Friday, August 14, 2009

Daily Note: August 14, 2009

Well, I had kind of a different night last night. After my exam yesterday, I felt a little crampier than normal but nothing serious or regular. More just a low, achy feeling that would come and go. I didn't mind so much, assuming it was a little bit from the exam and hoping that it could also mean further progress in the dilation department. But towards the end of the workday, my hip pain intensified and I started feeling a little queasy on top of the cramps. I headed home, we ate an early dinner and I immediately headed for the bath.

The weather in Seattle went from over 100 degrees to some pretty solid November-like weather last week and I am NOT complaining. The cold air and rain are most welcome. In fact, they've helped me discover an old friend - the warm bath. Early in my pregnancy I avoided baths despite my doctor saying they were fine. But this last week, the hip pain and general discomfort of being pregnant lead me to try it. It really is a nice reprieve and can help to make me feel relaxed enough to fall asleep. I've taken one almost every night this last week. Maybe I just hit the bath too early last night? The plan was to get out, maybe feel a little better as a result and then pack our hospital bag. But I got out of that bath and felt like a queasy, crampy, wet noodle. I was really tired, but was having trouble breathing when I laid down on my side, so Jeff sort of propped me up on the couch in my giant bathrobe and I think I just sat there staring into space for like an hour or two? Jeff headed out for drinks with a friend and I mumbled after him as he left, "Make sure to keep your phone on." and I think we both had a moment where we realized we've entered a new phase. The phase where "the phone call" could really happen at any time. While he was gone, I had some Braxton Hicks contractions, and would occasionally feel a weird shooting type pain down where I used to get ligament pains. It didn't feel serious or particularly painful, so I knew it wasn't actual labor, but it was certainly different.

Today I feel fine so far. And by fine I mean that my hands and feet are so puffy that I feel like I'm wearing clown shoes and those giant foam fingers that they pass out at sports games, and that I'm tired and ungainly.

2 comments:

Mary Anne said...

You're getting so close!!! So exciting!!!

Betsey said...

Those pains that remind you of the round ligament - contractions, good ol' real ones. That's what I was experiencing last week and earlier this week and couldn't figure out what it was. I was surprised to find out that most of the contractions are felt low down (I kept thinking they would be more like the Braxton Hicks in the front). Geesh - you're sounding like you've got more progress on me! Isn't the phone call stage a strange one to enter? We were just talking about that tonight.