come home from the hospital when I don't feel like cooking. 

OH YEAH! I think when the midwife checked me she stripped my membranes again. I've been really crampy and having a few random contractions since my appointment. Not just that but when she was checking me, she said something along the lines of "See if I can help get something started"

So yep! That's it.

I'll STILL be pregnant on my first Mother's Day. Some would say I don't get celebrated then, others say I would. We'll see if I get a card from my unborn child 

Monday, May 7, 2012

An update AND my trip to the Hospital!

So, Friday I had a doctor appointment. My 40 Week doctor appointment more specifically.

Once again, I meant to update ON Friday, but things got busy quick. 

So on Friday, I hadn't gained any weight, my blood pressure was good, no protein in my urine, and the midwife FINALLY checked me.

Drum Roll Please!

I was all of 1 cm dilated and not even 25% effaced. Awesome. (Sarcasm)

So of course, the midwife tells me she wants us back by next Wednesday (two days from now) so we can schedule my induction. Super. (More sarcasm)

The weekend was a busy one.
My Mom came down to visit and stayed with us, and it was SO nice having her here. I don't get to see her that much, so having her here for two days was really really nice. 

We went out to dinner Saturday night to Ruby's so, I got to see a bunch of girls from work and hand out some Thank You cards, and... experienced my first contractions!

Well, they were Braxton Hicks contractions, but they still HURT.

So Sunday, we got up and Dean's parents came down to visit us as well. All of us piled in some cars and headed to the Antietam Battlefields. 

On the way there, at about 2:30 I had a contraction. The first of many for that day.

We got to the battlefields and literally walked around for about two and a half hours, and I was having what seemed to be regular contractions, anywhere from 2-4 minutes apart. We loaded up and headed home, so we could get ready to call the midwife and head to the hospital.

When I did get home, the contractions were still coming on, and coming on STRONG, so Dean called the midwife right away, and she told us to come in whenever. 

Since no one had eaten all day, I made everyone sit down and eat dinner (I figured if this was it, no one would eat for quite a while, including myself), and finished packing the hospital bag.

We got to the hospital at about 6:15, and I was in my gown talking to nurses at 6:30. 
When the midwife checked me when I first got there, she said I was about 2 cm dilated, and about 50% effaced, and a -2 station. Awesome. (SUPER sarcasm)

 From there, they had me up and walking the halls for about an hour. After that, they put me back on the monitors for about a half hour to check my contractions and the baby's heart rate. 
Another half hour of walking, I was back on the monitors again, and a different midwife came in and checked me to determine if I was to be admitted or sent home.

Somehow, in the time that I was there I got further away from where I need to be. 
When she checked me, I was 1.5 cm dilated, 50% effaced, and a -3 station. 
For those of you that skipped health class, I need to be 10 cm dilated, 100% effaced and a +2 station in order to deliver. 

So after 4 hours of being in the hospital, I was sent home with the diagnosis of False Labor. 
Why didn't they just induce me then?
Because apparently inducing a woman before 41 weeks (and more like closer to 42) leads to more chance of a c-section, which the midwives are seriously against (because they don't do them. They aren't actually licensed to do them) and I'm not a fan either.

So Wednesday I have an appointment. I'll get weighed, blood pressure checked, cervix checked, baby will have his heart beat listened to, and Dean and I will talk with the midwife and schedule my induction. 

The plus side to having a scheduled induction, is that family will know and be able to make their plans accordingly. The downfall, is that Dean and I won't get to experience the "it's time!" moment and call everyone and have that rush of adrenaline lot of people get. But that's okay. Maybe next time.

We (I) did learn a few things (10 more specifically) from this experience however...
ANY EXPECTANT MOMS BE SURE TO READ THIS PART!!!

1. I DEFINITELY want my Mom there. She just knew how to make me feel better each time I was "having a contraction"

2. Contractions (even BH) hurt. Like woah. BUT, in between, there is a calm a small calm, but a definite calm.

3. BEFORE even calling the midwife,  be sure the contractions are in fact regular. Not 2 minutes, then 4, then 6, then 4... that's a true sign of false labor. We were just too anxious to realize it.

