Holding Pattern

Last week, when I went in for my 35 week appointment, I really expected to hear that a final trip to Labor and Delivery was imminent.  However, Dr. Don't Call Me Mark only found that I had progressed to 2cm of dilation and my non-stress test showed only minor unterine irritability.  So now I'm really just waiting around until things do start to happen.  At the appointment, we discussed my hope to deliver vaginally, and after a lot of haggling I agreed to have an epidural at the last minute in case things didn't go so well with B's delivery. 

Since last week, I've been feeling really antsy for the actual birth thing to really happen.  On the other hand, my anxiousness has been tempered by Dr. Don't Call Me Mark's vacation plans that took him out of town until today as well as the gigantic food festivus that takes over this city every year around the 4th of July.  Our neighborhood is right near Grant Park, which is where the fest actually happens, so I knew we would be likely be pretty stuck if I did go into labor.  Of course the doomsayer in me had concluded that this would probably be the most likely time for labor to happen, just because the timing would be so shitty.

But that didn't happen, so now I'm even more resolved that these kids will be born asap.  At this point, I'm really starting to feel like the wheels are falling off of this pregnancy train.  I'm exhausted and I haven't had a decent night's sleep in months (yes, I know I'll never sleep when the babies come, but at least it would be a physical possibility once they are born), my hands, feet and legs are so swollen and uncomfortable it's making me crazy, and I just feel gigantic.  To make matters possibly more complicated, I've been getting really itchy lately, and Dr. Don't Call Me Mark thinks I may have something called cholestastasis.  It definitely would explain the itchiness, tiredness and lots of other things I've been noticing lately, but it would also mean that I have something possibly bad going on.  I'll find out at tomorrow's appointment if my bloodwork actually shows this to be a problem or not. 

I'm also hoping that somehow things will have progressed so much by tomorrow that the doctor will tell me it's time to head to the hospital.  But I'm not going to hold my breath.  In the meanwhile, I'll be alternating light exercise with laying on the couch with my feet propped up over my head.  I may even try out some of the goofy old wives tales floating around out there about things that can supposedly bring on labor, but that depends on how desperate I get.  But I promise not to try them all in one evening, even I'm not that desperate.

Comments

[PJ]

Hey Lola,

I didn't know you were that close to Grant Park. I bet you're glad The Taste is over. I'm a Chicago gal too.

I hope the doc has some good news for you today.

[kath]

When your not pregnant, other peoples pregnancies seem to take an eternity. When you finally are...all those other people are suddenly ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH and you wonder "how the fuck did that happen".

Wishing you the best of luck if your birth occurs in the very near future.

[Toffee]

Hang in there...I know its slow motion right now, but once your labor and delivery start its all fast forward from there.

[shannon]

Update soon! We're on pins and needles here!

Good luck!