July 23rd...wooohoo weekly chat thread! - Page 4 « Back to Group Discussions

[sallyrae17]

Originally Posted by LilyTiger 

So, I can put this here because no one will judge me for being a totally over-anxious first time mom basketcase....  I've been having serious digestive issues all day today, accompanied by menstrual cramps.  They got bad enough that I had to leave the coffee shop where I was doing work and immediately go home and take off my underwear because I couldn't bear having anything touching my abdomen.  I then had a bowel movement and the cramps pretty much went away.  In the afternoon I started feeling a lot heavier with more pelvic pain and totally crazy digestive issues (more BMs... sorry, guys).  DH and I went for a short walk and by the time I got home it felt like the baby was falling out of me and I had to go to the bathroom AGAIN.   So of course I freaked out with excitement and opened the stupid copy of "What to Expect" that someone gave me and I have every sign of early labor.  Of course, now that I'm sitting here typing this, they've all gone away.  Moral of the story?  Never open "What to Expect" ever.

I now know why people get so exhausted and emotional in the last two weeks of pregnancy -- analyzing my bowel movements and associated cramping every other hour will certainly be totally exhausting.  I'm pretty sure what happened is probably just that the baby dropped (again) and squished all my intestines.  But it was kind of exciting there for a little while when I thought this might actually be it.  Sigh.  I keep hoping something I read on the internet will say "This is it!" while at the same time being perfectly aware that no list of symptoms will be "it" unless it actually is "it".  I should go read a novel or something.

Still waiting on JustChanti!  Can't wait to hear about someone's real labor story as opposed to my own insane pretend-labor.

LOL. It's not insane pretend labor! It's doing something! I honestly can say that you WILL know when you're in labor. You won't be looking things up, you'll be too busy breathing through and counting contractions. I totally remember having those exact same thoughts and feelings the first time around, though! I've been having some super strong contractions tonight as well and they've totally stopped me in my tracks, but they aren't labor contractions. As in, they are just stabbing contractions in my cervix (which ARE doing something, but it's not time to have the baby yet). The ones that wrap around are the real ones and when they hit, you'll know it!

[iixivboots]

Oh Lily, I am right there with you, maybe not all day (uhm since I mostly slept today) but at least a few hours a day. AGAIN I gave myself crazy BH contractions by tossing and turning in bed for hours, had to sit on the yoga ball, got two hours of sleep, woke up covered in sweat and freaking out and missed my first day back at work, sobbed and made huz stay home with me for awhile because I was so freaked out and disappointed in myself for not being able to make it to work. And let me tell you sitting on the freaking yoga ball at 3 a.m. when my hips hurt and the contractions (which I still don't think are as painful as yours which makes sense given our due dates) I definitely think to myself that I'm progressing or whatever, but then it totally goes away.

[Honey693]

Originally Posted by sallyrae17 

LOL. It's not insane pretend labor! It's doing something! I honestly can say that you WILL know when you're in labor. You won't be looking things up, you'll be too busy breathing through and counting contractions. I totally remember having those exact same thoughts and feelings the first time around, though! I've been having some super strong contractions tonight as well and they've totally stopped me in my tracks, but they aren't labor contractions. As in, they are just stabbing contractions in my cervix (which ARE doing something, but it's not time to have the baby yet). The ones that wrap around are the real ones and when they hit, you'll know it!

I really hate to be that lady, but I disagree.  With my first I thought I was sick with stomach cramps.  It felt exactly like when you have a stomach issue and diarrhea (TMI, I know) and nothing like what labor was supposed to.  The timing was all over and my doctor's office said to head in, but it was probably something I ate.  I showed up and was at 7cm.

[sallyrae17]

Originally Posted by Honey693 

I really hate to be that lady, but I disagree.  With my first I thought I was sick with stomach cramps.  It felt exactly like when you have a stomach issue and diarrhea (TMI, I know) and nothing like what labor was supposed to.  The timing was all over and my doctor's office said to head in, but it was probably something I ate.  I showed up and was at 7cm.

No, you're not being that lady. Everyone experiences contractions differently and I've said that on another thread. Diarrhea is definitely a good sign, but there's really no way to tell. If it stops or goes away, then I wouldn't worry about it. If it's something persistent and you just "feel" like something is going on, call your doc or head in. Labor isn't the same for everyone - some people experience cramps, others only have back pain. The only really good signs are your water breaking or bloody show. Other than that, it's anyone's guess. I should add that your water breaking doesn't necessarily mean that you'll go into labor immediately. My good friend's water broke on a Friday afternoon and she didn't start contracting until the following Tuesday (4 days later). She labored for an hour and twenty minutes, but contractions didn't start for days. So, anything and everything can and does happen in labor (not to freak anyone out or anything). ;)

[Honey693]

I hate the waiting game.  This is the worst part of pregnancy for me.  

[Tizzy]

TMI but....

My system has been "clearing out" for a couple weeks now off and on, with no signs of impending labour. :)

[Ninetales]

Mine, too, Tizzy.  Though I don't have much appetite so maybe that's it.

