My *almost* 10.10 Baby Birth Story

*taken on 10.10.10

I knew it was it unreasonable. My due date was the 18th after all. I've never been more then a few days early with the other three, what's the likelihood of being a full eight days?! But nevertheless the desire was there. How fun it be to have our 4th child on 10.10.10, during our 10th year of being married! Imagine my excitement when I learn on the 7th at my dr's appointment that I'm 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced. That's a lot of progress from the barely 1 cm the week before. I saw a glimmer of hope. For three straight days I had cramping and contractions. Surely, I thought, they had to be doing something. I kicked into high gear mode. I walked miles and went up and down those stairs like nobody's business. I was given a chance for a 10.10 baby and I was going to take it.

Saturday night, 10.9-
A full day of contractions, increasing in pain, and well some "other" signs of labor happening and I put a call into my Doctor. This time around I tested positive for Group B strep and she wanted me at the hospital leaving myself with ample time to receive two doses of IV antibiotics with about four to five hours in between the doses. Being my fourth child there was no guarantee that we'd have that much time. My call resulted in another trip to OB triage to get checked out. Conveniently my parents were staying with us. We kiss the kids goodnight and drive away with our bags packed. Chris says something to the effect of "what happened to our agreement about not having anymore babies in the middle of the night?!" I never agreed to such a thing.

We were given a really sweet nurse. Man I was missing her when I was given Nurse Crachit the next day. She checks and I've effaced some more but still at a 3. Bummer. Given my other signs of labor, the contraction monitor, she does what every nurse does at this point. Sends me walking. I'm doubtful. If my three days of walking have done nothing, what's another hour going to do? But I wasn't about to give up. I walked & walked some more. And prayed. I wanted her to come in God's time way more then on a silly date. An hour passes and we walk back in. 3 1/2 cm. It's a half but no 4. She looked at me and said,

"I'm 50/50. I could keep you and get things going or send you home and let you get a good night sleep. I think you need some rest and I bet you'll be back her tomorrow in full on active labor."

That was good enough for me. Then she offered me a sleeping pill. Gosh I love this woman. She assured me that I'd wake up if I was in active labor but it would help take the edge off and let me sleep. I hadn't slept in weeks. I took that pill, swallowed it whole and that's the last thing I remember of the night. Oh there are some funny stories of getting me home, up the stairs and into bed!

10.10.10-
I wake up after 13 hrs of sleep. Have I mentioned how much I love that nurse? I wake up to nothing. Contractions are gone. Slightly defeated and to tired to walk, I eat something and go back to bed for a couple more hours. Somewhere in all of this I notice Chris going downhill with his allergies. Some friends picked up the kids for church and this time Chris slept for a couple hours. He awoke and we both felt well enough to join our church for the after church picnic. 7pm rolls around. I realize my 10.10 dream has passed. I was grateful for the much needed rest I had gotten that day and felt rest in my soul as well. She'd come when she was ready. I made plans for the remainder of the week with some friends to pass the time. We called it a day and headed up to bed. 11:55 pm I wake up my sleepy, VERY allergy drugged husband with, "My water broke".

10.11.10- to come later...