Midwifery Today Community

I had the midwives come this morning at 4 AM.  I wasn't sure if I was in labor and I was feeling terribly anxious that things might get really serious quickly and they wouldn't be able to get here in time, so I had them come.  I had had regular mild and short (as opposed to strong and long) contractions since 9PM.  They never stopped until the late morning today, though they would space out for a while and I was able to get some sleep.  They have been effacing me.  My cervix was really mushy when they checked, and maybe a bit open but pretty far back.  Baby did really well through a contraction I had while they were here.  So I am just hanging low here.  I was relieved to know that I'm not running around at 4 cm or something but that this pre-labor stuff is doing just what its supposed to and I don't have to worry about the baby just dropping out when I poop or something (it felt like she was going to, and the midwife confirmed that she was really really low and no wonder I was feeling like that).  Labor is around the corner.

I am a bit surprised at some of the anxiety I'm feeling.  Maybe should have prepared a little better.  Also, are there any good excerpts online for my DH to read incase he really does end up catching this baby in the absence of a midwife?  What to do if I'm bleeding? etc?

Robsgirl, I don't have any suggestions for online sources but I did catch my friend's baby because the midwives didn't make it. I think it's good to be prepared but honestly everything I knew fell right out of my head! I just did what I did without much thought. I knew mom's bleeding was fine...not sure what I would have done had she began bleeding heavily but I certainly wouldn't have let her bleed to death (she's my best friend!) :D I think at those moments God does some extreme intervening and people do things they didn't know they had in them until the time came to do it. Maybe that's not much of a comfort and it's certainly not a statement against getting educated..just wanting to encourage you that it's not in your or your husband's wisdom alone that baby and Mama are going to come through this birth beautifully! What an absolute exciting time for you!! I'm greatly anticipating the day I get to meet my little one...hearing about your impending birth makes even more impatient :D Praying for you that all goes well and I believe it will! Praying also that it's very very soon :)

That's really exciting Robsgirl! :)

I would tend to agree with Kelly.  I think your husband will know what to do if the moment comes upon you both, and that he will know what to do - what would he do if you stabbed your wrist or thigh very badly in the kitchen accidentally?  He's probably not trained for it and yet would be able to take sufficient action to save you if he had to.  And i think babies are smart and know their destinies too - it's ok for you both to trust your baby and each other and God and know that everything is going to pan out how it should.  

I too am feeling so keen to meet my babe, and can't wait to "meet" yours and hear all about the birth.  I feel like an addict!  I have to keep reminding myself that keen as i am, i don't actually want to meet this little guy early!

Thank you, Kelly and Bec!  I'm really glad I had that little false start.  It is helping me be more prepared mentally and spiritually.  All the physical needs and supplies are ready, but I really haven't been doing a lot of internal work, thinking that I had that part down pat. :-)  So this is really good.  I'm able to face some of the birth fears I didn't really know I had, and to pray more specifically.

I know all the standard stuff to do to prevent bleeding--nursing the baby, fundal massage.  I even have methergine pills in the house and could take one after the placenta arrives if I'm still bleeding a fair amount. I may look into PPH herbs too, and go to the healthfood store just incase.  The info on homeopathic resuscitation on the forum is getting filed away too.  :-)

I also have to assemble the phone numbers to have handy.  Our family doctor, who lives only about 10-15 minutes from us and is a personal friend, gave us his cell phone number in case we need him to come to the house.  Isn't that awesome?  I'm so blessed to have such a supportive bunch. 

The contractions finally stopped being regular and became occasional and random as usual late yesterday morning and I was able to rest a lot yesterday.  I slept 11 hours last night, which felt sooooo good.  So today is shaping up to be just an ordinary day, which I am grateful for.

