A quick note to let everyone know… Tiffy delivered at 4:03 this afternooon – unmedicated at home. Labour progressed quickly after her last post; our midwife and her assistant arrived at 2:15pm, she was 6 cm dilated. She pushed for 28 minutes and our beautiful baby boy entered the world. 9lbs 3oz., 21 inches. More updates to follow as she recovers…
Thanks for all the kind words ladies!!! I’m updating in between contractions. They are big and bold when they come, and I can’t focus on anything else. I’ve been leaning on K, swaying back and forth…..moaning and breathing heavily. Contractions are about 2-3 minutes apart now. There have been some tears already…K keeps reminding me that I’ll get to meet our boy soon. MW will most likely be en route in a half hour or so. This will be the last update before the big news. Thank you again for the sweet comments and lit candles. Thoughts of strength and safe and swift labour are so appreciated. xoxo
Painful contractions started last night. They were every 4-8 minutes. I layed on my left side and the pain lessoned, until the contractions went away. I fell asleep and stayed asleep for most of the night. Painful contractions started up again this morning. Went to pee this AM and heard a “plop”….bloody show. Every time I pee now, I’m seeing some blood. I’m getting contractions every 4-9 minutes. They really hurt and cause me to hold on to something and just BREATHE. Called MW and she wants an update from me at 11am. I would be shocked if this wasn’t it…..
A little risque, I know. But, I wanted a final picture of the belly without my shirt in the way…so there it is. 41w1d or just 2 days shy of 42w, however you see it. It will be the last belly shot. For real this time. Pretty unbelievable though, looking at that photo. I’m amazed at how my body has been transformed the last 10 months. I feel different now….like my body has reached a new level. My belly doesn’t really feel like it’s mine anymore….I have this big boy wriggling around all the time now, ready to burst out. My skin is tight and can’t possibly expand any further. It’s a strange feeling….like a fullness that never goes away. My chest is getting even bigger too, surely anticipating a hungry baby any day now……. I have many thoughts going through my head this Sunday afternoon….but I can’t seem to be able to put them into words. It’s an unbelievably warm, 70-degree, breezy day today in Richmond. Whether this boy wants it or not, today is our last Sunday without him. That still blows my mind….next weekend life will be very different. Pregnancy has seemed like an incredibly long journey….I’ve almost forgotten my “old” body and what it was like to not feel these little hands and feet squirming inside my tummy. I must admit, I’m so happy I’m here….coming to the end of this journey…..just days or hours away from meeting this little boy who has already changed our lives. It’s been a lesson in patience these last few days….our little family is just so prepared to welcome our new boy. We’re definitely ready (understatement) and a little tired of waiting (understatement again)……who knew this part would be so long or so tough!? 2 more days till our “1o-days-past-due” MW appointment, and then most likely – THE DRINK. 2 days. We can wait another 2 days…..piece of cake, right?
Still here, still pregnant. Reminding myself that tomorrow will really be 7 days past due, not 11. Why am I still not encouraged by that? We went shopping today for some groceries and checked out the post-Christmas deals at T.arget. Months ago, we had gotten our little guy several “baby’s first christmas” outfits in 0-3. I had washed them over a month ago and they are still hanging in the closet. We never imagined we wouldn’t have a baby by yesterday…..it was weird and also disappointing. I’m so bummed that I won’t be able to use those outfits. I’m sad he wasn’t here for us to celebrate with. I’m starting to think he’s not coming out without some help……MW will most likely give me the labor drink at Tuesday’s appointment to get things rolling if he’s not here by then. I have reached a new level of frustration….my belly is ultra itchy from being SO stretched out….I told Karli that soon my stretch marks will be giving birth to baby stretch marks. Ha! It looks like I was attacked by a cat…seriously. I wanted to be so happy yesterday, but I had to face the fact that I was actually kind of miserable inside….I was so uncomfortable, sitting or standing, and just felt pitiful. I was sad that all of Canada was having a white Christmas, and it was 65 degrees here in Richmond. I was disappointed that I didn’t hear from some family members. I was annoyed that my underwear KEPT rolling down….even the maternity ones. Basically, I was letting every little thing get to me just because I’m frustrated and so ready to have this baby. I’m trying to get out of the funk and focus on all I have to be thankful for – because it IS a lot! I’m so happy that K and I were able to spend the day together, and that we have each other and our health. That is a huge thing in and of itself! Our realtionship is great, and I’m more in love than ever. I’m happy I have this little man still growing inside my belly….and that the pregnancy has been smooth and complication-free. Pretty soon he’ll be here and all of this will seem like a distant memory, right? Yesterday, we carried on our Christmas tradition of eating at a local chinese restaurant and the food was amazing. There are lots of good things going on despite this frustrating waiting game….surely it can’t be that much longer.
