The student midwife wanted me to come in so they could check me. C was at the store and we left as soon as he got home. Nicole checked me and said I was about 6 cm. dilated, then she put me on the Electronic Fetal Monitor to check to see how babe was responding to the contractions. Sophie kept moving around in there so it was hard for them to keep the monitor on her and getting a readout. Everything looked fine, I wasn’t feeling “regular” contractions, I would feel one and then not feel the others. The midwives said to go take a walk and get some food nearby. We ate at a Chinese Restaurant of course my fav. Sweet and Sour Chicken…….The older man that worked there said we would have a girl.
It was rainy and cold outside. I didn’t have a jacket. We went to an Asian rug market to look at the rugs and lamps, I walked by three older men while having a contraction. After this surreal experience I wanted to go back to the warmth of the birth center.Two hours later we returned to be checked once again. No progress……still at 6 cm. We discussed getting a hotel room nearby…..to be closer to the birth center, but in the end decided on going home. I think C was feeling a little uncomfortable with this but I figured I would progress faster in a familiar environment. Not sure what time in the afternoon this was……possibly around 6pm.
At home the contractions seemed to settle into a more regular pattern. I yelled at C when he tried to repack my birthcenter bag for the 5th time. That was the only time I yelled at someone during the whole labor. I used the scented rice sock on my back and abdomen for some relief, did lots of hands and knees on the bed, and paced up and down the hallway. Towards 9pm I felt it was time to go, I didn’t care how far apart the contractions were it was time. I briefly tried talking to the midwife between contractions and practically threw the phone at C. We were a half hour away from the birth center….
stay tuned for the wild ride
Chaos is Normal 