Day 4 – And the Countdown is REALLY on!
I got the call this morning from my OB's office to say that the details were confirmed by L&D and my induction was set for Monday! So one way or another, I'll have a baby in five days! Which means there are potentially four days of only child life left for Ruth after today... maybe even less, but don't tell her that!
We went to the zoo this morning with my friend Megan. I think this post might be a trip down memory lane for me. Just about 26 months ago, Andrew and I went to the zoo on a Saturday morning to activate our annual membership passes before the deadline. We figured that would be our last free weekend in the timeframe we had to get it done, so we went. That morning I had just finished putting away clothes in Ruth's dresser that had arrived the day prior. I remember coming home from my last day of work that Friday and being surprised by the dresser in the nursery that Andrew and my brother had gone to pick up. All of Ruth's furniture was backordered big time, so her nursery was not even close to ready by her arrival. The dresser's arrival was a glimmer of hope that it was finally coming together, even though we still needed the crib to arrive. And the dresser being there allowed me to get her clothes organized and put away, along with the changing pad and diaper supplies set up.
Andrew went to the gym that Saturday morning, so I had a bit of time to myself. After I finished with the clothes, I went by Chick-fil-A to grab a cup of coffee and then across the street to Target to walk around and get a few things. Once we both returned to the house, we ate a quick lunch and headed to the zoo.
Once we got the membership stuff sorted out, Andrew got a map and we set out to see it all! Andrew's brain absorbs and retains information like no one I've met before, and he likes animals. To see the entire zoo would have taken forever with him. I think we made it about half way when my body was aching too bad to continue. I had no idea where we were on the map, I was just concerned with making it to the exit. Andrew was concerned that we hadn't yet seen some snake exhibit that was only there a short while longer. Fortunately, he quickly realized that going home was the best option.
My back and hips ached the entire way home. I took some Tylenol and laid down for a nap, assuming I had most certainly overdid it with all that walking.
The thing about birthing classes and various books and blogs you read to prepare yourself is that rarely is back labor mentioned. In fact, I had zero clue what that was. Everyone says to expect cramps like a period, but more intense. That wasn't my experience with labor at all, which is why I had no idea that's what was happening that Saturday afternoon. Only when the pain never subsided, but intensified, and was all getting worse at the same time in shorter intervals did I think it could be the real deal.
By the time we really clued in to all of this and Andrew suggested we time the contractions, they were already about five minutes apart. So that's the way that whole experience began.
I had hoped that perhaps a nice long walk through the zoo this morning might kickstart things with this labor as well. After nearly two hours of walking, I have to say I felt great on the ride home. My feet hurt terribly, but that's just thanks to my battle with tumid lupus currently. Even several hours later sitting here this evening, hoping for a few real contractions or something, I've got nothing.
So indeed, the countdown is on. It feels strange having a concrete end date though. Monday, one way or another, Henry will be here. We are all so ready to meet him. I am so curious as to how his birth story will unfold. Will my water break on its own? What will that be like? Will I experience the dreaded back labor again? Should I try and go natural with no epidural this time? Can this baby make it out in under ten minutes of pushing like his sister? Or am I in for the long haul? Who knows!
I love the great mystery that awaits with every delivery experience.