Prodromal Labor

So, I've spent most of the morning googling trying to figure out what is going on with me and why my labor keeps stalling out. From what I've gathered, I'm experiencing something called Prodromal labor, which is not the same thing as Braxton Hicks contractions, nor is it considered false labor. Everything I've seen says that prodromal labor is a very early stage of labor. Contractions are typically 5-10 minutes apart and may or may not hurt. (If they do hurt they don't get progressively stronger like actual labor contractions.) That it can last for hours, or even days before active labor. Good news is that there is usually some sort of progression, but at a slower pace than actual labor. All the sites I went to said that this kind of labor can be caused by baby's position in the pelvis, and that a lot of the time it is the body's way of trying to re-position the baby better in the pelvis for actual labor. (So like how Sam was sunny side up and I had terrible back labor, trying to move the baby to a different position to avoid that... I'm kind of thinking she might be in a similar position Sam was in because when I've had contractions they have hurt in my back like they did with Sam.) Unfortunately this kind of labor also exhausts the mother and the uterus so that when actual labor comes around it makes it a more difficult experience....

I did find some tips on how to deal with it, so I have a plan in place for tonight so I can get some sleep and go to work in the morning. Hopefully it will help these contractions either stay away or I'll be relaxed enough that true labor will happen. They say that the key is to not focus on the contractions... which I'll admit I have focused way too much on them the last few nights hoping that I was actually in labor. It's funny cause I didn't time Sam's contractions at all, I just went to the hospital. So I'm thinking maybe part of it is that I'm obsessing about it. Another thing they suggested is to take a sleep aid, like Tylenol PM, if it's true labor I won't be able to sleep through it even with Tylenol PM, if it's not then I should be able to sleep through them. And right now, getting a good nights sleep is like the top on my list of necessities. So here's hoping I can actually sleep tonight!

38 weeks...

How far along?: 38 Weeks 
How big is baby?: 19.75 Inches, 6.8 lbs (though it is my feeling that she is more like 20+ inches and 8+ lbs right now... I say this because her movements actually hurt now. And I can feel her feet up in my ribs at the same time I feel her head in my crotch... not very comfortable.) 
Food cravings?: not really craving any food right now. 
What I'm looking forward to: Being done being pregnant, getting to meet this little girl finally. 
Milestone: Not really much milestones happening anymore. She's all developed and ready to come out. 
Sleep?: Ha ha ha, what sleep? 
Best moment this week?: Hearing at my Dr's appointment that I am 2 cm dilated already. 
Feelings this week?: Frustration like I have never felt before. I look back at my blog entries with Sam and how frustrated I was about the whole thing, but that is NOTHING compared to this time. I thank God that I'm done having babies. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole pregnancy experience, except for the second and last months. With Sam I had to deal with some braxton hicks contractions and not dilating until the last minute. Contractions were a good 15 minutes apart though with no pain. With this little girl, I know I am dilated to 2 already, and for the last 3 nights I have been up anywhere from 2-5 hours with consistent contractions happening every 3-5 minutes and painful enough that I can't sleep through them. I really thought last night was it, since they were getting progressively closer together... but then it's like it bottomed out at 3 minutes in between and stuck there with no change for an hour until 5 when it decided it was time to stop. You know I wouldn't mind being pregnant for the next 2 weeks until my due date, but this is so frustrating I just can't handle it. I had a mini breakdown this morning when they stopped again. It's very emotionally draining to sit there thinking that this might be time, only for it NOT to be time. (At 5 am after I had been up since 1 am.) The most frustrating thing about this, is there's really nothing I can do. We've tried all the wives tales about what's supposed to induce labor from home, hasn't worked really. The Dr stripped my membranes, that didn't do anything. (OR I don't know, maybe that is the cause of all this false labor crap.) I just need one of two things to happen here: One: my obvious preference would be to go into labor officially and have Ella like today... or Two: This false labor needs to stop so I can continue working until she is born and if that means I have to be pregnant for another 2 weeks, whatever, I would much rather stay pregnant then have to deal with these nightly incursions into my sleep. 

Dr. Appointment and Nursery!

Had my Dr's appointment today. Good news is the contractions I've been having the last week are actually doing something, I'm dilated to 2 cm already. Makes me happy since when I was pregnant with Sam I was barely 1 cm when I went into labor. My Dr also stripped my membranes, so I could go into labor at any time now. Of course I know that stripping the membranes and having contractions and even being dilated doesn't mean that I'll go into labor anytime soon. But at least I feel like something is happening. I'm really hoping it will happen in the next few days. We'll see of course, but cross your fingers for us!

We also finally finished the nursery! Sorry it has taken so long, but with Sam running around, it just isn't as easy to get this kind of stuff done as it is when it's just the two of you. Here are the pictures!

37 weeks and counting.