Okay, so this is where the self-doubt and looking up "natural" labor induction starts to happen.  :-) Going through my head:  maybe I should have taken the 6 week herbal formula, maybe I should have at least started drinking a quart of RRL at 36 weeks like I planned, maybe my uterus isn't toned enough, maybe there's still something left undone that I'm not aware of yet, maybe I'm too tired or stressed, I just know it...she's stubborn and going to be two weeks late.   Yes, I have ants in my pants.  I've dealt with the fears that came up while having that episode of pre/false labor the other day.  I have shepherd's purse in the birth kit, my husband has been briefed, the freezer has been stocked, the whole house cleaned (including the dusty light fixtures), and here I am waiting for baby to throw that switch and say "its TIME".  :-)  I'm so bad, I'm not even due yet!  What's a girl to do?

You know hunny, i have witnessed this sort of antsyness in so many late pregnancy women i have begun to think of it as the pre-labour transition. :)

It is as you say, everything is ready, but where is the baby!?  I knew i would go over with DD, and my anstyness began around 40+1 (which is great in terms of how long i got through without any, but i still had 10 more days to wait...).  I think it's a totally normal stage for most women.  Just as transition is a normal phase of labour when you move from passivity (mentally and physically removing all barriers between where the baby is and where the baby is soon going to be) to action, moving that baby down through the newly opened gates, so there is a phase, chronic rather than acute, where one moves from "pregnant" to "labouring".

And you know what, i REALLY think it's necessary.  This phase is going to give you the little extra patience a brand new baby needs, it's going to push you mentally and emotionally like a new baby can, just as the braxton hicks have been toning your uterus, this phase is sharpening your mama-bear claws, ready for the task ahead.

I know none of this helps (especially as however strongly i believe it i do think it's just something i have noticed, and who am i!?) in terms of dealing with it, but maybe from this you can take a little of the strength labour transition brings - for me i began to panic, i begged for an epidural (in my own bath at home with only XP and a friend there, so no chance! lol) and then i had a little moment of sunchine where i knew my baby was really coming soon.  So try to smile a little lovely woman, your baby isn't minutes away, but she isn't months away either.  These last few days stretched thin by the strain of waiting will be a salve on future days of sleeploss and stress (if there are any, which there might not be!).  I really think that the slowness of the last weeks of pregnancy are what makes the first weeks of new life speed by, and i think Mother Nature knows that too, and it makes us appreciate our precious early days with our children that bit more.  Long hugs to you, and good labouring thoughts. 

In practical terms my answer to the issue was to knit my baby a little cross-over sweater.  Of course it was done before the baby was, but i'd just finished blocking and sewing it the night before labour, so maybe it's time to pick a little project or write yourself a big list of stuff you must do, and get stuck in while you wait.

Lots of love

Bec

Hi Bec, thanks so much for the hugs and encouragement!! 

I'm doing okay today, except for being really tired.   I've been able to fill up my 2 year old's "love tank" a bit extra today since he's had a rough few days of just being two and, I think, sensing the impending arrival of the new little one. 

I do have a project I could start.  I've been wanting to make my mom a scarf.  And honestly, it would be really good if I could hold out until at least Sunday when my second midwife will be back from visiting her sick mother in Florida for a week or so (she missed my last birth also because she was recovering from surgery).

I've given up on the thoughts of my uterus not being toned enough.  I had several rock hard BH contractions last evening which dispelled that idea. 

We will wait and see.  :-)  Thanks again.

 ROBSGIRL:

I know it's hard to be patient. I had a long post the other day that didn't make it through but in short I was mentioning things like making list, making peace and making whoopee!

With my fourth born in the winter shopped everynight, even at the 24 hrs walmart to calm my anxiety and exhaust myself to the point where I could sleep well. Somertime I bought stuff sometime I didn't just walking around looking at stuff was a great night time distraction and soothing relief for BH. 

Maybe have a movie marathon of some favorite classics or reorganize the kitchen or cook up a months worth of freezer meals if you ahve the energy. Definately consider scooting away for a mani and pedi...you deserve it! Check with the local beauty scholls if $$$ are an issue.

