Prodomal Labor

I have a lot of catching up. I just haven't felt like writing lately. I have been a little frustrated. Last Thursday I visited my midwife and she checked me and did sweeping of the membranes to see if we could "stir" things up. It definitely stirred things up but not enough to produce a baby as you probably could figure out since I am not writing about having the baby at the moment.

When she checked me (this is last Thursday the 1st), I was dilated to a 2, 80% effaced, but the cervix was still back a ways, but I was very soft. By about 4pm after getting home, I started to have contractions that were 1 to 3 minutes apart. They continued to get stronger but nothing really strong. I called my midwife and she said to call her in an hour. I did and the contractions continued 1 to 3 minutes apart. She said she was coming. My thoughts were that I knew they were not strong enough to warrant a serious concern of having the baby real soon but the fact that they were 1-3 minutes apart definitely gave me concern. I thought surely, if they are this close, this is labor and it would continue till we had a baby.

Operation baby kicked into gear. We called our friend Eileen to pick up the kids, called Marci and Wendy for support, finished picking up the house etc. Midwife got here checked the baby, everything looked great, checked me and I believe at that point which was around 6pm I was a 3 dilated. Wendy, Marci and I started walking up and down the street, I met my assistant Midwife Michelle, and we just kept waiting for labor to kick into a higher gear. When I walked it would get to sometimes 30 seconds apart and very strong. Things stayed about the same. Debi check me at about 930pm and I was at 3 cm dialated, 100% effaced. She said the cervix did come down a little bit. She didn't feel I was really progressing very fast and was concerned with how late it was getting. She wanted me to rest and see if I could sleep. Her and the assistant left for a little bit and I tried to lay down to sleep. It was restless to say the least and I really could not sleep. They came back around 1130pm and suggested that I take some Benadryl and a Tynal to see if that would relax me enough to help me sleep and she would go home because she felt sure that things would probably slow down. There sure is something about having all those years experience. She was right. After a few hours the contractions subsided and I was able to sleep. By morning they all but stopped.

The midwife said I was having prodomal labor (false labor), nothing false about it in my mind. She said it is normal especially in women who have had several children. Your body kicks in a little, then rests. Plus the baby is hanging way out front of me (all those babies have stretched out my muscle!) Which means the baby is not helping put pressure on the cervix to help open it up during a contraction.

By the weekend contractions were every now and then and not strong at all. Tuesday they picked up a little feeling more crampy but no real pattern.

Today, I had another appointment with Debi, she checked me - I am still at a 3, the cervix is still back but she was able to get to the baby easier. She says the baby is bald! She did a little sweeping of the membranes again to see if we could "stir" things up again. I am a little concerned we are going to have more of this prodomal labor again. Of course it is all really good for the baby and me just mentally is exhausting. I am so ready for her to come. I have part of me that wants to do everything to make her come and then the other part that is more rational and listens to the Bradley teacher in me that all is for the baby and that me and/or the baby may need more time and I need to let things be, relax, and wait for her to be ready to come. I will not stay pregnant forever, even though it sure feels like it.

So here we are - contractions are starting again every 3-10 minutes apart, stronger than normal. This time I am not going to concern myself with them until they get a lot stronger. Last time the 1-3 min is what threw me off in how much attention I should have been giving them. I am trying to stay positive and have faith the Lord knows when the right time is. It is 6pm, going to get the kids fed, to bed, and I am going to bed early in hopes to sleep or if the baby is ready have a baby. We will see...