The Squeeze
I've been attempting to update on and off all day but every time I've logged on to try and blog I've either gotten V E R Y tired or very distracted. Considering what's going on today, I think I'm allowed to definitely be both distracted and tired. The biggest news is the fact that I'm having contractions. They've been ranging around the 5 minute mark since this just before lunch but there hasn't been much of an increase (I'm getting ready to start timing again in a second here) but then again, I took a very long nap this afternoon, so yeah...
I figured I'd give you guys a chronological update, starting with yesterday's events.
Yesterday Casey and I went to the OB at 10AM. The whole purpose of that visit was because I was officially 10 days past due. The OB wanted to do a BPP or BioPhysical Profile to make sure all was well with me and Jackson. The BPP consists of an ultrasound to not only check the baby's position but also checks the amniotic fluid level and the placenta. We learned that my amniotic fluid level was a bit low, but that it was consistent with me being 10 days overdue. They managed to sneak in a peek of Jack's face, which we discovered he has VERY chubby cheeks. He also looked somewhat perturbed. (Oddly enough, Lily had the same look on her face when she was sleeping last night... it was kind of funny.)
After the ultra sound (which we taped that one too so anyone who wants to see can see), they did the non-stress test, which consists of sitting in a sort of comfy chair (that looked like a recliner but the material felt a bit plastic-y) with a fetal monitor strapped to you. During the non-stress test I had a few contractions, which excited everyone even though to me they were relatively minimal feeling. Then came the non-fun part of the day. The wonderful pelvic exam. The midwife said that my cervix still wasn't as soft as it should be and could be a lot more ripe and was still long, so we made the decision to take a drug called cytotek, which is put into the cervix. It is supposed to cause the cervix to ripen and kind of kick start labor. It certainly did that because we came home (after a second non-stress test) and I started to have random contractions (some of which were doosies!). I decided to attempt to take a nap and ended up falling asleep and taking a 3 hour nap. When I woke up, we timed the contractions I was having and discovered that they were coming about every 7-8 minutes. Casey started getting very nervous and got a bit over zealous with the timing of contractions. It was very cute.
We ended up watching a movie and then going to bed around 1:00 in the morning. Despite being completely anxious, I actually slept rather well. Casey, I'm not so sure about. When we got up at 6AM, we started timing contractions again and noticed they were coming about every 5-6 minutes and the intensity was moreso than the previous evening. So, Casey made the decision to stay home.
We took Lily to school, stopped at Meijers for a few things, and came home. The contractions started dipping to around 5 minutes and we made the decision around 10AM to call our midwife and she told us to come on in and get checked out. So, off we went. We grabbed snacks and everything in case we were sent over to the hospital, loaded the car, and headed out. On the way, I grabbed a pudding pack and figured I'd eat it on the five minute drive over to the hospital.
Casey was in quite a hurry and driving my car like it was a race car with this crazy intensity (woe to me for teaching him stick shift) and so, in true silly Jess manor, I looked him and said "Relax please! I'm trying to eat pudding here!" It was the perfect comment because Casey instantly started laughing and the mood was definitely relieved. Leave it to the pregnant lady to be thinking about food and not contractions. HAHA! We got to the office and Casey's mom was waiting for us. Kathy looked more nervous than Casey and I put together. She had apparently driven from Nappanee when we first let her know this morning about the 5 minute contractions. She thought we were going to the hospital right then and there, which wasn't the case, just a miscommunication somewhere along the lines. In any case, we met up and chatted a bit and then I was called back to be checked.
Casey and I agreed that the midwife that saw us this morning (which wasn't our normal midwife), seemed to think that I wasn't really in labor. She checked me, though, and I ended up being dilated 1-2 cm and my cervix was definitely softer, but still "long." We were told that we could go to the hospital if we wanted to but she thought it was going to be a long wait (which I was telling Casey that I didn't think anything would happen until well after Lily got home from school, which so far I've been right). She said we could have the baby before midnight or it still could be a couple of days.
So, it is now not quite 5:30PM and we're in a holding pattern. We came home and I took a nap until Lily got home at 3:30. Since I woke up, the contractions are seeming sporadic as to the really intense ones, but smaller ones are coming quite regularly. I have a feeling that we're in for a L O N G labor. We'll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, I just want to stay at home and be comfy and sleep as much as possible. Oh, and I'm craving cheesy fries again. Cheesy fries is da bomb.
I'm feeling very tired again, so I think I will go upstairs, lay down and watch a movie. Casey and Lily are playing Halo on the XBox, so they're entertained. Hopefully I'll be able to update with some better information/news the next time I blog...
