We have an interesting story with her for sure.
At the 35 week mark I noticed contractions that were consistent and when I finally really paid attention to them I realized they were in a pattern but not really increasing in strength. Just the same my doctor wanted me to go in to be monitored for awhile. To make this part of the story a bit shorter they concluded that I was having contractions that went from 10 minutes apart to about 3-5 minutes apart. However, they were not growing in intensity. I could still talk through them, etc. They decided to give me a shot of terbutaline to make them stop. It worked. I didn't realize how much I was contracting until they stopped. We prayed that baby girl would stay put for a couple of more weeks.
So, we just kept going, going, going for another week and a half.
On December 9, I had my 36 week appointment with my OB where she asked if I wanted to be "checked" or "left alone." Husband and I were both pretty sure that I had dilated a bit more than when I was in the hospital and we had a bet going as to how far along I was. I said I was maybe three centimeters and Husband said for sure four. Well, let me just say that Husband won the bet and I owe him dinner. My doctor said a solid four and maybe more. In God's providence, we decided not to go to our church's Christmas party and had dinner with some dear friends that were back in the Valley for the winter months. Just before dinner (6:30 PM) I pulled Husband aside to let him know that I was having contractions. They were not Braxton Hicks, I had only had a couple, and they didn't seem to be a big deal. During dinner I had a few more but I didn't really think too much of them. After dinner Mrs. B and I sat in the living room to watch Miss L and Miss A play and chat. During that time my contractions became a bit more intense. I tried to hide what was going on but there was one contraction where I had to look at the ceiling and really think through what I was saying. In the midst of our girls letting us know that they were tired and ready to go home I confessed that my contractions were getting stronger and we should probably go (around 8:00 PM) We joked about how Miss S could make an appearance tonight. We also laughed that maybe it's Italian food makes me go into labor as that is what I had just before Miss A was born. However, my thought at the time was I should just get a lot of water in me and lay down and they will disappear. Yep, that's what I thought.
On the way home I really had to concentrate through contractions. When I would do my controlled breathing Miss L thought that I was pretending to be asleep and she would chime in from the back seat, "Wake up, Mama, wake up!!" It's hard to do controlled breathing when you are laughing and trying to explain that you are not, in fact, asleep. The contractions were coming more frequently by the time we got home. We made the call to my mother-in-law to pack a bag and be ready to come. In the mean time, Husband and I got the girls ready for bed. Miss L really wanted more help from me than normal on this particular night and I had to stop in the middle of the routine for a really intense contraction. I didn't do anything to freak her out but I think at that point she realized something was "wrong" with Mommy and she started pulling out all of her stalling cards. Husband ran interference and she finally settled down and went to sleep. I guzzled down a LOT of water and laid down.
If anything, the contractions got stronger and faster.
I love birth stories, but "cliff hangers!" Come on, labor on, girl! :-)
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