I am so ready for this to be over

[ailbhe]

Contractions: eased off a bit (she typed, as a very strong one washed through her)
Baby's position: mainly ok, no longer pressing hard on the bruised bits
Amniotic fluid: leaking slightly
Cervical stabbing: regular, non-stop, presumably productive
Mucus plug: disintegrating gradually in lumps
Ability to form sentences: damaged, presumed gone
Ability to stand up: still impaired, but could be a lot worse. The children are in general marvellous about doing all my walking and fetching for me, getting the breakfast and lunch, etc. Also providing comforting touch on occasion. They are absolute stars and should have medals.
Ability to walk: limited. Keeping it limited also keeps my pain levels limited, so I'm doing things that way around.
Ability to sleep: limited. I can collapse form exhaustion but otherwise am not really comfortable enough to go to sleep like normal. And of course the kicking or the contractions wake me a lot. But if the external children don't wake me I can go back to sleep ok quite quickly still. Thank heavens for blackout curtains.

Days since symptoms started: 15 since contractions stopped being BH and started being moving-things-around-this-is-serious prodromal labour. I think. Definitely no more than 18 days, because 19 days ago I specifically noted that the contractions were still BH.

This lasted about 29 days last time. It might be less this time.

Comments

[serene]

Ohmigosh, baby! (I do feel for your pain, honest. I am hugging you long-distance and all. But still, BABY!!)

[jexia]

Not gross at all!

[ailbhe]

Perhaps I glossed over the gross parts.

[annifa.livejournal.com]

Do you think the next labour part is imminent? Wahey!!

[ailbhe]

It's hard to say; I think lowlevel stress stalled things last time, but also I needed a long introductory period to work up to the 10% of my own size baby I produced. So I am reluctant to guess at when things will kick off for realz this time.

With Emer, I never went into labour of any kind at all. And when she was born it was kind of obvious, too, that she wasn't entirely ready.

[clarahippy.livejournal.com]

It's so interesting seeing this from the perspective of someone who can compare what is happening to a previous labour and make sense of it. I kinda feel like nothing is happening and then wonder if maybe I just don't have the experience to make sense of it if anything did happen (although there is definitely nothing big happening!)

I hope that doesn't sound too weird!

[ailbhe]

First time around, all this was happening but when I went into the hospital to say "I've had strong painful contractions every ten minutes or more for over 24 hours," they said "no, it's nothing, you're imagining it, go away."

That was kind of scary, because I knew I wasn't imagining it. This time, I know what's going on, so it's not in the least scary - and I trust both my instincts and my care providers.

My main advice to first-timers, for labour and childcare, is to *trust yourself*. You have more expertise at living in your body than anyone else. I mean, you probably won't know exactly what's happening unless you suddenly find you do, but you have more data on it than most other people!

[jexia]

Nah, I just think it's interesting.

And despite how awful pregnancy is, I'm actually a bit sad that I'll never get to do labour again, ha.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

That sounds to me like you're ready to go any minute, but I know women do sometimes last for weeks in this state (as you did before). But what do I know - it's totally different from what my experience was! :)

I hope for your sake it's sooner rather than later.

[clarahippy.livejournal.com]

That is good advice! I hope things continue to go well for you and continue to be non-scary.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

I had one blissful pregnancy, one fraught (and painful) pregnancy, and two very different labors. And yeah...I don't want to do it again, but I do get wistful.