Thread: *~*~ Brittany's (MrsMangoBabe) Birth Lodge~*~*

You sound like you are about in the same place i was at this time. My pressure waves kept increasing up until the day I went into labor. Then they basically stopped, i think it was to give my body a rest, and labor hit full force that night. About 4 days before i went into labor i had to use my hypnobirthing cd's to sleep through my contractions. I'm hoping you go soon!

Had a lot of pressure waves during the night last night, but was mostly able to ignore them and sleep. I thought I felt my water start leaking (which was why I was induced with DD), but I don't think it was it. When I woke up this morning, my bump felt quite a bit lower. As DH was getting ready for work, he got a text from one of his co-workers who's wife is pregnant with an EDD within a few days of mine saying they were headed to the hospital (they're using the same hospital we are because of the discount--My Dr.'s husband is a family practice doctor who attends births, and he's their doctor.). DH told me he wondered if they would be sent home or not, because it is their first. I told DH that I felt like our baby will be coming pretty soon--I told him I thought it might be sometime in the next 3 days--just what my intuition was saying. I said that he felt lower to me, and DH looked at my belly and said "he looks lower."

I had my OB appointment today. Dr. I offered to check me but did so in a way that made me feel like it was totally optional, and she didn't seem to mind at all when I declined. She said she doesn't do them routinely, but she offers because some women just get really curious about what their bodies are doing. I'm glad I didn't get checked because one of the things I'm waiting for that will help me know it's the real thing is bloody show, and I don't want the confusion of bleeding caused by being checked. Nothing unusual came up in all of the routine checks. Dr. I said that his head is definitely lower. She said before she was feeling the top of his head above my pubic bone, now she's feeling the chin/base of the skull area there, so it sounds like he is definitely engaged! I told Dr. I I was feeling like he'd be coming soon, and she said that her husband is on-call at the hospital this weekend, so they definitely won't be going anywhere.

oooooh! I am excited for you, Brittney!!!
It's WONDERFUL that baby's head is engaged. Sounds like you might have a birthday this weekend.

Oh, and I wanted to add that I am also not getting cervical checks (for the 3rd pregnancy now) and I have never regretted that decision. Well, that is, cervical checks before I am in the hospital in labor. This time I hope to avoid any at all.

Also, I have never ever had bloody show during or right before labor. Maybe I am in the minority there. All the blood waits until after birth and then I bleed like I am having all my missed periods in a row. so fun.

I know when I am in labor when either pressure waves begin to be strong and regular, or my water breaks.

(Hey - like my use of "pressure waves? If I am going to be a hypnobirthing mommy I have to start thinking that way )

Ooh, very exciting!

I am also for the not getting checked! It makes no sense to me to have a cervical check before labor starts because they usually just cause more stress. I was checked once DURING labor and that was all I needed. I almost declined that one too but for my own sanity I thought I needed it. Anyway good choice! I had bloody show just as labor started this time around and with my first I had it well into labor.

Wow Brittany, you sound close! I'm so excited for you!
I probably shouldn't ask to get checked so much either, but I wanted to get my membranes stripped so it kind of goes with the territory. Looking back, though, I sort of wish I had just let nature take it's course.
Anyway, good for you for refusing and good for your doctor to not force it.

I totally expected a bloody show before labor this time too but it never happened like it did with DS.

Yeah, the cervical checks in late pregnancy don't really tell you anything--it can change really fast or go weeks without changing at all. I figure, why go through the trouble of getting undressed from the waist down, with my DD in the room (she comes to all of my appointments, and the only one I've had to get undressed for--the GBS swab--was the one DH was able to come to, so that worked out well), for a procedure that is uncomfortable and doesn't really tell you anything useful? I did get checked twice at appointments during DD's pregnancy, even though my midwives don't routinely do them, because I was curious to see if the waves I was having were doing anything. I don't feel like I've missed out by not getting them this time.

I have been awake for 3 hours (since just after 4:00 am my time) with pressure waves. They feel more intense than the ones I have been having. I listened to Hypnobabies tracks for about an hour and then I got up because I didn't seem to be going back to sleep. They seem to have slowed a little since I sat down at the computer, but if I get up, they start right away. I'm charging my iPod, because it was almost dead and the only way I have to charge it is hooking it up to the computer and I'm on the computer that works with our printer so that I can print a couple more copies of my birth preferences to take with us to the hospital (I gave one to my dr. and she said it is in my file, but it will be good to have it on us, I think). When I got up, I absolutely *had* to find the charger for my camera battery, because I didn't know where it was and I knew the battery for that was also almost dead and I have to be able to take pictures of this baby when he's born! I found it, so that's one less thing to worry about

I don't know if these waves are going to go away or not, but I'm trying to get things ready in case they don't. If they do go away, it's not going to hurt to be more ready to go.

Yay, this may be it! Eiher way, you're getting close. Keep us posted!

As for cervical checks, I'm a risk for pre-term pregnancy so I will probably get cervical checks the whole 3rd tri (since last pg I manage to get to 6 cm dilated without feeling it)

Sounds like it could be promising! I'll be stalking you