Twiddling My Thumbs...

Well, it's two days before my due date and I am still with child.

However,  I won't say there's no sign of Baby Bruce.  Early Saturday morning, we even made a trip into the hospital to find out if it was time.

It wasn't.

But it wasn't false labor.  It just turns out that this baby wants to taunt and tease me into thinking it's coming at any moment.  I get contractions occurring every five minutes or less for almost an hour or so.  I'm supposed to call Dr. P when they keep coming for an hour.

Friday night, well actually Saturday morning, around 12:45, I woke up to severe cramping and pain in my back.  I laid there and let it be and started writing down the times they occurred.  They were 5 minutes apart...then 4...then 3....  I even had a couple only 2 minutes apart.  I waited and waited.  I let them go for an hour and twenty minutes before I woke up Stephen and told him what was going on.  He urged me to call the doctor.

So I did and she said to go ahead and go in and she might see me later!

We were very excited because this could be it!  We could be bringing home our baby soon!

However, once we got to our labor and delivery room, I had a feeling I would be sent home. 

The nurse checked me and hooked me up to monitors and watched me for about an hour.  She confirmed that I was in fact, contracting, and Baby Bruce was looking good through all of it!  So, she sent me walking for an hour to see if I would progress.  Stephen and I walked the 5th floor hallways for an hour.  I had some really painful contractions that made me stop in my tracks.  It's a good thing they have those handrails along all the walls.

We came back and she checked me again.  No progress.  I really just wanted to cry.  But I was strong.  I didn't cry until we got home.

Yep, she sent me home and said she thought I'd be back later Saturday night or Sunday sometime.

Um, it's Tuesday night.  I have not been back yet.

I went to my scheduled doctor's appointment yesterday and Dr. P did an NST (non-stress test) to make sure all is still fine with Baby Bruce.  At first, Baby was having some dips and dives with the heartrate, so she wanted me to get an ultrasound, just to be sure my fluid was okay.  The rest of my NST was fine.  We got another ultrasound and got a new picture of Baby's profile, and everything looks fantastic.

So, we scheduled my weekly appointment for next Monday, which will be four days after my due date.  If I haven't gotten this turkey out of me before then, Dr. P will want to induce me.

I am praying I have this baby naturally before then.  I really don't want to be induced.  I'd like to avoid all those drugs, if at all possible.

Will you please pray for me and the baby?  I am so grateful that Baby is healthy and fine.  I also am doing fine, but I really don't feel good.  It hurts to sit, stand, lay down...really, I'm just uncomfortable all the time.  I am even having occasional nausea.  My swelling is out of control.

There is a lot of family coming to Colorado for Thanksgiving and to meet the baby.  It'd be great if Baby comes before the weekend so that my mom can be here in Denver with me and not be worrying about all the company at her house.  This is important to me, but it's really important to her that she gets to share this special time with me.  It's that mother-daughter thing, you know?

And pray for Stephen, too.  He has to put up with me.  Ha!