Countdown to Baby!

I think this is the beginning of what could be a LONG pre-labor.  For documenting the birth story & all that good jazz, I'm going to post every little detail which COULD mean something is coming...so if you don't want to hear about bodily functions in all their gory glory you probably shouldn't read these countdown posts!

While subbing at Northside Middle School, I started having regular contractions Friday at 1:20. They were about 16-20 minutes apart. I waddled around my classroom & did some lungy type movements to help keep them going.


The contractions continued during my hour long drive home & then Amanda & I went to the mall (another 40 min. car ride) and walked around for an hour & a half (with Grayson & Spencer). By the time we left the mall (6:15) the contractions were steadily 12 minutes apart.

I did notice by the time we got home that Luke had dropped quite a bit (several inches) into my pelvis & out of my chest!

I got home & Tim and I putzed around the house a bit until we went out for dinner around 8:00. Still 12 minutes apart. I ate a good dinner of yummy pepper steak w/ gravy (at Grand China Buffet) and really got myself stuffed!

When we got home, I was exhausted & went to bed at 9:30, still having contrac. every 12 minutes.

I didn't sleep well at all & tossed and turned. Tim didn't even come to bed until after 12:30. I timed an hour or 2 worth of contractions then & they were 12, 19, 12, and 15 minutes apart. (We were watching The Office in bed.) I had an asthma attack around then too & started feeling congested during the night. Tim said I was SNORING like crazy too! (Which I used to snore badly, but havn't the entire pregnancy!)

When I got up Saturday morning (at 11 am) I putzed on my computer and then got busy doing housework/showering and stuff. I was having a few contractions an hour or so but not timing them or anything. When we left for church around 4:15 I started timing them again & they were pretty consistently 20 minutes apart.

I've only 1/2 way been paying attention to them since 5:45 and they are staying around 20 minutes apart...so 3 an hour. (Doc said to call for 4 or more an hour, but I KNOW I'm not in "real" labor yet, so I'm not too worried...plus I'm 36 weeks & 5 days, so they wouldn't stop the labor at this point.)

I've gotten steadily MORE congested as the evening as gone on. My nose is even dripping a little bit.