Wish us luck! It's going to be a long couple of days I think!!
I figured I'd give you guys a chronological update, starting with yesterday's events.
Yesterday Casey and I went to the OB at 10AM. The whole purpose of that visit was because I was officially 10 days past due. The OB wanted to do a BPP or BioPhysical Profile to make sure all was well with me and Jackson. The BPP consists of an ultrasound to not only check the baby's position but also checks the amniotic fluid level and the placenta. We learned that my amniotic fluid level was a bit low, but that it was consistent with me being 10 days overdue. They managed to sneak in a peek of Jack's face, which we discovered he has VERY chubby cheeks. He also looked somewhat perturbed. (Oddly enough, Lily had the same look on her face when she was sleeping last night... it was kind of funny.)
After the ultra sound (which we taped that one too so anyone who wants to see can see), they did the non-stress test, which consists of sitting in a sort of comfy chair (that looked like a recliner but the material felt a bit plastic-y) with a fetal monitor strapped to you. During the non-stress test I had a few contractions, which excited everyone even though to me they were relatively minimal feeling. Then came the non-fun part of the day. The wonderful pelvic exam. The midwife said that my cervix still wasn't as soft as it should be and could be a lot more ripe and was still long, so we made the decision to take a drug called cytotek, which is put into the cervix. It is supposed to cause the cervix to ripen and kind of kick start labor. It certainly did that because we came home (after a second non-stress test) and I started to have random contractions (some of which were doosies!). I decided to attempt to take a nap and ended up falling asleep and taking a 3 hour nap. When I woke up, we timed the contractions I was having and discovered that they were coming about every 7-8 minutes. Casey started getting very nervous and got a bit over zealous with the timing of contractions. It was very cute.
We ended up watching a movie and then going to bed around 1:00 in the morning. Despite being completely anxious, I actually slept rather well. Casey, I'm not so sure about. When we got up at 6AM, we started timing contractions again and noticed they were coming about every 5-6 minutes and the intensity was moreso than the previous evening. So, Casey made the decision to stay home.
We took Lily to school, stopped at Meijers for a few things, and came home. The contractions started dipping to around 5 minutes and we made the decision around 10AM to call our midwife and she told us to come on in and get checked out. So, off we went. We grabbed snacks and everything in case we were sent over to the hospital, loaded the car, and headed out. On the way, I grabbed a pudding pack and figured I'd eat it on the five minute drive over to the hospital.
Casey was in quite a hurry and driving my car like it was a race car with this crazy intensity (woe to me for teaching him stick shift) and so, in true silly Jess manor, I looked him and said "Relax please! I'm trying to eat pudding here!" It was the perfect comment because Casey instantly started laughing and the mood was definitely relieved. Leave it to the pregnant lady to be thinking about food and not contractions. HAHA! We got to the office and Casey's mom was waiting for us. Kathy looked more nervous than Casey and I put together. She had apparently driven from Nappanee when we first let her know this morning about the 5 minute contractions. She thought we were going to the hospital right then and there, which wasn't the case, just a miscommunication somewhere along the lines. In any case, we met up and chatted a bit and then I was called back to be checked.
Casey and I agreed that the midwife that saw us this morning (which wasn't our normal midwife), seemed to think that I wasn't really in labor. She checked me, though, and I ended up being dilated 1-2 cm and my cervix was definitely softer, but still "long." We were told that we could go to the hospital if we wanted to but she thought it was going to be a long wait (which I was telling Casey that I didn't think anything would happen until well after Lily got home from school, which so far I've been right). She said we could have the baby before midnight or it still could be a couple of days.
So, it is now not quite 5:30PM and we're in a holding pattern. We came home and I took a nap until Lily got home at 3:30. Since I woke up, the contractions are seeming sporadic as to the really intense ones, but smaller ones are coming quite regularly. I have a feeling that we're in for a L O N G labor. We'll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, I just want to stay at home and be comfy and sleep as much as possible. Oh, and I'm craving cheesy fries again. Cheesy fries is da bomb.
I'm feeling very tired again, so I think I will go upstairs, lay down and watch a movie. Casey and Lily are playing Halo on the XBox, so they're entertained. Hopefully I'll be able to update with some better information/news the next time I blog...
Wish us luck! It's going to be a long couple of days I think!!
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Comments
I've really enjoyed your pregnancy diary... It was like participating to your adventure!
Have a good rest with your new baby!