September 11, 2013 marked 10 days until my due date on September 21, 2013!  My doctor has always claimed my due date is September 22^nd based on some little paper wheel that he uses, but I have rejected this calculation in favor of my own internet research, all of which points to the 21^st.

At any rate, I figured this would be a good time to begin documenting my wait for labor to begin.  On a related note, you can see that my job is really demanding. To keep this simple, I’ll break down “the daily wait” into categories: Labor Symptoms (real and imagined); Activities (to induce labor, and otherwise); Preparation for baby (aka the longer he takes, the more his wardrobe increases); Inquiries from others;  & Personal thoughts

Alright, so let’s get started with  day 1 (or 10?)

10 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms:

minor twinges of pain in my lower back (totally imagined)

horrifying sharp pains as baby bumps into nerves in my lower pelvic region (all too real yet not linked to labor)

baby hiccupping throughout the day, and blissfully unaware that anything is going to be different than it has been for the past 9 months

extreme fatigue and boredom  I just realized that was from reading an Air Force regulation, and likely had absolutely nothing to do with impending labor

Activities:

I love this DVD by Suzanne Bowen.  It has 3 different prenatal workouts – “Lean Lower Body”, “Cardio Sculpt”, and “Strong Upper Body and Core”.  Each workout is only about 20-25 minutes, which is great because it gives you little excuse to not do it.  They are legitimate strength-training workouts that make you work a little, but definitely don’t go overboard.  My arms and legs are always sore after completing them in just the right way.  I also have another Prenatal workout DVD, which features some alleged “celebrity trainer” in an oddly decorated living room, wearing a shirt that is too short, and yelling at you throughout.  I think the workout was actually pretty good, but the distracters were too much to handle.  I have exclusively used the Barre workout for several months now, and people often tell me I look fit (I have chosen to accept that they’re saying this sincerely, and not just trying to console a preggo).

Sat at desk. Walked to refrigerator one time (approximately 70 feet away). Walked to water cooler 3 times (approximately 75 feet away).

Took a long walk with Andy after dinner.  I even jogged a little.  And by a little I mean, it was ridiculous.

Preparation for baby:

I’ve been wanting to get this onesie from Hello Merch for awhile now.  However, every time I go on the site to buy it, it says it’s sold out.  It then allows you to opt for a notification when they get more in stock.  A few days or weeks later they will e-mail you to inform of its availability.  This would likely be a good time to go in and purchase it.  Instead, I sit on the idea for a few more days, weighing the necessity of yet another baby onesie. Then, I go in to finally purchase it and begin the “sold out” cycle yet again.  I’m on my third cycle.  For a $20.00 item.

Yesterday I packed baby’s “going home outfit” in my hospital bag.  My mom bought this  Oilo Newborn Layette for him, and I think it will be perfect.  He has a back-up white bodysuit and hat from L’oved Baby, which is slightly smaller just in case.  But I’m already convinced he’s an 8+pounder.

Inquiries from others:

Kerry: “ok my car is in the shop today. If that baby starts coming you hold him in until tomorrow !”

Nina: “Have u had a check up? Any updates?”

Michelle: “Any signs of baby??”

Mom: “feeling ok??”

My paralegal: “I scheduled you for two clients on September 23^rd”

Personal thoughts:

Still optimistic that he might come on or before due date. Probably not as nervous as I should be (yet).

9 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms:

I woke up this morning feeling better than ever – truly maddening!

Baby continues moving around, making himself comfortable. I’m half convinced that he used to be lower, but has managed to creep back up into my abdomen in some sort of adamant effort to never leave.

Activities: 

About to embark on a 4-hour meeting marathon here at the office.  I’m pretty sure that’s the opposite of what you’re supposed to do to induce labor. Update: It was just as thrilling as anticipated and I have no new symptoms.

Did not do much else in terms of exercise.  Made some fish tacos for dinner, which entailed walking around the grocery store for about 10 minutes.  Shockingly, this had zero effect on my physical state.

Preparation for baby:

Thinking about ordering another car seat base for the second car. Exciting, I know.  We have  this Peg Perego carseat for the baby in brown leather, which we got for a great deal at the Bel Bambini outlet.  On second thought, I don’t know if a “great deal” on a carseat is something to brag about, but it seems completely safe… (I am completely kidding.  In case I need to clarify).

