The Final Countdown
I just returned from what I'm hoping is my 2nd to last appointment.
Everything is looking good. I gained 4.5 pounds! (I think it's all baby)
She measured my belly at 36 cm which is one more than last week. He also dropped some more so along with the dropping he apparently grew.
She checked for dilation and said that there was a "dimple" - I asked if that meant I was at 1 cm and she said no, just a fingertip, only a dimple. I asked if it meant I was at 1/2 cm and she said no, just a "dimple".
At least there was progress, so I'm happy.
I asked if she could tell if I would be close to my duedate at all and she said if I go over it won't be by much but a lot could happen. - basically she could neither confirm, nor deny.
Well - I'm still feeling great and getting very excited.
I even started feeling contractions on Sunday - just Braxton Hicks but it was something!
August 13, 2000
Well, it's almost time....
I went to bed Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. and I was feeling a few contractions but didn't worry about it. I woke up at 3:00 in the morning and was up until 5:00 trying to time my contractions. They seemed to be about 4 minutes apart! The only thing was nothing hurt - just some discomfort. I wasn't sure if subconsciencly I wanted it to be it that I was making myself feel something every four minutes or not. My water didn't break and there was nothing else happening but I was definitely feeling something.
I called my mom twice but told her not to hop on a plane yet, just to be ready and at around 5:00 I completely woke Brian. We both showered, changed, finished packing a few things and drove to the hospital. Once I got there (6:03 a.m.) they hooked me up to a couple monitors - one to check the baby's heart-rate and one to check the contractions. I was definitely having contractions so that was a good thing (it wasn't my imagination) and they were also about 5 minutes apart. When the nurse checked me I was getting excited and knew that I just had to have had something happen, but no - I was still only dilated to a "dimple" but I was 50% effaced so I was glad to know there was progress. Well I continued to stay hooked up for a while because they wanted to monitor the baby in an awake stage (he wasn't doing much but sleeping I suppose).
At about 9:00 they decided to send me for an ultrasound because they had some concern about the baby fluid - something about him now peeing enough? I'm not sure. I was tired and just wanted to either go home or get checked in so I wasn't constantly waiting to here. They told me that there were eight tests to run and if anything looked bad they would induce me otherwise the doctor said to send me home.
At 9:30 they wheeled me down to the ultrasound and room and I got to see the baby on the monitor again. (They re-confirmed that it's a boy) and they checked for the fluid, his heart-rate, movement and the flow of blood through the umbilical chord (along with four other tests). He came out 8/8.
At 10:30 they finally decided to send me home.
They told me that there was a chance I may be back tonight but it may not be for a few days. Well - my appointment is Monday at 11:45 and we'll see what the doctor says.
August 14, 2000
I just returned from my doctor's appointment. To sum it up....no change.
I lost 4.5 pounds since my visit last week (which is great since I had gained 4.5 pounds at my last appointment - make sense?)
My belly measured at 38 and it was only 36 last week. The doctor explained that at this stage the baby is slipping around a lot so it's normal to change by that much within a week. She joked that he's just looking for a good rib to kick-off of when delivery comes!
Then, she checked me and I'm still at a dimple! So, I suppose I won't be having the baby today but who knows tomorrow, next week - it could happen!
I hope everyone is doing well. I'm trying to kick back and relax - I need to stock up on some sleep hours!
August 18, 2000
Well - still no baby. But - another close call!
At 11:30 last night I went to the bathroom and had "show" and shortly after started having contractions - strong ones, a lot stronger than Sunday. I was soooo excited and somewhat caught off guard with a sense of anxiety that I couldn't stop pacing around the room saying "I have show and contractions - this is it" over and over again. Brian and I sat and timed them and they were coming every 4 minutes. But - he still wasn't ready to have another "false alarm".
Brian said we should try to get some sleep because it would be a long night. I tried to sleep but having contractions every four minutes makes it pretty difficult! At 1:00 a.m. asked if we could go to the hospital and he said try to sleep a little longer and somehow I closed my eyes for what seemed like a moment and reopened them around 3:00 a.m. I convinced Brian that we should go since I was still having them. We took showers, re-packed the car with the last minute essentials and headed out.
We arrived at the hospital at 4:30 a.m.and I excitedly anticipated my check-up. She came in and checked me - lo and behold I was at .... ONE CENTIMETER! So - it took five hours of steady contractions to reach one?! I was a little frustrated but somewhat excited because it was more than that little dimple I had for the past couple weeks. She also said I was still only 50% effaced.
For the next 1 1/2 hours I spent time hooked to machines or walking the halls. The nurse came to check me again at 6:30 and I was at a little over one centimeter (1 1/4? - who knows) but I was 65% effaced. So - this means that it was progressing. I was convinced that I would have that little baby in our arms by the end of the day. HA HA
Shortly after I stopped having contractions. Completely. I somehow went from having contractions every 3 1/2 - 4 minutes for seven hours to having nothing!!!! THREE hours later they checked me and there was NO progress! I was sent home once again defeated. We may be back tonight, we may be back tomorrow but I'm sure that third time's a charm.
I'll keep you posted.