The ultimate game of hurry up and wait
At work today, I got an email from Katie that she was “feeling weird.”
Yep. She was feeling weird, and that wasn’t good. Because she’d been having contractions, too. And when she told the midwife she was feeling weird and having contractions, the midwife politely asked why they were talking on the phone instead of in person.
Since Charlotte’s due date wasn’t till the last week of August, the midwife did what she could to stop the contractions. But it just wasn’t happening. No sir, not today.
So off we went to the hospital. And that’s when the fun started. You see, at the hospital, we were promptly notified that Charlotte had chosen the trip over to flip back in the wrong direction.
Conundrum.
The contractions weren’t stopping, so the baby was coming. But the baby was coming in the wrong direction. You can choose a C section, or you can try to manually flip the baby.
Now, for those unfamiliar with “manually” flipping the baby, that means the doctor essentially moves the baby by pushing and prodding at your stomach. It’s not pretty. And it hurts. And that’s why most women get epidurals when the baby has to be turned manually. That and because the epidural relaxes you and makes the baby easier to turn.
But we really hadn’t wanted an epidural. And if the turning failed, we’d have to go in for an immediate C section. So we could risk not getting an epidural, but that increased the chances of even more intervention.
Well, to make a long story short, with the assistance of an epidural the doctor had no trouble flipping the baby.
But … presumably because of the epidural (and not being able to eat, and not being able to stand or really change positions), the regular contractions that had been coming strongly every three minutes slowed way way down and then had to be brought back up with the help of more drugs.
And that’s where we are now - two centimeters for probably six hours.
July 26th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
WOW…so are y’all at the hospital having the baby???
Sorry I snoop your blog but originally found you through Katie’s blog!
July 26th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
We are at the hospital, watching the Tonight Show.
July 26th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Duh I just re-read your post and you MUST be there if she’s probably on potocin to up the contractions.
Much love and prayers !!! Come on Charlotte don’t be so difficult..hehe!
July 26th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Awesome!!! Hope it goes smooth tonight for the three of you!!!
Is Katie sad that the other three children are out of town??
July 27th, 2007 at 12:41 am
P&PT from “the oc… in so ca”
July 27th, 2007 at 6:29 am
Cmon’ baby!
I hate that it’s not happening the way you both wanted. Are the midwives around for moral support?
July 27th, 2007 at 7:03 am
Oh, wow!! I’m thinking of you guys!
July 27th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Hoping all is going well.
July 27th, 2007 at 7:51 am
I’m so excited for you guys!
July 27th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Your comments are on CST?
July 27th, 2007 at 7:55 am
Those babies have a way of not following plans. Good luck. Don’t blog to much!
July 27th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Warm fuzzies are being sent your way. Yay! Baby!
July 27th, 2007 at 8:28 am
No news yet. Little C is taking her time!
M - something’s wrong with the time on the blog, but it’s weird b/c it’s only in certain places. It just hasn’t made it high up my priority list.
July 27th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Good luck, guys. I’m waiting with baited breath, or something like that.
July 27th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Oh my gosh. We’re thinking of you guys!!
July 27th, 2007 at 9:11 am
Hope everything goes really well, really quick and really easily!
Sending good vibes ya’lls way!
July 27th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Hoping all is well…
July 27th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Sending lots of good birthing vibes Katie’s way!
July 27th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Almost congrats!
WJ
July 27th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Fingers finging here in the Garden State.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
[...] tumorbattical to let you guys know that my friends (and yours) Katie Allison Granju and Knoxjon are at the hospital, about 5 weeks early, to give birth to little baby Charlotte. Most of you guys probably already [...]
July 27th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
[...] see if someone else sponsors us for the blogathon to keep Doug clothed during his shift and see how Katie and Jon are doing. Otherwise, I’m scooting over to this blog until Sunday. Sometime tonight we might [...]