Gloria's Birth Story Part I

On July 1st, around 3 pm I started getting some contractions.  They weren't STRONG per say, but they were there.  My Doctor told me to come in once I had 6 in an hour.  I guess he was being more cautious because it's my second baby and because I was already progressed.  So I gave it 6 in an hour and then waited ... another hour and a half and they didn't give up!  SO, off we went!

In the mean time, Evan started acting just like he does with these HUGE life changing surgeries that he works on nearly every day: calm and collected. 

NOT!!!

He reorganized the ENTIRE office, put together a bookshelf, vaccummed the upstairs etc.  He was kinda FREAKING out.  He did the SAME thing with Liliana, and it absoultely cracks me up and warms my heart.

When we got to the hospital, I had progressed to a 3/4 already.  They said in order to be considered "laboring" I had to progress.  Within an hour and a half, I was a 5, so we were there to stay!  YAY!

Around midnight, the contractions were STRONG and coming every 2 minutes.  Evan and I started thinking "this is going to happen QUICKLY!!!"

Then, around 1 am ... the contractions STOPPED.

Since I am not 37 weeks yet (today is 36 weeks and 5 days along) they refuse to give me any pitocin or help me labor at all (with Liliana, when I got to a 4 during labor, they gave pitocin.  I guess every hospital has different rules). 

SO, I stayed at the hospital overnight and all day yesterday because my doctor was convinced I would start laboring again.  So I walked all around the hospital MULTIPLE times (they weren't letting me walk before because they didn't want me to labor so early in the pregnancy) trying to induce the labor AGAIN.  BUT, NADA! 

SO, that's why we're at Gloria's birth story Part I.

I am now sitting at home, 5 cm dilated and 75% effaced, waiting for this baby.  I lost a SECOND huge amount of bloody show this morning and thought it was time because I had 4 contractions in 15 minutes, but since 8 am, I've had nothing serious.  Just waiting ... and waiting ...

Doctor said there is an 80% chance the baby will come either today or tomorrow.  He says only a 20% chance he'll see me at our appointment on Thursday morning.

But at this rate, I have NO earthly clue when this will happen!  While I'm so glad she's still in my belly, it's also frustrating since I THOUGHT we were in labor and it just randomly went POOF, done. 

I was EXHAUSTED last night.  I had labored so much already, without any form of medication (they weren't allowing me any medication since I wasn't 37 weeks yet, which is fine b/c I really like going as long as I can without any help with pain).  That being said, I hadn't slept because I had been laboring AND was anxious about it.  So we got home last night and I fell asleep around 7:45 until 8:30.  Then I went downstairs, Evan put Liliana to sleep, and I fell asleep AGAIN.  And finally, we both CRASHED about 20 seconds after Liliana fell asleep.  I slept over 10 hours and am SO glad Gloria gave me the time to do that because I don't know how I would have gotten the energy to labor after that.  NOW, I have the energy, and I'm ready baby girl!

Whenever you want to come, we're ready!!  Whether it's today, whether it's on the day that the fireworks will be JUST for YOU, or even later, we're ready.  But supposedly it's REALLY soon!! : )  Mommy is HALF way there before we start pushing.  Let's get those last 5 QUICKLY and PAINLESSLY shall we? ; )