How far along?: 37 Weeks
How big is baby?: 19.25 Inches, 6.3 lbs
Food cravings?: cereal, dr pepper
What I'm looking forward to: Meeting my little girl.
Milestone: We are officially full term right now. So we are good to go anytime she decides to make an appearance.
Sleep?: Not good. I didn't have trouble sleeping with Sam really, but I am having a really hard time sleeping right now. My pelvis aches and I have round ligament pain time every time I move, I have to pee all the time and my hips feel like they are coming apart!
Best moment this week?: Really not much happening this week. Sam is talking a lot more now and I love to try and have conversations with him. His vocabulary just amazes me sometimes. We have started a new game, whenever I pick him up for the day on the drive home we work on his words. I will say a word and have him repeat it. He does a pretty good job too!
Feelings this week?: Lately I have this fantasy that I will stand up and my water will break and it will be go time, pretty much every time I stand up this goes through my mind. As anyone who knows me knows, I am so done being pregnant... this is the worst part of pregnancy, these last few weeks... I'm ready to have my body back and feel like a normal human being again. I know having two babies isn't going to be a picnic, and it will be hard at first. But I'm ready to start on this new adventure... (And I'm also ready to get over being in so much pain all the time too.) We've started the whole braxton hicks contractions let me fool you into thinking we're going into labor then not be thing... but at least this time around I know better than to think I'm in labor... When they tell me to call if I've had more than 4 contractions in an hour, I just laugh. I typically have between 2 and 6 in a hour regularly. But they don't hurt and my water hasn't broken or anything so I know I'm not in labor yet... no need to get myself all hyped up for nothing. At least it will be easier this time around knowing what real labor feels like versus false labor.

36 weeks

How far along?: 36 Weeks
How big is baby?: 18.75 inches, 5.75 lbs
Food cravings?: Nothing in particular
What I'm looking forward to: I'm looking forward to having her already. I love the little booger, but she is really hurting my pelvis right now, my hips and back are killing me too... I'm actually pretty positive she dropped. 
Milestone: We're just gaining weight at this point. 
Best moment this week?: I had a wonderful birthday! 
Feelings this week?: Tired... I'm ready to have her. I wasn't even close to being this achy when I was pregnant with Sam. I'm hoping that she makes her appearance in the next week or two at the latest... If not I at least hope I get some good news at my next dr appointment. 

The real countdown has begun! Only 30 days left!

We are 30 days out from my due date! Yes ladies and gentlemen, 30 days. We have been prepping like crazy for the arrival of this little one all the last few weeks. We got all the clothes washed, all the carpets cleaned and vacuumed, some last minute things for her room. Bags are packed and in the car, we are ready. Now is just going to be the waiting game, probably the frustration of constant braxton hicks contractions and pelvic pain and the not knowing when this baby will be born. I'm hoping she comes early and I feel like she will come in May, but we will find out when the day comes. (Must be so easy for those of you who get to be induced since you know when Baby is coming!)

I've been freaking out a little bit about what we're going to do with two babies, I'm worried that Sam will be sad or frustrated when I can't get up and do everything he needs right away because I'm feeding Ella... I'm thankful that AJ will be home for that first week so he can help me with Sam while I handle Ella (or vice versa.) I try and at least talk to Sam about it every day, how there's going to be a little sister soon. He kind of understands, he knows that Ella is in my tummy at least, lol.

My next Dr's appointment isn't till I'm 37.5 weeks. I was a little concerned that it was so far out, but they couldn't reschedule it. My Dr is going to be on vacation my regular office visit week and they are completely booked that week so they couldn't get me in with someone else. I'm mostly concerned that they haven't ran the group b strep test, but when I called and asked about what if I go into labor before that appointment, they told me that if I do go into labor, let the L&D triage department know I haven't been tested and they will run the test right then. If my water has broken they may just give me antibiotics right away in case I do have it until they get the test results. I don't think I will go that early though. So I'm not too worried, plus I'm hoping that since I will be farther along that there will be some good news at my appointment about dilation, etc.

We'll have to see, it's all a bunch of waiting now!

35 Weeks--only 35 days left!

How far along?: 35 Weeks
How big is baby?: 18 inches, 5.25 lbs
Food cravings?: Chocolate milk---but it has to be the kind that I make, store bought chocolate milk has waaay too much chocolate in it! I like just enough to make it sweet. 
What I'm looking forward to: At this point, I'm just looking forward to having her! We're in the home stretch and this is the part where it's super uncomfortable. 'I'll probably give it one more week, and then we'll start walking and doing other stuff to try and induce labor, eating spicy food and such. (If the weather keeps up it is super nice outside anyway!) I had Sam a week early, but I have a feeling Ella is going to be my May baby. Maybe even a memorial day baby... AJ is sticking with June 7th, but I'm praying that he's wrong this time. I thought I was uncomfortable with Sam at the end, but I'm way more uncomfortable this time, I feel the braxton hicks contractions a ton more, and all the uncomfortableness that didn't come until the very end with Sam has hit me already! 
Milestone: All of Ella's major organs are nearly complete; her kidneys are completely developed and her liver is functional. 
Best moment this week?: The baby shower! I got so many lovely things for her and a lot of the necessities too!!  
Feelings this week?: I feel like a blimp this week. I had forgotten that this is the point where you start to feel huge and everything starts to swell and you are just super uncomfortable. I had to shave my legs last night (thanks Aunt Vicki! (-:) and I had the HARDEST time doing it. Luckily I was able to get it done, but I'll probably have to have AJ help next time, ha ha. 


I packed most of the stuff in my hospital bag, just gotta get some last minute items... I ordered a set of maternity PJ's for the hospital that I should get in the next few days, got all my toiletries packed (I remembered shampoo and conditioner this time!) We also got Ella's bag all packed and ready to go, and Sam's too. 


Other than that not much else going on, just enjoying our time in the sun!