Yet another woman is in labor, so our midwife appointment got bumped up an hour earlier, to 11:30am. My blood presure was good. Pee was normal. She didn’t “check” me, as she didn’t want to do anything to put me in labor (since she was leaving for a birth right after our appt). Thinking today was 41 weeks, I asked her about my due date again….and whether or not it changes things based on the fact that we KNOW matter-of-factly what day our son was conceived. Also, I have 32-day cycles, not 28. Does that make a difference??? I know due dates are usually based on a 28-day cycle and your last period. Apparently, this new info made quite a difference! WHY we didn’t do this sooner, I don’t know. But, my due date SHOULD have been December 20th, not December 16th. So, on Saturday. You know what this means? We are only 3 days overdue! Not 7!!! That was a good thing for me to know mentally! Even though I still feel like I’m a full week past due, that’s not the case. So, we have another appointment booked for December 30th. I CANNOT imagine that we’ll make it till then, nor does our MW, but I’ll say it again – WHO KNOWS. At this point, I’ve given up guessing! Our next appt would put us at 10 days past due, based on our CORRECT due date. If we do make it to that appointment, she will decide then what time she will give me the “labor drink” to get things going. However, she said she is convinced that labor will start on its own, without any intervention, and said there is only a 10% chance she’ll see us on Dec 30th. She reminded me that it’s all about ‘respecting the baby’. I get this and we genuinely do want him to be able to pick his own birthday. She said she WAS surprised we made it to our appointment today though…she really thought we were going to go earlier. She said it’s uncommon to go this long being so dilated. Her ending thoughts were that we would have a baby in the next 0-6 days with a fairly short labour. So, in summary, we just have to WAIT! Surprise!
Well, I AM only 3 days past due….ha! I’ve adjusted my tickers for my sanity. Still hoping this little boy makes an appearance soon. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve….it would be the perfect day to have a baby, don’t you think?
I gots nothing. Can you believe it? No baby and I’m still not in labour. MW called me this morning – appointment for 12:30pm today got cancelled – she is with someone in labour. So, we go tomorrow at 12:30pm. I’m really starting to get tired of being pregnant….the last 2 days or so have been really uncomfortable. I think he’s just getting BIG. Tomorrow is 41 weeks, and I never thought I’d still be pregnant at this point….I’m trying to stay upbeat. If nothing happens today, we’ll just see what she says at the appointment tomorrow….
I wish I was having this baby Lynn! Alas, no baby, no labour – yet. We picked up the dogs from a friends last night. They had been there since after Wednesday’s MW appointment. We kept telling our friend, “It’s gotta happen any time now……….” We finally felt badly and decided we’ll just bring them home until labour actually starts. I am still getting BH contractions that come and go. I walked around quite a bit yesterday, thinking that would get things going…no such luck! We may just make it to our MW appointment on Monday after all. Yet, she said there was no way she’d see us…………I don’t know. I’m starting to get a little bit uncomfortable in my body (feel mammoth!) and would really like this child to make a move soon. Monday’s appointment would put us at 6 days overdue….I’m sure we’ll talk to her about some natural things we could do to help move things along. At this point, s-e-x, walking, nipple stimulation & rocking/bouncing on the birthing ball has done squat. At least he’s happy in his temporary home….right now his little feet are moving back and forth….not so gently kicking me……..it’s entertaining to watch your belly jump up and down….but come on little man, we’re here waiting!
I feel like a broken record. Sorry! I’m not in labour girls. I don’t really understand why not, but that’s the way it goes. I wanted to update you all regardless! I can’t imagine I would go too much longer, but…..I don’t know. My body is more than ready, as is my heart! I’m having BH contractions and cramping that comes and goes. I felt sick for about 10 minutes this morning, and then fine after that. Maybe this boy just needs a little bit more time. I’m trying to be patient and just enjoy these last moments of pregnancy … it’s difficult. We’re just so ready to meet our son.
MW has another girl that is overdue (by 11 days! yikes!) . She is giving her “the drink” today to bring on labour (or may have done it this morning). So, ideally, our midwife would like me to go into labour tonight or tomorrow. Wonder if the golden child could oblige……
I don’t know when it will be, but I will update you all when the real deal starts……because right now it’s not happening.
Back from the midwife with good news! I am now 4cm dilated (holy crap!), 80% effaced, and Nessy is at +1 station. After lying down and lifting up my shirt so she could measure me, she said “Look how much your baby has dropped!!” See the below fetal descent station illustration….he has already made a good portion of the journey already. +1! We are so excited!
Our little man is ready to enter this world. She told us I could go into labour any minute, and to be prepared that the contractions will START close together, probably around 5 mins apart. Apparently my body has already done some great set-up work! Woo hoo! We booked an appointment for Monday morning just in case he decides to be stubborn, but after we scheduled the appt she said “don’t worry, you won’t see me then.” She’s pretty confident labour will start within the next few hours or days. We’re having a baby soon folks!
