I decided to celebrate being 1 week away by running only 1 mile. I'm feeling pretty good..except for the daunting feeling of entering the pregnancy twilight zone...it's the topsy turvy place only people who go close to their due date without the intervention of well meaning golf playing doctors who suggest a induction date...it's the eternal vacuum of not really knowing when and how you will go into labor...doo doo..doo doo... sorry had to be a little dramatic today. I thought about how great my body has been in the past actually and feel fairly confident that my water won't break in Wal-mart. I realized with all 5 of my children I have started feeling contractions after waking from a deep and refreshing sleep. Benjamin-woke up at 4 in the morning to my first contractions and my first labor ever...exciting..painful...the ice that the labor and delivery class teacher had us stick on our arm did NOT simulate labor pains..duh!! Jenny-I woke up around 8 in the morning and lay in bed resting and then pop!..my water broke...while laying in my own bed with noone around to see my wet pants thank you very much. Julia- I woke up around 7 ready for the day of taking care of my two small children and as soon as I stepped out of my room-bam-contractions. This was my cool labor-I had mild contractions the rest of the day (until the broke my water and sent me into instant painful transition around 2 that afternoon) I had her at home and we basically had a party. I went on a few walks, came home and made lunch for the midwife, her assistant, the student, my mom, my kids, me..phew..I'm tired. I loved that labor. Joseph- I took my much needed Sunday nap and woke to some mysterious cramps which turned out to actually be-labor contractions-oh yeah..this is my fourth I should know what labor feels like. Let's see..it doesn't feel like ice on your arm but it does feel like hitting your head on a kitchen cabinet. ....except lower.... Jacob-You guessed it..the pattern here is I was sleeping and then labor woke me up..what a nice body to let me sleep and then go into labor...I went to bed and was actually already at an 8. I had three thirty minute sessions during the week before he was born that got me up to an 8...also a cool way to get to an 8. So I woke up around 1 in the morning (my first middle of the night labor believe it or not ) and I didn't exactly feel contractions right away..more like.well....a baby..trying to get out of mom pains!! Those also didn't feel like ice on my arm...much more painful. Maybe they should pass out liquid nitrogen at those classes....that stuff is pretty cold and might simulate labor sort of. William- TBA...if it feels like ice on my arm I will definitely call up my teacher of that beloved first Labor prep class and thank her-note the lady had never even experienced natural childbirth...she wimped out and got the epidural..hence the silly ice on the arm object lesson...hmmm
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