4. Dean is going to be very interesting when it's really time. He had the nurses laughing one minute and was incredibly quiet the next... at least he's something to keep my mind focused on instead of the pain. 

5. We will most definitely NOT inform ANYONE what's going on until I'm admitted. I HATED having our parents just sitting there, waiting, just to turn around and go home 4 hours later. I felt (and still feel) REALLY stupid even going in the first place... which leads me to my next point.

6. IF unsure whether it's real vs false labor, take a minute, relax and turn to google. Seriously. There are so many websites that clearly laid out that what I was experiencing was false labor, and had I just calmed down for a minute to look, we wouldn't have wasted all that time.

7. Only you know your body best. If you can handle it, don 't let others scare you or talk you into thinking you can't. Don't let anyone call the doctor until YOU are absolutely sure you need to. 

8. Eat and drink something (small). Either way, it will help. If it's false labor, you won't have many if any contractions after doing so. I didn't but just didn't realize it. If it's real labor, you A- probably won't want to eat OR will barely be able to eat and B- will need that little bit of energy if you're going to be staying at the hospital until the little one arrives. Water can only do so much.

9. Where is the pain? Low? All over? It's important to note that.

10. Track contractions very specifically. When they start. How long they are. When they end. How intense they are. What you're doing when it happens. Seriously. False labor will cease with a lack of activity. True labor will not. False labor, contractions will be all over the place, true labor, they will be continual, steady, definite. Lay down and track for an hour before calling the doctor. If you're laying down and they continue, and get closer, and more intense, you're probably experiencing actual labor. I was walking and climbing the WHOLE time. That's why I was experiencing so many.


Sorry this post got to be a little lengthy. BUT!
Now everyone knows exactly what's going on with me. 

I'm going to go eat some FRESH strawberries my Momma brought me now... Be Jealous.

Expect an update on Wednesday!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

40 weeks and counting!

Today is my due date!! YAY!!! I have survived a full 40 weeks of pregnancy!
Now if only Baby Dean would get the hint! *nudge nudge*
As promised yesterday, I will be talking about the choice of an epidural today.
It only seems fitting, as I could go into labor at any time (hopefully sooner rather than later).

So, maybe I wrote about it, maybe I didn't. But several people know that I would like to try and go as far as possible during labor without pain medication. 

My goal is to make it to 7 cm dilated before getting an epidural. 
My secret goal is to do the whole thing without an epidural or pain medication.

(Insert everyone's side eye here)

And that's what this post is going to be about. The constant side eye I get when people hear my goals.

These are goals. Attainable goals. Lots of women give birth with no pain medication. Lots of women give birth with no pain medication multiple times!

I know that I have yet to experience a real contraction. I know that I have yet to experience labor and delivery. I know that lots of women in my life HAVE experienced the pain of contractions and of labor and delivery and know how intense it will be. Perhaps that's why they give me the side eye when I talk about my goals. 

What my issue is, is that I only get side eyes when talking about my goals. I've gotten some support and encouraging words from a few people, but rarely do I have people tell me that they think I could do it. That they BELIEVE in me. 

Usually the response I get is, "Oh you'll get the epidural...I have no doubt you'll get the epidural"

And to me, I hear, "You're not strong enough to reach your goal"..."You CAN'T do it"..."You WON'T do it"...

It's a little hurtful. But I'm going to be honest. I'm not superwoman. I'm far from superwoman. So I'm not going to pretend like me getting an epidural is out of the question. 

But what WILL hurt is once I have him, and if I do get an epidural, hearing people say, "I told you you'd get the epidural!"

Because let's face it, I'm the type of person that will do things just to prove others wrong. So if I'm not able to prove all the haters wrong, and to then hear "I told you so" will be SUPER hurtful and WILL piss me off. 

So, here's a pre-warning: If I end up getting an epidural, and you see me, DO NOT say "I told you so." Instead, tell me how I'm still so strong for making it as far as I did, how you couldn't do what I did...
In other words...

LIE TO ME.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Tomorrow's my due date, so in honor of that...

