I’m incredibly sorry I wasn’t able to keep everyone more closely posted since Friday night when things got going. It all just happened so FAST and in the end I was in the hospital where you are pretty much constantly having to do one thing or the other so there wasn’t much break to check in with you. But I thought of each of you throughout the past few days – how your experiences related to my own and the feeling of you rooting me on the way I’ve cheered for you, in one form or another, ever since we met. Thank you SO much for the good vibes, they definitely helped get us home safe and sound.
I’ve gotta follow up on Titi’s last post first, which is hilarious. Because I had to get my ass in a car with a BABY IN MY PANTS after 13 hours of labor to transfer from the birth center to the hospital. I seriously had a good laugh over it, which I desperately needed at that point. So here’s how that happened:
I had a second stretch and sweep on Friday morning with the added advice that I could take castor oil that morning to try and get things going. The oil is natural, it can’t cross the placenta. The midwife assured us that it wouldn’t directly harm the baby, certainly no more than going a week past my due date would. My hubby lined them up in 4 shot glasses for me when we got home. It was actually really easy to get down – I’d been taking black cohosh to soften my cervix for two weeks and that stuff was much worse. I got intestinal cramps shortly after and spent most of the day on the pot. I made sure I kept hydrated and just took it easy around the house. I was also losing TONS of bloody show because of the two stretches and sweeps, and how soft my cervix was.
At about 9 pm I felt a different type of cramp low down, just above my pelvis. It made me want to pee rather than the other thing I’d been doing all day. It was also very intense – with a beginning and ending. But I wasn’t too focused on it because I was on the phone with a friend who went two weeks past her due date and took three days to be induced into a day of labor (poor thing!). When I got off the phone I decided to take a bath, and when I got out I felt water leak out of me onto the floor. It was definitely amniotic fluid – wow! I didn’t expect that to happen after a few cramps that I didn’t even think were contractions. But then it was quickly apparent that they were – they got steady quite quickly. As in the SAME PATTERN THEY TELL YOU TO USE AS A THRESHOLD FOR CALLING THE BIRTH CENTER! This all happened in like 20 minutes. I was still saying to Eric “this doesn’t feel like I thought it would”. It was intense and periodic but I thought it would come on slowly I guess? Pretty sure that is due to the castor oil. Anyway, I could walk and talk through them but when you start losing your water the time clock starts on getting the baby out within 24 hours or you risk infection, so you have to let someone know.
I called and told the midwife and she said we needed to come in for a fluid check, but that I really should try and go back home afterwards and get some sleep. There was no way I could sleep through these contractions – they were intense. It was getting so that I couldn’t talk through them either. When we got there (the car ride wasn’t as bad as I feared – it is definitely less fun to sit during a contraction than it is to keep moving though) she said that certainly looks like amniotic fluid, but it wasn’t presenting a ferning pattern under a microscope, so we had to go to the hospital to get an official check. Sheesh! We were annoyed, but what are ya gonna do. The hospital was two minutes down the street. So we got over there and had to check in – even though I had filled out a pre-admittance form online to facilitate things just in case. More annoyance, but manageable. I couldn’t talk or sit during a contraction but I was doing what needed to be done. I just really wanted to get settled at the birth center and try to relax as much as possible. Had to wait in an exam room, then on the bed with monitors, then wait for the results. No surprise, it was definitely amniotic fluid. Part of me sorta felt like the midwife on call was trying to get rid of us. I’m sure it was just paranoia but when you are in discomfort it is no fun to have to shuffle around like that. Anyways – she let us get into a room when we got back at around 11 pm.
I have a friend coming over with some food so I’ll finish this up later – hopefully tonight!
I really love you gals. Em – I know exactly what you are saying because my friend Brooke’s experience freaked me out. But mostly I had faith in myself and the baby – try to hold onto that hon you are going to do great, you are in good hands! Titi – I’ve been dying to call you and see how you are doing. I hope I get a chance to do that soon. Thanks everyone else for checking in, and thanks Jill & Titi for keeping folks posted! Love yas!