Labor and Delivery

Saturday morning started as a normal day for us... we slept in, went to breakfast and came home to watch college football... I ran to the store to pick up and few things and our friend Jeff came over with his daughter Reese to watch the Alabama game with Lane. I made cupcakes (I guess since the house is spotless, the nesting is now concentrated on cooking) while Lane made lunch for us. To spare everyone the details, Elaine needed to go to the ER, so Lane and I watched Reese so Jeff could meet her there. Kristin came over to hang out with us since we hadn't seen her in forever!

I kept noticing a very wet feeling and then once I thought about it, I couldn't remember the last time I felt Payton move. I drank a big glass of orange juice and sat on the couch to see if I was just too busy earlier to feel anything. After an agonizing 45 minutes of nothing happening, I decided to call the doctor. She wanted us to come in, so off we went to L&D.

They immediately found Payton's heartbeat (answered prayers) and then tested to see if it was amniotic fluid I was feeling. The first test was negative, but the nurse did say I was 1-2 cm dilated (progress!!). They continued to monitor Payton's heartbeat and my contractions. After about 45 minutes and another negative for fluid, they sent us home.

We're now just waiting for a big gush of fluid or contractions to really start. I'm getting very impatient, but know Payton will come when she's ready.

** Just a disclaimer... if you call and I don't call you back, don't worry... we'll let you know when something happens, either by text message, phone call or email. **

38 week update

On Labor Day, I was having contractions every 5-10 minutes for about 2 and a half hours. After talking to the on-call doctor, we decided to wait and see if anything progressed.. it didn't, but I've been having contractions every day since.

The contractions are doing something... at the doctor today I'm 1 cm dilated and 75% effaced. We're waiting for a call back on an induction date in 2 weeks. I would rather have it on the calendar and not need it, then need it and have to wait. Most likely it will be her due date and hopefully it won't be 24 hours of labor. Just continue to pray that we won't need to induce! The doctor doesn't think I'll make it to the 20th and I really hope she's right.

Update from 37 week appointment

I'm measuring 38 weeks (completely normal and nothing that says I'm too big or she's too big), but no additional progress from last week. Still a fingertip dilated and 50% effaced. The doctor said all I need are some contractions to get her to move down and help me dilate. I've been feeling crampy and just generally icky.. some say that's how they felt before they went into labor.

About 1:30 in the morning on Saturday, I woke up to terrible pain in my back and across the left side of my stomach. I went to the bathroom and then laid back down to see what would happen. The pain finally went away and I decided not to wake Lane unless it came again.... unfortunately it didn't.

Start sending prayers that there will be progress at the appointment on Friday AND that she'll come soon... my feet can't take it! I was doing great with minimal swelling, but that has totally changed this week. As I was getting dressed for church yesterday, I quickly found that I have 1 pair of dressy flip flops that fit my fat feet. If you know me at all, you know this was a sad day in the Chamblee household. I'm so ready to be able to wear my normal shoes and buy all the cute Fall clothes that are showing up in the stores.

37 weeks

Since I'm sure everyone loves the bare belly pics, here's one from today at 37 weeks. I can't tell much of a difference from last week. I go to the doctor again tomorrow, so let's hope for even more progress!

Carry out on aisle 2

I'm not sure why I think this is so funny, but since I've been feeling like a HUGE whale lately, I guess it made me smile!

I had to run to Petsmart and when I was checking out, the clerk asked if I needed help loading the bag of dog food in the car. I said I manage to get the 40 pound bag of food from the bottom shelf into my basket, so I could get it from the basket to the back of my car. She looked at me and said, "Well honey, when you get further along, you really need to get some help with that." When I told her I had about 3 weeks left, the look on her face was PRICELESS!!! She must have felt bad because then she told me how great I looked and you'd never think I could have a baby any day.

Woo Hoo!!

We've made some progress! I'm a finger tip dilated and 50% effaced! I asked the doctor about inducing after 41 weeks (the longest over due she'd let me go) and she said that we won't need to have that conversation... she's fairly certain Payton will make her debut before then! I think Labor Day would be fitting ;)

36 weeks!

It's official! Payton could come any time now.

Tomorrow is my first internal exam... checking for any progress. I'm hoping to be a tiny bit dilated, but have a feeling she'll tell me everything is shut tight.

Here's the belly today.... Payton is taking her own sweet time dropping, but at least she's a little lower than a few days ago.