Early labor

Saturday June 19th 2010 was the day before Father's day and the day I started to feel contractions. I was also still over 2 weeks away from my due date (I'd made it to 38 weeks which is considered full term). I was sick and miserable and in pain from coughing, but suddenly I was excited. I was convinced I'd have a baby to give Todd for father's day and it'd be the awesomist gift ever! My contractions however had their own agenda. And that was to just come and go as they pleased; all random and willy nilly like.

Sunday was the the day before the summer solstice and might as well have been the longest day of the year, and I was miserable. The contractions weren't super strong, but they also were no picnic. While irregular, they were no further apart than 15 minutes and would last for up to a minute. We watched tv. A lot of tv, things I can't even remember. We essentially cleared out our dvr, we watched stupid movies and I tried as best I could to get comfortable. I had icy-hot patches on my back and a heating pad on my side (neither of which were for the contractions, but for my injured back and cracked rib). We cranked the air conditioning up to full blast, though I swear it did nothing to combat the 90 degree heat. Then I realized that none of the baby clothing we had gotten at the shower 2 weeks before had yet been laundered (it was my big plans for that weekend) and nothing was ready for this baby (can one ever REALLY be ready for a baby?). Todd tried to get me to go for a walk, but it was so hot and I was in so much back pain that I could hardly waddle my way around the block. Todd bribed me with an Italian ice from the place on the corner (I couldn't have the ice cream I wanted due to the very productive cough I was still sporting- for which I'd already taken 2 courses of antibiotics). Nothing helped.

Since the contractions were never more that far apart sleeping was ... sporadic at best. Between the coughing and the contractions and the peeing myself I can't even begin to express the level of discomfort I'd achieved. I would go to the bathroom and sit and try to pee and maybe an eye dropper's worth of urine would come out. Then I'd go lay down (which was a production because I could hardly move) and be hit with a coughing fit or contraction in which my entire body would tense up and I'd brace myself as best I could so as not to further move. I also mastered shallow breathing because deep breaths would aggravate my cough, although I think I was supposed to breathe deeply to work through the contractions. Whatever, a girl's gotta do... Father's day came and went without Todd becoming a father.

I made it to Monday and I made Todd stay home from work with me. I couldn't face the day alone. I'd called the OB and they told me that I should stay home until the contractions became more regular and a little closer together. And I had my regularly scheduled weekly appointment on Tuesday where they'd check me out. The OB told me to try to get some rest, there was nothing I could do for my back/rib besides tylenol/motrin and maybe I should try to have a glass of wine or take some benedryl to get to sleep. I was at a loss. I took a benedryl around 6 pm. The contractions kept rolling in and out. I coughed and coughed and peed and peed. And then finally by about 10 pm it happened. They were finally close enough and regular enough for long enough that I said let's do it. Call a car service because this fat lady is going to the hospital! It's time to have this stinkin' baby!