Just a little update.
Thursday night I began having contractions. They lasted all day Friday, but I kept busy to ignore them as best as I could. Friday night I was up having them very sporadically. Every 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 2 minutes… I went from the tub, to the floor, to the couch, to the shower to the bed and managed to sleep about 2 hours.
Saturday we spent the day at my Mother in Laws and my contractions began to be more regular. I called the midwife and explained what was going on. She told me that labor has a pattern and mine was too irregular, so I needed to slow down labor. She had me begin taking magnesium to help my uterus relax. As the day went on, the contractions were happening every 5 minutes, then within an hour jumped to two to three minutes. I called her again and at about 9 she met us at the birth center (which conveniently is only a mile or two down the road). She examined me and pointed out that I was only 70% effaced and not dilated at all. Gavin’s head isn’t in proper placement so there is no pressure on my cervix to help out.
She sent us home with some Tylenol PM and just said to try to rest. The night was a good repeat of Friday with the addition of much more frequent and intense contractions. I slept close to 2 hours, or 3.
Now, its Sunday at 10 am. My contractions are closer to 7 minutes apart and I am trying to rest. I did want to type this up while it was fresh in my head so I wouldn’t forget our “birth story.” At noon, if I am still contracting, we will head back to the Birth Center to have them check to see if he has moved into place and if I have begun to dilate.
Hopefully, last night was magical and we are 1/2 way there to a wonderful birth…we shall see.
Keep exploring
That you will not do it perfectly and that is not the goal. That kids remember how they felt more than what they were given. That the hard seasons pass. And that showing up consistently matters more than any individual parenting decision you will ever agonize over.
Imperfectly and continuously. The balance shifts rather than stays fixed. Some seasons are work-heavy, some are kid-heavy, some are partnership-heavy. The goal is not equal distribution but intentionality about where attention goes and honesty about when the current distribution is not working.
Talk to your kids honestly and earlier than feels comfortable. They handle truth better than they handle sensing that something is happening but not knowing what. And ask for their input even on decisions that are ultimately yours because being heard matters even when the outcome is not what they wanted.
Better than most parents expect, especially when the adults around them are honest and stable. Kids take emotional cues from their parents. If the adults are anxious and secretive, kids become anxious. If the adults are clear and calm, kids adjust. The hardest changes are the ones parents are not settled about themselves.
That each child is entirely different and what worked for one will not reliably work for another. That the early years are harder and faster than anyone tells you. That the goal of parenting is to gradually work yourself out of a job. And that being present is more rare and more valuable than being perfect.
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Sending (literally) a ton of wishes your way. May your labor (once Gavin is ready) be brief, the birth easy, healthy and uncomplicated! and may you see his beautiful little face real soon! We are thinking of you and feel close to you in our hearts. The best phase of your life is about to begin. It is so exciting!! You, Adam, Gavin and Eunee… on a wonderful new journey
Sending love to you all,
a. Renata and u. Mickey xxxxoooo
Wishing you all the best. Hope Gavin don’t take to long to greet us all. Looking forward to see his little face. Big fat hug to you …