Crying Wolf
Yesterday I was just about 90% sure that I was in labor. At 10 am I started having contractions that felt like the worst period ever, and they were radiating through my back and down my legs. I could barely walk or talk at all during them. I tried all the things that I supposed to help you decide if it’s “really labor” like: drinking a ton of water; laying down for an hour on my left side; going for a walk; changing positions frequently… and on and on. I would have gone to the hospital, except that Casey was out of town on a business trip and I spent the bulk of the evening playing out various logistic options in my head of how to handle things.
So I decided to get the boys down to bed early and get all the necessities in order. I did all the laundry, packed a hospital bag, washed my hair, shaved my legs and finally gave myself a manicure and pedicure. Somewhere between the hot shower and the giant bowl of ice cream I ate while I painted my toenails, the contractions stopped.
Ok. Good. Hubby out of town, here alone, no more labor. But bad. Nearly 11 hours of consistent pain, and you mean I’m not really having his baby?!? How unfair is that? I sulked through the end of my sundae and went to bed. Only to wake up at 1 with another round of contractions that lasted until 3. Great. Thanks. This is really fun.
Today I was fine – just a few normal Braxton Hicks to contend with. I took the boys to the park, then later on a long walk to the library and to our favorite ice cream shop. But sitting on the bench with our cones in hand, the awful contractions started again and I wondered how I was going to manage the two block walk home. Then, miracle of miracles, Casey sent me a text saying that he was coming home tonight instead of tomorrow. Whew.
So now I sit on my couch and the contractions haven’t stopped, nor have they gotten worse or closer together or anything text-booky like that. Casey looked at me and said, “You know, if you’re going to have the baby tonight, that would really work out well for me. I mean, don’t take it the wrong way, but you either need to have it tonight or wait until the end of next week, if you’re not going to make it to the 14th…” Fortunately for him, I do understand and I’m not offended… (I love you, honey!)
Seriously, though, my thinking at the moment is more along the lines of, “Ok, if I’m going to spend hours and hours in this kind of pain, shouldn’t I have something to show for it?” I just want justice, that’s all.
When I was pregnant with Kenny, I went to the hospital twice in “false labor.” Is there anything more humiliating than being sent home, still in pain, and told, “You’ll know when it’s really labor…” Talk about feeling like a chump. With Cooper, I never went in before my scheduled section (which was two days before my due date), but I did have a night where I paced the floor for 8 hours, timing contractions and pretty sure I was going to have a home birth before they stopped uneventfully at sunrise.
Who are all these people I read about who simply go into labor, go to the hospital and have a baby? Why is my body so hell-bent on playing tricks on me?
Tell me your story. I want to hear some good labor (or even better, false labor) stories from you readers out there. No, “my doctor stripped my membranes at 38 weeks because he was going to Cancun and wanted me to deliver early” or “I requested to be induced early because I really wanted my baby to be a Capricorn.” I want to hear some good gory and triumphant stories. As for me, I’m going to get my affairs in order.
My first was pretty miserable – I labored for about 12 hours at home, finally went to the hospital and they sent me home with something to help me sleep through the contractions (crazy, right?) The next morning I whined and moaned some more, and finally went back to the hospital and they said I could stay (kind of weird how challenging it can be to convince a hospital to keep you…) After another 12 looooong hours – you know the kind, where just after the epidural wears off, they decide to give you pitocin. They finally agreed that the kid was just not coming out on his own, so I had a c-section – 36 hours of labor and then a c-section. If I had known they were going to slice me open, I wouldn’t have opted for the 36 hours of pain preceding it! Good luck Kristjana – just remember that sooner or later this will all be over and you’ll have an adorable baby in your arms – they can’t stay in there forever 😉
April 30th, 2010 | #
I will send good labor vibes! Why do they want to do a section?
With Vance, I labored at home for 24 hours before going to the hospital. Then got there and I was only 3 so they sent me walking for 2 hours. I made it to 45 minutes and I was throwing up from the back labor. Went back up and I was at 5. They admitted me then. From that point, I labored in a hospital bed for 24 hours and Vance was born after 2 HOURS of pushing. He’s lucky he is so cute!
Good luck and keep us posted!
April 30th, 2010 | #
I had to reread your post. You did ASK for gory and seem to have gotten it! OY! I’ve only got one and I had B-H throughout and a history of m/c prior to my little one so was a bit hinky about various pains and got hooked up a couple of times. Had what I thought were labor pains on a Sunday. Went in that morning (was already 5 days over). They said I didn’t have enough of the signs to warrant keeping me. But, to come back the next morning at 9 and they’d induce me. Went out for Mexican for lunch. 1030 that night started timing. Was leaving (freshly showered!) for the hospital at about 2:30AM. She arrived just after lunch time. Was able to do with only Phenergin (sp?). But, know that’s just luck. Speaking of…much good luck to you (all). Can’t wait to hear your good news. 😀
May 2nd, 2010 | #
It’s amazing how many and how different birth stories are, even among one’s own children. For the birth of my second baby, I went into pre-term labor at 27 weeks. The doctors finally got it stopped with the help of many, many awful drugs, but the risk of my baby being born that early was greater than the side effects and risks of the terrible drugs. I stayed in the hospital for a week on bedrest, then went home to serve out the rest of the term on bedrest til I was 38 weeks along. I went in and out of labor for MONTHS! Contractions would last 8 hours, I’d have big plans of going to the hospital only to have them abruptly stop. Even once I was okayed to get off bedrest, I was sure the baby would come right away, but nope! She was born the day before her due date! Even while laboring in the hospital, I wasn’t SURE I’d be going home with a baby that day. I was 4 cm for weeks!
After all those prayers for her not to be born too early, she was brought to full-term! Thankful for the miracle, but her labor story sure kept me on edge!
May 4th, 2010 | #