Birth story for Paul: The beginning

Fair warning - there will be details not for the squimish. :-)

I was planning on the birth of this baby happening later.  I figured I had at least until 39 wks.  And so that is pretty much where I was at.  Saturday I spent sorting clothes trying to find all the baby clothes.  I planned on washing them and then putting them away - girl clothes in one drawer, boy in another.  I didn't get to the washing part.  This activity pretty much exhausted me.  I had planned on getting laundry done on Sunday...

Plans plans plans.  So Sunday William was going to lead worship (the regular leader was sick).  I was going to teach Sunday school.  I had planned on lunch with a friend.  William was going to go golfing.  I was most worried about the lunch with the friend.  She's great...but I've been so tired that taking all 3 kids out by myself (even though my friend is SO VERY helpful!) seemed like a huge task.  All I could think about was how I'd need a nap afterwards! :-)

Those were the plans just for Sunday.  I had plans on Monday with the kids (Rebekah was out of school).  I had plans at work of a few things I really wanted to get done before my leave.

The doctor appointment that Wednesday the doctor joked we ought to schedule the next appointment, because he didn't want to 'jinx anything'.  So I half jokingly told my coworkers "ANY DAY NOW!".  Really, I thought I still had another week or so.  *sigh*  That is what I get for thinking!

So...I had plans. 

Sunday morning at 2 AM Ruth got up.  This isn't unusual for her.  I swap between making William get out of bed and simply doing it myself.  (Sometimes it takes more effort to make William...but there is a certain principle there too! :-) )  He has been battling a cold, so I chose to do it myself and let him sleep.  I simply marched her back to bed and took the opportunity to pee - hoping I'd sleep soundly the rest of the night.  As I snuggled back in bed, I realized I was uncomfortable.  I laid there awhile trying to figure out why I was uncomfortable.  I realized I had some braxton's going on.  I waited for them to settle down and they didn't.  So I got up and drank a cup of water and walked around a bit.  I tried laying down again.  I simply couldn't fall asleep.

Dear Lord, please make these go away! I prayed.  I have a big day tomorrow and the last thing I want is to be tired!

He replied.  God and I had the following conversation...

G: Yeah, you do have a big day.  You are having this baby.
Me: What?  God do you realize I have a lot going on at work?
G:  Yep.  But it will work out. Work always does.
Me:  I have stuff to take care of in prep for the baby!
G:  Yeah - and what isn't done that can't wait?
Me: [thinking a moment]  I never got that hospital paperwork mailed in.
G:  I'm pretty sure they will take you anyway.
Me:  What about Rebekah's concert?
G:  Who are you kidding?  You know you'll be ready to go by then.  That is a week away.  Hey - it was just earlier you were blogging about Proverbs 3:6.  Remember that?
Me: [silence]  ....  SO?
G:  It will work out.  I worked out all that other stuff.  Why wouldn't I work this out?  And look - Rebekah is off school Mon and Tues.  That will give her some time to hang out with the new addition!
Me:  [silence] ...
G:  Don't you need to pack that bag? You should probably get on that...

I laid there for a few more minutes..hoping the contractions would simply stop.  But I knew they wouldn't.  So I got up and out of bed.  I turned on a lamp in our room (which William didn't wake up for), pulled out the suit case (making a huge thump sound...which William didn't wake for) and started packing.

BTW - if I had to do it over again...I'd pack some electronic entertainment for me.  That was one thing I wished I had.

Anyway.  I then went and filled out the hospital pre-registration because it was simply something I could control. I wondered if there was something else I should take care of...but I couldn't really think of anything. I had thought about throwing in some laundry, but to be honest walking hurt and was incredibly uncomfortable.  So I went and laid back down.

It was about here (3 AM) that William happened to wake up.  Oh - lights were left on this entire time. HA!  "Hey, what's up?" he said as he realized lights were on and...there was a suit case at the end of the bed.

"Oh, I've had a few contractions here and there.  I'm having a little trouble sleeping...no big deal." I said nonchalantly.

"Oh really?" he said - eyeing the suit case at the end of the bed.

"Yeah - since you are up...I was thinking we might want time time them to see if they are regular at all.  We could perhaps use my phone..."

So William got up and grabbed my phone...and then we downloaded a stopwatch app that actually ended up being pretty cool.  It was easy to see that I was having contractions every 1-2 min and they were lasting 30-60 seconds or so.

And this kept up for an hour.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Oh - since about 2 AM."

"I see."

"I think they are braxton hicks though."

"Uh huh.  Perhaps you should drink some water?"

"I did that."

"I see."

We hung out for about an hour, when I decided since I couldn't sleep, perhaps I'd watch some TV.  So William and I went and finished a show we didn't finish the night before. We started to watch another one - but I fell asleep.  When I woke up I thought "THERE!  They went awa..."  Yeah...no they didn't.

A kid got up so William went and laid back down with Peter who wandered upstairs.  I sat on the love seat a few minutes.  I thought perhaps I could take a shower before the inevitable.  Having an orderly start to my day just seemed...nice.

Yes, thoughts and plans are nice.

I hopped in the shower and hoped I'd be able to make it through.  Sitting, I was fine. Standing was another story.  It wasn't long before I got light headed and felt like I needed to sit down.  I squatted in the shower to regain my composure.  I looked down and saw some blood.

Yep. Time.

So I called for William and told him he needed to call our dear friends to come on over and to bring me my phone so I can call my doctor.  I put the initial call in, brushed my teeth and started to get dressed.  My doctor called me back and I explained I had been having contractions since 2 that were simply not going away. I said I had some (what appeared to me) as heavy bleeding.

"Uh huh ok.  And when did you feel the baby move last?"

Hmmm...it had been awhile.  I quoted 11 - because that was when I went to bed.  I wasn't entirely sure other than I recalled sitting on the love seat pointing to my belly and showing William how it was moving around.  "Should I be worried? With all the blood and everything?"

"Well, let's get to the hospital and see.  How long will it take you to get there?"

I wasn't worried at first, but the longer it took us to get out the door the more scenarios ran through my head.  I was anxious to get to the hospital and hear the heart beat of this little baby.

We waited for our friend to arrive...I waited in the car. :-P  I wanted to be ready to go.

At this point, I wouldn't say I was in a ton of pain.  Walking was very much uncomfortable and obviously I couldn't stand for long.  Bending over wasn't really happening either - I had to have William tie my shoes.  I was disappointed I didn't get a full shower in, but I did feel better that I at least got to rinse off a bit.  (I didn't make it to using soap...lol.)

Part 2:  The hospital arrival and birth  :)