Here is a question all pregnant women find themselves asking at least once.
Why, does everyone and their brother (yes brother's too!) have an opinion about everything you plan to do? From decorating the nursery, to labor and delivery, to cloth or disposable diapers, to formula or breastfeeding... Everyone has an opinion.

And whether you ask for it or not, they're going to give it to you. 

"Oh you're doing a jungle theme? Isn't that a little OVER DONE?"
"You don't want an epidural? You'll change your mind really quick on that one"
"Cloth diapers are really SO much better for the environment and end up being REALLY cost efficient"
"Oh... you plan to breastfeed? Isn't that like SO outdated?"
"You plan to breastfeed for HOW long? That's too long"

(Yes. I have heard all of these and more)

Well. Here's a news flash from probably every pregnant woman you will ever come across.

WE DONT CARE WHAT YOU THINK.

I personally feel that every new mom should be given this to put on her child when out in public. 


In my opinion, each parent has done a lot of things right and done a lot of things wrong when it comes to raising their kids. And each child is different. So how can YOU tell ME how to raise MY son?

To answer the questions from earlier: 

Yes. I am doing a jungle theme. No, I don't think it's over done. It hasn't been done in my house, so for me, it's not over done. 
Right now, no I don't want an epidural. And so what if I do change my mind? I am the one going through it. NOT YOU. (Another post about this is coming tomorrow)
I don't care how great cloth diapers are for the environment. I'm using disposable. I'd like to keep what little sanity I'll still have once he's here, thank you. 
Yes. I do plan on breastfeeding. No it's not weird. It's actually the best thing I can do for my son. It's definitely NOT outdated.
I plan to breastfeed until he naturally weens himself. No, I'm not weird, I don't plan to breastfeed until he's 6, but if he doesn't ween until 1 year old who cares? Remember, the human race wouldn't be here if it weren't for breastfeeding!
FACT: The production of breast milk changes as the baby changes. 
FACT: Breastfeeding protects against Crohn's disease (which an uncle of mine has), lowers MY risk for breast and ovarian cancer, lowers both the baby's risk AND mine for diabetes, PLUS a ton of other benefits! 
Want the full list?

So. Moral of the story is, when you are curious and ask a pregnant lady her plans when it comes to her child, listen. Understand that they are plans. Plans change whether we want them to or not, and, it is no one's fault when they do change! (This also needs to be understood by any soon-to-be Momma's or want-to-be soon-to-be Momma's out there!) But don't try to change them for her. Because shoving your opinion down her throat will do nothing but make her angry at you and set an all around uneasiness of emotion.
Remember, pregnant ladies are emotional, whether they show it or not. And they have every right to be! If there is any time in a woman's life that she is allowed to be emotional with no one questioning it, it's when she's pregnant. Just remember that when you think it is a good idea to voice your opinion about her plans ;-)


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

It's May



In case you haven't seen this yet. 

I thought it was pretty funny.

If you've fallen off the face of the earth or something else strange has happened to you that you don't already know, today is May 1st. 

It's May. 
The month I will definitely give birth to my son.

I had a sudden shock of fear when I realized this at midnight. 

My life and Dean's life will change forever this month. Like, it's DEFINITELY going to happen this month.

It's kind-of like being in school, and it's time for finals. You've studied all this time, and you're confident but at the same time you have no idea what specific questions are going to be on the test and you HAVE to take it no matter how scary it may or may not look. 

There's very few things in life that you get yourself into that you can't get out of. At this point, I honestly can't think of any other situations that you can get yourself into that you can't just decide to lay in bed instead of following through with. I'm sure I'm being dumb by not being able to think of any... but seriously. I can't just back out of this and say "Never Mind! Just Kidding!" This baby HAS to come out of me one way or another, and that's pretty scary. Especially for first time. 

Currently, I'm having no imminent signs of labor.

Guess I was right all along!
I've said from the beginning that I'm going to go late. I just know these things. I don't know why or how I know, I just do. 

2 days and counting until my due date. 
3 days until my next doctor appointment that will hopefully get the ball rolling. 
Because I DO NOT want to go two more weeks.