Waiting is the Hardest Part

20 weeks into my pregnancy, we found out our little apple had a stem. We were having a boy! So mommy carefully prepared a jungle-themed nursery, attended baby showers adorned in blue, and bounced names off of Daddy. My due date was June 1, 2009.

At my 37-week checkup, I was 3 cm, 90%, having Braxton-Hicks contractions, and my doctor was pretty sure I would not see my next appointment and told me to pack a bag. A week later, I was back for another check-up, and still no baby. Still 3 cm. Still 90%. Still contracting. They put me on a monitor for an hour, told me my contractions were getting regular, and not to make any plans for the weekend (this was on a Wednesday).

The weekend came and went. Except for a quick visit to triage because of bad cramps on Sunday night. By Monday afternoon I was having contractions 7-9 minutes apart, but I went to work. Tuesday, May 26th, I had an appointment, which Mom took me to in case I had to stay. They checked me, told me I was fine, but would be going any minute, but I decided i couldn't sit around the house, so I went to work (After all, I work in a hospital, right?). 20 minutes after I sat down, trickle of fluid went down my leg, and I knew my water had broken. I called my mom, who took my back to the doctor, and I put John on alert. The verdict: leaky bladder.....REALLY?!

But I was 3 1/2 cm and having contractions 6-7 minutes apart. My doctor said not to worry. I would be going any time and to go home and get some rest and to come in for a check the next day if he didn't see me before then. One long sleepless night and long morning later, I was back in the office. I was sitting in the office of another doctor in the practice, sitting sideways in the chair, trying not to yelp as I continued to have contractions, but no progress. 

"You're miserable, aren't you?" she asked. I nodded. 

She pulled out a piece of paper and began writing. "I'm sending you over to be induced tonight," she said. I looked at my phone. It was 4:30. Wow, no sleep tonight I guess. So we got the stuff out of the car and walked over to the waiting room, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Come to find out it was the busiest night they had experienced in months. The nurse finally came out and talked to us. She told us to go home that night, get a good night's sleep, and be back early in the morning, where they would have a room ready. So that's what we did. And I slept like a rock.