When I first became pregnant and started obsessively researching and planning the way I always do, I had this idea in my head that I would be pregnant until at LEAST 41 weeks. I was perfectly okay with that and have been using that time frame in my head instead of my Aug. 1st EDD. I planned my maternity leave so that I had 2 weeks before my due date to get last minute things done and another 6 weeks afterwards with the baby.
It seems, maybe, that nature has other plans for me.
Last Wednesday at work I started the first of what was to be many waddles down the hall to the bathroom. After I finished my business I wiped. I looked down out of habit and noticed a long, stringy, snotty goo on the toilet paper streaked with blood. Uh-Oh. Was this what I thought it was? Almost immediately afterwards I started feeling very mild contractions. I tried to go back to my desk and finish up my work.
About 30 minutes later I was off to the bathroom again (oh the joys of being 9 months pregnant). I noticed that the contractions were getting a little stronger. After going to the bathroom, I wiped and noticed MORE bloody snot on the toilet paper. I started to panic slightly. I was only 36 weeks. I thought I had plenty of time. This was not happening.
I went back into the office and decided it would probably be a good idea to let my boss know what was going on. I told her I think I lost my mucus plug and that I was having contractions. She promptly screamed 'OH SHIT' and told me to go home before I went into labor at the office, haha. I called my doctor's office and was told to come in and get checked. Of course, my regular OB was on vacation so I had to see someone I had never met before. He checked me and told me I was a fingertip dilated and then had me hooked up to the monitors for an hour to so to check on the baby. Everything looked good so he sent me home saying it could be days or weeks from now.
I decided that I would be better off taking my maternity leave a week early. Even though I was definitely not in labor yet, I had a feeling it was coming soon and I still had so much left to do at home to get ready. I went in to work for a few hours on Thursday to finish things up and set up my replacement and then went home.
Friday morning I was laying in bed when I felt a warm gush of fluid. I went to the bathroom, peed, and then laid back down. This happened two more times. I wasn't sure if this was my water breaking (leaking) or discharge, or urine so I just ignored it for the time being. I got out of bed with a ton of energy and started obsessively scrubbing the house down from top to bottom. After everything was sparkling clean, I made dinner for the boyfriend, and waited for him to come home. As soon as I sat down I felt another gush of fluid. I continued to just ignore it figuring that if it WAS my water I would be feeling something pretty quickly. Mando got home, we ate dinner, and then headed off to our Childbirth Classes. We did about 2 hours of classes that night and then came home, watched a movie, and went to bed.
Saturday morning we woke up and started getting ready for the 2nd session of classes. I noticed that my contractions were getting worse. During the breathing exercises/massage portion of the class I noticed that the contractions were pretty much on top of each other and were hard to talk through. I was still under the impression that my water had broken or at the very least was leaking so we decided after the class to go into L&D and get checked.
I arrived at the hospital and they changed me into a gown and hooked me up for monitoring. They had me drink water and lay on my left side for a few hours. The nurse checked me and said I was 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. She tested the fluid and told me it wasn't amniotic fluid, it was probably just urine or discharge. She said I was having contractions but they were still pretty far apart and I wasn't progressing so I should just go home and take it easy. After about 3 hours we were sent home. She told me once again that it could be days or it could be a few weeks from now. They said I was far along enough that they wouldn't stop my labor if it started and just to take it easy and to get some rest.
Over the past few days I've just been at home and trying to get some last minute things done. I've been having contractions, but they don't seem to be getting much more intense or regular. Mando and I went to Babies R Us and Target last night to do some returns and shopping for last minute items. I definitely have more contractions when I'm up and moving around. I'm driving myself crazy just sitting at home all the time so I'm going to get up and go shopping in a little while today. Maternity leave isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially when you're home alone just WAITING for something to happen. I'm trying to stay active and do all those little things I've been putting off.
I still have no idea whether or not the baby will stay in until tomorrow or if he will stay in until I'm 41 weeks, but I definitely feel like SOMETHING is happening! I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I've been getting the infamous calls, text messages, and Facebook comments just about every hour... "Any baby yet?!". They are slowly driving me insane. I know everyone is just excited to meet the baby, but really, I'll let them know when it's time!
We are just so excited to meet baby Cayden and get to hold him. I know I'll miss pregnancy once it's over, but right now I just want to be a mother and hold my baby!
37 weeks
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