BabyWatch 2012: Lady Vera Grace Edition

As of today, it has been 11 straight days of contractions.

11 days.

Everyday.

Yep.  I think it's pretty clear why I haven't been posting...

Week 34

Week 35

After a week of contractions, a trip to Labor and Delivery, and a doctor's appointment...it's been a busy 11 days.  And by the looks of it, Vera took a trip South, as well!  She has dropped...there is no doubt about that.  My lower back constantly hurts, I don't have acid reflux as bad, and I no longer have a single piece of clothing that will cover my entire belly.

On Tuesday, February 7th I had been having contractions every 10 minutes for about 12 hours so I called the L&D number to see what I should do.  They told me to come in to the hospital to be monitored and check to see if I was dilated at all.  Long story short, 9 hours, 2 IV bags, and 4 checks of my cervix, they sent me home.  While I have been having consistent contractions, I was not dilating...grrrrrrrrr!  Yes.  It was a really good thing they sent me home because the last thing any mom, including me, wants is to have their baby be born too early and spent time in the NICU instead of your arms.  They did give me a great painkiller, though, and after a quick trip to OTB (I hadn't eaten all day!!), I had a great night sleep.

Since then, I have been having contractions sporadically.  I will have 2 hours of contractions every 10 minutes, take a nap, and they will become more delayed.  Other times (like last night) I will have contractions every 4-6 minutes for over an hour.  It's just so confusing on what to do.  So I took Tylenol and went to sleep (at least attempted to...I was too stressed out to really sleep).

Let me say this...this is my third labor in 4 years.  I'm not a rookie.  I know what contractions feel like, I know the burning sensations of cramps in front and in my back.  I know what I'm going through is early labor.  BUT HOW FREAKING LONG DOES IT HAVE TO LAST?!  I've been told to go into the hospital when contractions are more than 6 an hour.  Well, that happens a lot.  And I'm still not dilating.  It's very frustrating, painful, uncomfortable, and really exhausting.  At the end of the day, when Vera is born, it won't have mattered if I dilate or not because I am having a c-section.

I went to a follow-up appointment on Friday and still no cervical change.  I have an appointment tomorrow with my regular OB and plan on talking to her about what to do.  I have been in bed for almost 11 whole days.  My kids are bored and need to get out of the house but it is so hard when I can barely walk...grrrrrrr.  It's times like these that I really miss being back in Kansas.  At the very least I could be distracted by my friends...but my kids wouldn't be so bored, either.

The good news is that Vera is still active, so I am not worrying about if she's ok or not.

I have been giving myself little goals to reach: get through the night, get to nap time, get to the next doctor's appointment, etc.

Wish me luck.