I've been really active this pregnancy on the BabyCenter.com March 2008 birth board. Back in December "our" first baby was born, and now every time I refresh the page there's a new birth announcement (or two, or five) waiting to be read. Because I'm a sucker for a baby story, I read them all, and I've been stunned at how many women had no idea they were in labor:
"I went in for my prenatal appointment and the doctor said, 'What are you doing here? Go to the hospital, you're at 5cm already and your contractions are 3 minutes apart!' I didn't even realize I was having contractions!"
"I thought they were just more Braxton Hicks, but when I went in for my non-stress test they said I was already at a 6. I couldn't believe it."
It's had me thinking a lot lately, because I don't remember at all what contractions feel like. With Abby, I was doing my hypnobirthing stuff and very comfortable--it's not like I didn't feel them, I felt a LOT, but it wasn't pain, just pressure. But even the memory of what that pressure is like has been completely missing.
Until last night!
4:21 AM. Lying there, wide awake as usual, because 4 AM seems to be my body's get-up-and-party time. I started to feel my belly tighten and thought nothing of it, since I've been having weak contractions on and off since the weekend--until the sensation got stronger and stronger and I realized, "Oh my gosh, an honest-to-goodness makes-you-dilate kind of contraction!" It completely took me back to those seemingly endless last couple weeks of Abby's pregnancy, to sitting in the theater watching Chronicles of Narnia, to the nights I spent sleeping in the recliner because it was the only place I was comfortable, to The Big Night, December 27, when they finally settled into a pattern and we realized at 10PM that this was really It.
Last night I probably had 4 or 5 of these real-thing contractions between 4:21 and 6:30. At my appointment on Tuesday Michelle said the baby was oblique, with its head off to the left of my cervix, and during the contractions the sensation is MUCH more powerful in that area--not sure if it's because the baby's head shouldn't be there, or what. I'm doing everything I can to encourage him/her to shift over a bit, but so far no dice, at least I don't think so. Pray s/he moves soon!
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2 comments:
Hi, it's Maggie! One of these days I'll sign up on this darn thing.
I AM SO EXCITED about your contractions. And I'm so glad you're not in pain. Woot! Woot! Maybe you should pop in your Chronicles DVD and see if you can't get this party started. :) I wish I were there to hang out with you and help the time pass. Please keep blogging, I wonder how you are doing all the freaking time!
I love, love, love you!
Ok, AFTER this weekend, do some belly lifts during a few pressure waves and that might help baby up out of pelvis a bit to move. Also doing your pelvic tilts at night in bed, RIGHT BEFORE you lay down. Meaning be TOTALLY ready to sleep before doing them.
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