Uhhh…Contractions…Maybe?…Not?
June 15, 2010
When Moo was born, my water broke. We went to the hospital and nothing happened, so at 2 a.m. they started me on Pitocin and a few hours later, WHAMMO! the contractions started full-force. There wasn’t much build-up.
So this time around, I don’t really know what to expect if my water doesn’t break. I woke up early this morning with back pain and cramps, and certainly it felt like a very mild version of what I remember from Moo’s birth. I lay there, excited, planning when to call the relatives, wondering when I should poke Herbie in the shoulder and tell him it’s time…then the feeling went away…and didn’t really come back.
Well, it sort of did, off and on throughout the day in no discernible pattern. Nothing to time, exactly. So are those fake contractions? No big deal? Nothing to get freaked out excited about?
Help me out, moms. What was it like for you? Suddenly I feel like I’ve never been through this before.
Mama Rose 
June 15, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Old Wives’ Tale??? I had heard that there was a burst of energy before you go into labor. After washing both cars, taking Uncle Rolf to the pediatrician because he didn’t feel well that day and then washing the kitchen floor, the next day we had Herbie delivered by 1200. Of course, I had Braxton-Hicks contractions on September 9 and Herbie didn’t arrive until October 16. Everyone is different. Do NOT sell yourself short. We are proud of you and all your many talents and “skill sets” and we are here for you; all of you. Love, Millie
June 15, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Oh, I also ate a WHOLE bag of Donettes and a hugh glass of ice cold milk about 2100 before going to bed that night. Maybe that’s what actually started the labor. 😉
June 15, 2010 at 2:41 pm
I felt NOTHING until the day I felt something. Make sense? I would have an intense menstrual cramp feeling for a moment or two and then it would go away and repeat within 15 – 20 minutes throughout the day and then it got worse, closer together and whammooo, I was in labor.
So sounds like you were having mild contractions. However, my friend Alison had contractions every day for almost two weeks before actually transitioning into active labor… so just walk, drink your wine (PLUS!), have lots of adult fun and wait for Mr. Robot to arrive.
PS. can I get your mom to paint robots in MY nursery? (well if it’s a boy?).
June 15, 2010 at 3:27 pm
WINE, yes, must get wine!! Hm, what constitutes “adult fun?” Does watching So You Think You Can Dance and eating Oreos count?
I keep telling my mom that she could start a little nursery-decorating business…whaddaya say, Mom?
June 17, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Um, Mama – adult fun is how you got into this mess in the first place 🙂
WINE!
I dreamt about your mom and her nursery business.
June 17, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Oh THAT kind of adult fun. Ha. Seems unlikely, given my grumpiness level and general hugeness. But I have solved the wine issue. 🙂
June 15, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Sounds like early labor to me- like the others said it can last days, or mean you’re going into labor NOW 🙂 I felt the same way, like how will I know if it’s different than last time? It was different and I did know- and so will you!
June 15, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Perhaps he has just gotten everything in your abdomen arranged the way he wants it, and now he just wants to sit and enjoy for a while?
(and… as far as nominating “blog names” I think his should be “Quack”.)
June 15, 2010 at 11:13 pm
couldnt tell ya! two kids and i have never known what it feels like to have the baby “drop”. i am so damned short there is no where to drop. the first kid was induced because it was time to serve an eviction notice. he was a week overdue. and the second kid came out by c section because the first kid was so dang big. so labor never happened normally for me
June 16, 2010 at 6:53 am
A week late! How big was he?
June 16, 2010 at 2:27 pm
9.5lbs and 21″ which is big for a 4’11.5″ girl! LOL
June 16, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I had tightening of my abdomen, Braxton-Hicks, for weeks and weeks. But then when I did go into labor, at about 2am Sunday, it was very painful but not in a definite pattern. I’d get the cramping, low back pain, tightening of the abdomen every 2 minutes, every 5 mins and then every 10 minutes and then back to every 2 minutes. They wouldn’t admit me because it was “prodromal labor”. This went on for almost 48 hours, until I told Dr. O that I couldn’t take it any more. They finally let me come in, I was at 3 centimeters, they gave me an epidural (ahhhhhh 🙂 ) and then I went to complete in about one hour and had my 9lb 4oz baby boy!
June 17, 2010 at 4:08 am
Whoa, all these 9 pound boys! I do not want to deliver a 9 pound boy! (I mean, I will…but…you know…ouch.) So far my contraction-thingies aren’t very painful. I can’t believe they wouldn’t admit you! Going to the doctor tomorrow so we’ll see what she says…