So I’ve been contracting for days. For some stretches of that time I’m contracting as often as every two minutes and they are lasting for a minute or more. When I say days, I mean I started on Friday morning. I’m tired. This labor is going to be longer than Shanna’s and that’s really hard to wrap my head around. I’m barely progressing. I thought/believed/was told that given that the scar tissue broke up during Shanna’s labor that this time would be easier. So much for that. I kind of hate every woman in the world who has had a less than 24 hour labor. It is feeling pretty disgustingly unfair as I start on day three of not being able to focus or do anything for longer than a few minutes before I have another contraction.
The biggest difference this time is I am using supplementation to sleep at night (completely at my midwife’s recommendation) so I am really well rested for my physically exhausting days. For the first two days we asked for help with Shanna and friends came through. Thank God for friends. I felt, most particularly on the first day, like having Shanna around was slowing down contractions and it’s kind of true. At this point, however, I feel like I don’t know what day this is really going to get serious and I can’t send Shanna away every day for a week or more. So even if it is a bit slower today I am still working towards giving birth at about the rate my body can do it. I haven’t bothered to have my cervix checked in over a day because it just depresses me that I am going through this much effort and strain and things are… I can’t even say inching along. Moving millimeter by millimeter instead of centimeter by centimeter.
With how intense things were on Friday I was praying that I *didn’t* make it to Virgo because I couldn’t imagine being in labor all weekend. Well, I’ve been in labor almost all weekend. I just want to be done. I just want my baby out. I’m really getting tired of being in pain like this. I’m feeling progressively more scared of my ability to be stoic. I’m pretty convinced that if I lived in the ‘good old days’ I would die in childbirth. How many days can I handle of this?
In the evenings things slow down to like every 20 minutes. All day long the contractions vary between being every 5 minutes ish to being every 15 minutes ish. This is really really hard.
*thinking good thoughts for you*
*massive hugs and good thoughts*
I will continue to think good thoughts for you.
Know what? You’re strong and stubborn and you can handle it until it’s done.
Sounds like a little projecting going on… 😛
Hang in there!
*Hugs* Leo or Virgo- baby will be loved.
It is Mercury Retrograde, so I found this…
“If you are due to give birth to a baby during this period, don’t fret. The ancients felt that this aspect lends a more philosophical tone to the character. Mercury rules thinking, therefore an individual born with this aspect tends to reflect deeply over events and issues throughout their lifetimes.”
http://www.astrologyzone.com/forecasts/mercury.html
For you:
((((hugs)))) in a not disturbing the labor kind of way.
For the baby:
There’s yummy yummy breastmilk out here. And cats! And a big sister of awesome! You know you want them.
How about this, kiddo? You settle down to a nice laid back contraction once a half hour so your mama can do stuff in the lull. Then, about 3 hours before the time you want to be born, you kick it into gear with nice regular contractions like the textbooks say? Can you do that?
Sending you warm thoughts and plenty of energy.
Thinking of you. It’s looking like you ARE going to have a baby before me after all! AND, that I’m getting a Virgo, not a Leo. I’m slowly warming up my birthing engines, too.
Hang in there. Go to your hypno-happy place. Don’t give up on your body. It’s doing it’s job. Try as best as you can to focus on that and let it happen. And if you need help, get help. It’s OK. Take care love. There’s a squishy wonderful baby on the other side of this, and that’s the good part.
I feel ya on the long labor. Neither of my kids were quick…
I am not sure how Shanna does with strangers, but if it would help, I can come over and spend some time with her. I can read stories, go for a walk whatever she likes.
I can also bring over some dinner type food if that would help.
Shanna generally takes somewhere between a minute and five minutes to warm up to new people. Depends on how overenthusiastic the person is towards her. (She wants to be the one soliciting attention.) Yeah… she’s a friendly thing.
I really need to get a video to you of her reading half of Duck! Rabbit! because it is the cutest thing ever. She loves the books you gave her for her birthday. 🙂
We are actually doing fine at this point because I’m just sort of hanging out and Noah is handling all the other stuff. 🙂
I will light a candle and ask for what help may be provided to you…
shit, grrl.
i don’t even want to do anything i LIKE for that long a time.
i stare in amazement at the creature that is you.
you’re a beautiful sunrise.
a kinda big, pregnant, grumpy, done-with-this-shit sunrise.
but a sunrise nonetheless.
in comparison
the rest of us
are nothing but
lit popcorn farts.
pffft!
late to the party
… that’s what I get for not spending much time with the computer on the wknd. Anthony told me *last night* that you were in labor.
I had no idea you were needing help with Shanna – we could have arranged a playdate.
Maybe after baby, Shanna would like a playdate…
Best wishes to you!
Re: late to the party
We did ok with her yesterday because she had gotten out lots of energy/gotten lots of attention the previous two days. Now let’s see how she does with me being fuss-tastic while Noah works from home. 😉