[LilyTiger]

Originally Posted by Tizzy 

TMI but....

My system has been "clearing out" for a couple weeks now off and on, with no signs of impending labour. :)

Partly what's so frustrating about this is that for every woman who has a particular symptom that indicated labor, there's another who had that symptom for weeks before anything happened.  I have also talked with numerous women who mistook labor for needing to go to the bathroom, Honey, (including my friend's mom who, with both her daughters, thought she was having a bowel movement and was in fact pushing the babies out... they were born 20 some minutes later, after she figured out what was going on).

My mom was only 2cm the day my sister was born (naturally, no induction stuff necessary), while my sister in law was at 4cm for four weeks.  Sigh.  I just have to let it go and realize my body will do what it needs to at whatever rate it feels like doing it.  It's probably a good thing that I'm distracted from some of this by work.  

In other hilarious pregnancy news, I woke up this morning and getting out of bed triggered a BH that apparently squeezed my bladder so badly that I couldn't walk to get to the bathroom.  I had to lay down again and wait 10 minutes for it to go away.  I thought about calling DH and having him bring me a bucket, the pain was that bad.  I finally made it to the bathroom, hunched over like an old woman.  As soon as I peed, everything was fine.  Ridiculous.

Also, I'm starting to get free formula in the mail.  I know it's not my new doc, so I'm wondering whether my old ob/gyn practice sells information.  Really annoying.  I'll be finding a food bank to drop it off to once I collect enough of it.  

Ok, enough random procrastination posting.  Back to work!  (And thanks, everyone, for the input!  It helps to hear what other people's experiences have been).

[Honey693]

LT, my BH's are so much worse when I have to pee.  I won't realise how bad I need to go until I stand up and then it's awful.  Stupid peeing.  I can't wait until this is over.

[LilyTiger]

Originally Posted by Honey693 

LT, my BH's are so much worse when I have to pee.  I won't realise how bad I need to go until I stand up and then it's awful.  Stupid peeing.  I can't wait until this is over.

Honey, your posts combined with your avatar always crack me up.  Stupid peeing indeed!

[Tizzy]

LOL Lily, I had the same thing this morning!

DH was all panicked, thinking something was wrong and I'm like....uhhhh I just have to pee....really bad....

And also funny about the BM during labour thing, with my first natural birth it took FOREVER and I got it in my head that I was just constipated and just had to work on that, then the baby would come.

Uh no, that WAS the baby coming.

So with my last labour, at least I remembered that.  But then it causes psychological trauma afterwards for the first BM, I had to psych myself up and tell myself "It's just poop, it's not a baby coming out this time".

Oh wow, now I really feel like I'm sharing too much here!

[FeralFox]

On the formula sample thing: Somehow the formula companies (both of the big ones) figured out that I'm pregnant, and sent samples to my ex husband's house, in another state, in my previous name (which I changed legally, first and last, about six months ago).  I find it bizarre and creepy.  Needless to say, I will not be accepting their, uh, generous gifts.

[Tizzy]

I'm all for taking their free offerings, I turn around and donate them to people who are actually in need. Last time my midwife passed a pile I had on to another client. I trust her judgement on that issue (actually in need).

Unfortunately I can't donate milk to everyone, nor is everyone open to that concept, but I can take advantage of big corporations on their behalf

[eleuthia]

I'm in triage... woke from a nap around 11pm with lower right back pain that has been pretty constant since. I'm having some contractions about 5-7 minutes apart but I'm only 1cm/20%. They will check again in a couple hours but my guess is these aren't heading toward active labor yet. They're sending my urine for culture as I might have a kidney stone?!?!! Didn't have that one on my list of possible labor difficulties. Fortunately everyone here has been great so far (my nurse worked at my former birth center when she was a student & the resident was like "you sure seem to know a lot" [in a good way]).

[sarahdb]

Wishing you the best, eleuthia! And hoping you don't have a kidney stone--ugh! 

[LilyTiger]

Eleuthia, I hope it's not a kidney stone.  Keep us updated.  My mom was only 2cm dilated when she went to the hospital to have my sister and the baby was born 8 hours later.  So you could be ready!  But I hope the back pain isn't too bad and that you get some answers soon.

[NewMumJoy]

Oh dear!!  Thinking of you, Eleuthia!! Hoping it's not a kidney stone and that you have a baby in your arms very soon!  Keep us posted!!

[eleuthia]

It's a kidney stone :( But I feel lots better after taking Tylenol, so I'm going to keep up on that. My contractions are 5 minutes apart but not very strong and only about 30 seconds long, and I didn't dilate anymore, so it could be awhile before real labor starts. I'm home now, about to EAT and then nap/watch the Olympics. 

[LilyTiger]

Are they keeping you there?  Do they think the kidney stone is causing labor?  My preggo buddy had to pass a kidney stone at 30 weeks or so and said it was really painful, but fortunately it didn't trigger contractions or anything.  Hopefully you feel better soon!

[iixivboots]

Good vibes, Eleuthia! We're all thinking of you. Hope you get some rest whether or not this is when you're gong to meet baby or not!