Perused Zulily; found nothing of interest to blow my money on.

Inquiries from others

Office personnel: “You’re still here??”

Personal thoughts:

I would really like this baby to come!  I would also prefer to not have some sort of scene occur at my office in the process.  I have heard comments about an “office field trip” and “keeping a go bag in my co-worker’s office” one too many times to think they’re actually just kidding anymore.

8 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms:

More slight lower back pain (real, but if I were doing anything other than focusing solely on every twinge in my body, I wouldn’t notice it).

Overall, still feeling about the same. Bathroom trips are as frequent as ever, but I also drink a ridiculous amount of water every day, so I can’t solely blame baby for that. Speaking of bathroom trips, before I got pregnant, I NEVER used to wake up in the middle of the night for any reason.  I am a really deep sleeper. Now, I can’t imagine not getting up at least 4x every night to go to the bathroom.  I stay in a semi-sleeping state when I do it, but I know it happens.  I wonder if I’ll ever go back to my former heavy sleeping ways again!! I miss that.

Activities: 

Prenatal Barre “Lean Lower Body”

I was forced to park in the parking lot across the street from my building due to the ridiculous unavailability of parking in the headquarters lot.  This resulted in my being 10 (okay, 25) minutes late to the office. (I guess watching the Today show until my required departure time also contributed).  When my paralegal came in my office to ask me to do something, I told him to give me a second because I had just gotten in due to lack of parking.  He then looks out of my window and points out a parking spot in the HQ lot.  3 things: (1) are you insinuating I am lying? (2) do you actually believe I would need to lie to you for some reason? (3) you DO realize parking spots can open up at any point in time… right?    On a related note, I officially got my Separation Orders from the military yesterday!!!!  (more on that later).

Preparation for baby:

More house cleaning in store for this weekend.  Everything is basically set up in baby’s room, but since we won’t be at our place for very long after he’s born, we didn’t do a full nursery.  He doesn’t have a crib yet, but has this adorable Monte bassinet, and everything is fairly organized and cleaned.  The first time I did laundry for him was really strange.  I just felt weird washing clothes and tangible items for a person I’ve never met! Hard to explain, but it was different than just buying stuff for him – it made me feel like he lives in my house.  So soon!

Inquiries from others:

More of the same at work.

Personal thoughts:

It’s Friday the 13^th! Not a bad day for a birthday – right, baby boy?! At least it’s something…

7 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms: 

I am officially 39 weeks pregnant! I really feel about the same as always today.  The more that I move around, the less I feel even the slight twinges of pain I’ve felt here and there over the past couple of days.

Activities: 

Andy and I went on a walk to get lunch this afternoon, which we completely undermined by eating greasy Mexican food.  I started feeling some cramping in my stomach on our walk home, but then Andy told me he felt the same thing, proving that belly aches from too much Mexican food are NOT the same thing as labor symptoms. Go figure.

Preparation for baby:

We slept in until 10 today! Sleep is good preparation, I’m sure.

Inquiries from others:

Mom: “No wah wah?”

Dad: “How’s Harry doing?”

Kerry: “No baby?”

Personal thoughts:

I better wash my uniform because I have a feeling I’ll be back in the office on Monday at this rate. But then again, this whole “labor thing” supposedly happens very suddenly.  I am getting more and more confused about what to expect. However, this evening I started getting really bad lower back pain and cramping (not contractions) for about three hours.  It was very painful, but by the time I went to bed, I was feeling better.  False alarm.

6 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms: 

None. Seriously. I am regressing. Funny, as I was typing that, I got a sharp pain in my back.  Stop teasing, baby!

Activities: 

Today was a pretty lazy day.  We went down to Santa Barbara with the intent to walk around and shop for the day, but our car had other plans for us and we ended up dealing with that instead.  Later in the afternoon, we went to the pool near our place and laid out for a bit before heading to the movies. (don’t see The Family).

