Thumper is toying with me

Getting lots of so-called 'pre-labour' these days... not surprising given I am 2 days away from official due date. (Even as I write this post now, I am getting BH on and off all the time!)

Mostly it has been just painless braxton hicks (BH) contractions, but last night I woke at 1.00 am with a really strong BH that lasted for ages (probably half an hour) accompanied by low-level cramping across the lower part of my abdomen. Eventually I went back to sleep, only to wake at 3.00 am with even more BH and cramping. These cramps were really strong and I had a vague sense of them increasing in intensity periodically, so I started timing how far apart: around 5 minutes!

My first thought was "this is it! I have woken up in proper labour!" But I wasn't sure, so I kept monitoring over the next 45 minutes or so and made DeepSpice rub my lower back (which was also a bit achy). I needed to wee about 4 times during that 45 minutes! (Apparently another sign of labour.)

By 4.00 am, I was deliberating about whether it was time to ring the Family Birth Centre (FBC) at the hospital and call in the troops (ie. my birth support people - VolubleK and MidwifeS, and CutLuce to mind BallFiend). DeepSpice was completely (though understandably) hopeless - he was too-half asleep to keep rubbing my back, let alone help me to reach a decision. But in the midst of my indecisiveness, I got really tired and just fell asleep again. Woke briefly at 6.22 am (I looked at the clock!) when I heard BallFiend call out once (probably just talking in his sleep) then went straight back to sleep again.

Both DeepSpice and I woke at about 7.30 am, again due to BallFiend calling out, but this time persistently enough to wake us properly. I felt pretty bloody awful, but mainly from lack of sleep. The regular contractions had gone, leaving in their wake a continuous low-level of crampiness. So I realised that the 3.00 am event was yet more pre-labour. Sigh.

At 8.30 am, I rang the FBC and discussed my labour-like signs with a midwife. She said "it sounds like things are 'stewing' and you will probably go into labour soon... in the next few days". I was able to reschedule my appointment (which was originally for tomorrow, Sept. 4th) to later that afternoon so I could go in and get checked out... mainly for my own peace of mind. I made DeepSpice take Carer's Leave so he could look after BallFiend in the morning and drive me to the appointment. (He had been planning to take leave on Friday anyway, so taking it a day early was not really a problem.)

This worked out quite well as we were able to take BallFiend with us to see the 'host-a-bul' where Thumper will be born, and let him watch the midwife do the routine checks (blood pressure, measure my belly size and listen to Thumper's heartbeat). Not that he was particularly intrigued. Mainly he just liked the toys there - in particular a toy truck which had balls enclosed in it.

Other highlights of the trip to FBC today:

• The drive to the hospital only took about 20 minutes (despite getting stuck behind an annoying truck for half the journey).
• We got a 1 hour parking spot straight away! And it was free! And it was within the actual hospital grounds! There is a tiny little carpark area just near the Emergency drop off point with about 10 spaces, and we got the last one! Must be a miracle.

Anyway, the midwife said that Thumper is still head down and in a good position (ie. not posterior thankfully!) although the head is not 'engaged' (which means it is still 'floating' over my pelvis) but that this is normal for a second baby... apparently they often don't engage until during labour. My blood pressure is normal, baby is measuring average size for gestation and heartbeat is fine.

So, now I return to the Twillight Zone and continue to wait, wait, wait...
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Pregancy update: 29+2

I am now 29 weeks pregnant (plus 2 days to be really precise) and had another check up with the midwife today; I was accompanied to my appointment by MidwifeS.

It is all good news...
My glucose tolerance test results are fine, so no further testing for gestational diabetes. Hooray! My blood pressure is normal. And, Thumper is measuring at an average size for gestation! So no worries about it being a bit too large. Hooray again!

It must be noted that the first midwife to measure the height of the fundus got a reading consistent with 32 weeks pregnant, which freaked me out just a little bit! Then she tried to listen to Thumper's heartbeat with the doppler, but had trouble getting a reading. So she got another midwife in who got a measurement consistent with 29 weeks - 30 weeks. Phew! The second midwife also found Thumper's heartbeat without too much touble at all. The belly-poking and prodding also determined that Thumper is lying head down, bum up, with its back towards my left side.

Then I did a pre-arranged tour of the regular birthing suites and materity wards (just in case I end up in there rather than in the FBC for whatever reason). The birthing suites are pretty much standard issue - largish rooms, with up-and-down type 'birthing' beds, en suite, resusitation table in a cabinet, etc. They offer a range of equipment for labouring mums (gym balls, floor mats, bean bags, birth stools, etc.).

The maternity wards where mums and bubs have their post-natal stay are also quite nice and modern. A basic clean room with two beds, separated by a curtain. Sink for bathing the baby, TVs (as if you would have time to watch one!), a wardrobe and drawers, bar fridge, telephone and a chair to feed in. Down the hallway are a few little sitting areas. But I also found out that the hospital has 7 single rooms with double beds to allow partners to stay. These are only available to mums who have had a normal, uncomplicated birth and who want their partners to stay with them. So if the need arises, I have to remember to ask for the 'partner package'.

Then MidwifeS and I stopped for a late morning tea and spent some time chatting about all things birth-related. I headed home after making my third toilet-stop for the morning whilst in the hospital and was halfway back to the car (as usual, I had to park miles away because find a parking space anywhere within 1km of the hospital is a nightmare), when I realised I had left my folder of pregnancy notes in the toilet. Stupid pregnancy-brain.

Overall, I am feeling much better about the pregnancy and birth now - I think getting the reassurance that my health is good and my baby is growing at a normal rate has made a big difference. Now if only I can get over this stupid cold and sore throat...
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Bye bye toes

It's lucky I got my maternity wear sorted out the other day because in the past week (at 14 weeks pregnant), my belly has just popped out! I went from looking a bit 'thicker' around the middle to suddenly having a pregnant bump. I reckon when I was pregnant with BallFiend, my bump didn't get this big till I was about 4 to 5 months pregnant. Now I am a bit nervous about just how big I might end up being at 9 months!

Went to the playground this morning to meet ArizonaGal, LittleMissL and MasterS for playgroup. A lovely surprise too when The Bibliophile, MasterW and LittleMissIz joined us too.

I also arranged to meet MidwifeS, a student midwife who I found via an online pregnancy forum, at the park -- our first meeting in person after several exchanges via email. She was very easy to talk to... we chatted for about two hours, on-and-off, while I chased BallFiend around the place, fed him and changed his pooey nappy, etc.

I think I am going to like having a student midwife 'follow' me through my pregnancy, birth and the post-natal period; after all, who doesn't love the opportunity to talk about oneself for a couple of hours on end?! Assuming MidwifeS also attends my birth I am going to have quite a team in the room: with DeepSpice, VolubleK, MidwifeS plus the other hospital midwives. Just as long as they make sure I am the centre of attention and they don't all chat amongst themselves!