Next progress report for this never ending pregnancy...
Yesterday I officially lost my mucus plug. Let me warn you, if you have a weak stomach you don't want to hear about a mucus plug. it is the single most discusting thing that will ever exit your vagina. It is exactly what it sounds like. Made of mucus that plugs your cervix. It's gross.
The exciting part is that when you lose it it means that labor is coming soon. It can range from a few hours to weeks before labor starts but the important thing is that labor IS coming. Your body goes through a few different stages when leading up to going into labor.
1. braxton hicks contractions - these can start as early as 15-20 weeks and you literally just get to put up with them as they are nothing more than practice contractions.
2. baby dropping - baby goes from floating peacefully in your uterus to being engaged in your pelvis. The baby eventually has to exit through your pelvis so in preparation it sort of gets their head stuck in your pelvis. This is good and bad. The good thing is your heartburn gets better and you can breathe easier. The bad thing is you are now peeing every 15 minutes again. There isn't any room for urine in your bladder anymore.
3. loss of your mucus plug - this is the single most discusting thing that will exit your vagina, and I should know I've given birth twice now. You get to wipe after going to the bathroom for the 30th time that day and here it is on your toilet paper. Ummmm, gross.
4. dilation - some women will start to dilate days or even weeks before they go into labor. It is more common for women who are on at least pregnancy #2 + to start to dilate before labor.
These are some of the signs of early labor. You can have 1 or 2 of these signs or none at all. There is no rhyme or reason to labor and what gets it started. I so far have exhibited all of these and yet true labor has yet to set in. I lost the mucus plug yesterday and my water still hasn't broken, true contractions have yet to start.
While technically it is easier to take care of the baby before birth it is tiring. No one can help with her. I don't get to set her down for a minute. I can't take a shower by myself. You are on baby duty 100% of the time. Once she is born I will be able to set her down or give her to Jason to hold while I do the dishes. I will be able to shave my legs, see my own vagina, and put shoes on without having to hold my breath. There is an approx. 7 lb baby sitting on my bladder and I am doing nothing but praying that she decides to make her exit sooner rather than later.
So my plan for the day is to get caught up on my dishes (they have been piling up), clean and vacuum my living room. Maybe sort the clean laundry (that might be a stretch but we'll see). My goal is to get some contractions started and see if it jump starts anything.
So wish me luck in the labor starting process. Hopefully I wont be able to blog for a few days because I will be in the hospital.
Speaking of being in the hospital... Sunday is the Superbowl and the Packers are playing in it. My wonderful, amazing husband says that he will be watching the game and it doesn't matter if I'm in labor or not. I told him that there will not be a football game on while I'm in labor and if he wants to watch he will be doing so in the waiting room. If he decides that this football game is more important than the birth of our last child he will be sleeping on the couch for months. It will be unforgivable. We have DVR for a reason. He will be able to watch it when he gets home. I really want to not be in labor while the game is on so that I don't have to have that memory burned into my brain. He doesn't seem to realize that I have gone through 9+ months of HELL to bring this child into the world and at the last stage of the process (the most painful part, mind you) I need him to be focused on me and anything that I may need. With the last two he pretty much just watched me be in pain, well this one I have given him coaching tasks and if he drops the ball saying that I will be PISSED is an understatement.
I really to have this baby last night because I would be coming home Sunday morning and so the problem would be solved. Well, that didn't happen. If I go into labor anytime between now and then he will be at the hospital with me. If I'm not in labor I don't care if the game is on. Let me be clear on that. But if I'm in pain it will not be on in my room. End of story.
So wish me good luck that I either go into labor before or after the stupid Superbowl. Anything besides that time will be ok with me.
Praying all day long for that not to happen!
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