Preparation for baby:

Moved baby’s carseat and my hospital bag to our other car.  Considered washing baby bottles, but figured that was really unnecessary at this point.  I have another doctor’s appointment in the morning, but I am not anticipating much coming from that.  My doctor doesn’t do anything more than listen to the baby’s heartbeat and send me on my way.  I guess his philosophy is that there is no predictable way to tell when the baby is going to come, so all the checking for dilation, etc. is not really necessary.  I suppose that’s good and bad. Either way, I hope this is my last weekly appointment.

Inquiries from others: 

Mom: “any action?”

Personal thoughts:

I guess I am going to work in the morning.  The good news is that the longer he takes, the more my maternity leave pushes me closer to my final leave from the Air Force!

5 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms: 

Still feeling good (which, I suppose, is actually bad).  However, I spoke too soon about the doctor.  He actually did an exam today, and things are progressing. Not that that even means anything in particular.  The good news is I can get induced next week if baby doesn’t come before then.  I used to be opposed to induction (and I hope my birth class teacher isn’t reading this), but now all I can say is — tell me where to sign up!  I honestly do believe — despite what the “natural birth” community will propagate — that babies can get too big (they DO keep on growing…), so why put yourself in that position?  Then again, I guess I can speak more authoritatively on this if I actually experience a successful induction.  I might be eating my words, but for now I’m willing to take that chance.

Activities: 

Pure Barre “Strong Upper Body and Core”

Preparation for baby:

Cleaned/sanitized baby’s room in case he’s coming home soon.

Inquiries from others: 

Michelle: “any signs of baby yet????”

My boss (via calendar invite): “If you’re not having a baby tomorrow, could you pick up an interviewee at the Visitor’s Center?”

Personal thoughts:

Realized that this is going to happen sometime soon no matter what. 

4 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms: 

Nothing to report. I would even say I’m feeling great! I would honestly be pretty surprised if I suddenly went into labor tonight.  I feel like there must at least be some sort of significant physical regression beforehand for a couple of days.  I have absolutely no medical evidence or research to support this, but it seems right.

Activities: 

Went on a semi-long walk to get coffee this afternoon.  I felt the same before, during, and after.  I also cleaned out my office for the most part because I really won’t be back after the baby comes for much more than out-processing purposes and maybe a week or two of work here and there.  That may have been a little premature, but what can I say — I’m excited to be a civilian.

Preparation for baby:

I have really toned down my baby purchases lately.  I am waiting to see him and figure out what I’m really going to need before I keep purchasing arbitrary items at the suggestion of online articles touting “baby must-haves!”  (and I already bought all that stuff in a panicked several hundred dollar Amazon shopping spree — or 3).

Inquiries from others:

Michelle: “anything new to report?

Kerry: “Water break yet?”

Mom: “You have until 1:03 PM to give birth or I am out of the pool!!”

Personal thoughts:

I am pretty much in denial that a lot of shit is about go down in the next few days. I am just so curious to see exactly what this whole labor/birth/baby thing will be like.  I’m impatient!  But for now, I’m off to bed to likely have a perfectly pleasant night’s sleep.

3 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms:

Yesterday (September 18th) was the beginning of the 3-day countdown to my due date.  Unfortunately, I wan’t able to post anything because I was in actual debilitating pain for the entire afternoon, evening, and night.  Also unfortunately, as evidenced by this post, that debilitating pain did NOT result in actual labor or a baby.  The good news is, I guess I was right — I wasn’t about to get away with feeling perfectly normal then suddenly go into moderately painful but predictable contractions then have a baby within a few hours.  So, as I sit here and write this I am not in labor.  What I am feeling is the following: constant severe back pressure that morphs into horrifying stabbing pains unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.  It is truly indescribable.  Baby is a lot lower now, so I’m sure that’s what’s causing this.  Now just playing the waiting game. Ow ow ow ow. (seriously).

Activities:

In the morning, I did Prenatal Barre Cardio Sculpt, which is less cardio and more lunges and squats for the entire video.  I felt pretty good then headed off to work where my physical condition quickly deteriorated. I left work a little early thinking I just needed to rest and I’d be back to normal.  I got home, took a hot shower and felt good for about 10 minutes. I tried to rest, but my back pain was too much to handle, so I took a warm bath — felt great for about 20 more minutes.  Then back pain attacked again, resulting in another bath, which also felt great until the moment I stepped out and wanted to scream in actual pain. (okay I did. and cried a little, too).