ALL:

So hubby an I have only found time to BD (baby dance) twice since my last moon time ended. We work opposite schedules, had to car shop, grad classes started back up and we are just in general a bit to busy or tired. Not sure when I'll be ovulating since i don't chart, just ocassionally check mucus and staying mindful of increased libido and ovulation pain. With grad classes and plans to attend a unschool conference and then the midwifery today conference I'm feeling a bit distracted enough to not be overly consumed with conceiving. Not that my desire has changed I just don't want to be stuck on the emotional roller coaster. Plus my personal productivity has been a wreck the past 3 months with all the calendar watching and over analysis of pseudo symptoms. With that said I may trek on over to Wholefoods and incorporate a little herbal support for hubby and I both. We are swifty neaing forty and might need a little aunatural assistance.

Since we have five brilliant kiddos already I'm confident that we won't be seeking the aid of a fertility doc. Nothing against them just not wanting to go down that expensive and emotional road. Researched clomid, sounds risky, and any other options just seem way to invasive and artificial at this stage in my life. Again, if we didn't have five already I might be all over everything IVF, GIFT, womb renting etc....  Lots of ethical implications with that path though, that I'm grateful not to have had to contemplate.

My best to all who are with child or nursing their newbies. It's a special and WONDER FILLED space in life, don't rush it!

NAMASTE

Well, I'm still pregnant!!!  Still waiting.  Finished mom's gift and started one for myself, since I liked it so much.  Midwife is back and coming over for a home visit today.

Might be in labor.  Still timing to see if the contractions are consistent.  They definitely have more of a bite than my bunch of false labor contractions a couple weeks ago.

thinking great birth-y thoughts for you and the bebe!

Well, I'm still here.  I think my body just wanted to sleep last night, so they mellowed out enough so that I could sleep except for getting up to pee and drink every hour.  I'm still getting mild contractions now, and I'm up to eat something (I'm STARVING), but I do hope this kicks into gear sometime today.

Praying this is the day! I'm glad you were able to sleep though...beginning labor at night isn't the most ideal even when you're reeeeeally more than ready in every other way :) If I'm having some pinchy contractions for a couple of days I usually start nipple stimulation. I do it in the morning before I get up for about 20mins, when I lay down for a nap in the afternoon (until I either fall asleep or get tired of doing it), and again when I go to bed (lol, until I fall asleep or get tired of doing it :D). I believe a woman's body will go into labor when it's ready and it's not good to exhaust ourselves trying to start a labor up that's not ready to go but it's no more exhausting to have ineffective contractions for days on end without results :) We live in a fallen world where our bodies don't always work perfectly...does that mean we lose trust? No, but we have to trust in the right Thing or rather Person...God is able and if you're feeling peaceful about the nipple stimulation I'd say go for it...if you're still feeling like you're able to rest well and aren't feeling too worn out then letting it ride may be the way to go :) Either way I'm praying you don't get frazzled and are able to peacefully rest in God's grace and provision! In my opinion you're at the hardest part of pregnancy :) (((BIG HUG))) I can't wait to hear about the beautiful birth of your little one...I have no doubt it will be very very soon! Keep in touch if it helps...I enjoy hearing from you...you're always such an encouragement :) Take Care!!

Your words are so sweet, Kelly. Thank you.  :-)

I've had bloody show since this morning.  The contractions never went away, just mellowed out until about noon when they started to "bite" again.  They are getting closer and a bit stronger, but not really longer yet, so here we're still waiting.  They're about 5 minutes apart now, lasting about 45-60 seconds.  I've been using homeopathic caulophyllum since yesterday and used some EPO capsules vaginally overnight.  I've done a little bit of nipple stim with some effect, but its hard to find privacy to do that  (the kids are all here still, providing me with some welcome distraction).  :-)  It is kind of nice laboring during daylight.

 childrentreasures.....just wanted to say thank you for the info on the Polly-Jean formula.  I am due 4/2010 with my 4th child.  My dh and I are both a little nervous about this delivery because I experienced PPH with my last one.  I am trying to do whatever I can to avoid it happening again this time around.  My midwife told me that there is a 25% increased risk of it happening again.  Anyway, I hope this stuff does the trick and if you have any other helpful advice I would really appreciate it.