I will say that I understand the water birth concept — it has to be the best way to do this minus the whole baby-swimming-pool-in-your-living-room-soon-to-be-filled-with-bodily fluids thing. Somebody has to empty that, and if you remember anything about those baby pools, the water just gushes out the sides when you pull it even a couple of feet. Maybe they’re better quality now. I wouldn’t know.  I guess you could just have the baby in your bathtub.. but all the videos seem to feature the pools.

Preparation for Baby:

Mostly just begging him to be born to save me from myself.

Inquiries from others:

The usual.

Personal thoughts:

Actual panic that this back pain could go on for days and days, never progressing to actual labor.  I think I’ll just live in the bath for awhile.

2 Days to Go…

Labor Symptoms:

Looks like I will be perpetually one day behind on these updates.  Well, first things first — I probably don’t need to say this, but still no baby.  The good news is that my back pain issue has significantly improved.  After consulting my father-in-law (who is a doctor.. because that would be weird otherwise), my OB, my birth class instructor, and the entire world wide web, it seems the issue was the baby’s position on my spine/sciatic nerve, and my only option for reprieve was to somehow get him to move his baby ass to a different position.  Thankfully, my husband was sweet enough (& sick enough of listening to me complain) that he spent a significant period of time giving me a massage and applying pressure to my lower back.  That combined with several more warm baths and voilà — I’m a new(ish) woman!  I still have a lot of pressure, but it is way more bearable than having the baby press on my freaking nerve all day.  And now I can actually walk!  However, this doesn’t give me any more information about when labor will start.  Oh well – for now, I’ll enjoy not yelping out in pain in public.

Activities:

We went on a walk to get breakfast yesterday, which involved stopping every 10 feet as I doubled over in pain.

Preparation for Baby:

Good news on this front — we got our glider/rocking chair delivered after 2 months of waiting (and many harassing phone calls from me). That’s another story for another day.  We got the Little Castle Cottage Recliner/Glider in the Iron Lattice fabric.  It is super comfy and looks great! Well worth the wait, I think.

I also ordered the Storksak Sofia Diaper Bag from Hautelook a few weeks ago, and just got notice that it is en route – yay.  Wow -as I was writing that, the delivery guy came to the door. Speaking of Hautelook, Andy and I have been obsessed with this website since its inception, and nothing speaks to my soul more than the current Hautelook commercial — Seriously, though, how greedy is this girl? EVERY DAY you order from Hautelook? We are slightly more discerning (but it’s all so tempting!) Alright, baby boy.  Now we literally have everything we need for you, sooooo… any time now, bud.

Inquiries from others:

Jhovanna: “Is baby almost here?!?!”

Family: “Any progress??”

Personal thoughts:

I was really expecting less pain leading up to this whole labor process, but so it goes.  I can’t wait to finally get to the other side of this experience, and meet our little baby!

D- Day!

Labor Symptoms:

I know, I skipped the 1-day countdown update, so here it is: no baby! Here is a pic of Andy and me walking around Solvang yesterday, still hopeful (haha).

Now it’s my DUE DATE and… still no baby.  Also no labor symptoms.  Late yesterday afternoon, I started having really bad back pain again that made it actually impossible to walk.  The pain also started shooting down my inner thigh, basically paralyzing me.  I really wish there was some way to communicate that I am not exaggerating the severity of this! Ridiculous lightning bolt-type pain.  I spent the evening in the bath (again) then went to bed relatively early.  This morning I woke up and felt pretty good! So much for a due date miracle!

Activities:

I went grocery shopping and the most exciting thing that’s happened, is I’m now 2 stamps away from my very first Rachael Ray free dinnerware item.  I think we will go with one red cereal bowl.

Preparation for Baby:

Zulily delivery today — How cute and perfect are these?!

Inquiries from others:

Nonstop phone calls and texts, which I really appreciate!!! Sorry I don’t have more exciting news to share yet.

Personal thoughts:

I better start researching induction and convince myself to overlook the horror stories if  I want to meet this baby anytime in the next 20 days.