Once, I was nicknamed Speedy Gonzales – we were biking up Mount Jay in Vermont or New Hampshire and it was a solid six-mile climb to the peak. I was with a dozen other high school kids biking through New England, and because of my typical leisurely pace, I liked to ride towards the rear of the group. On the day we climbed Mount Jay, I started at the back as usual, but over the course of however long it took to get to the top, I passed almost everybody in the group, hence earning my nickname. I wasn’t going fast – I just never stopped and I never got off my bike and walked either. I just kept plugging along.
I eat my meals the same way. If you’ve eaten with me, you’ll know that I’m often still eating (and talking) while the dishes are being cleared away.
So, I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise to me that I labor in the same slow, leisurely way I do many other things in life.
My contractions picked up again early this morning, gaining intensity and regularity. They were coming every 7-10 minutes and were much stronger than any I had yesterday. And even when I got up for breakfast (yes, I’m still eating!) I had to pause every ten minutes or so and let a contraction squeeze past. But then they started to slow down again. At the moment I haven’t had a contraction in 12:41 minutes (I’m wearing a stopwatch…) and there have been three or four half-hour stretches that were completely contraction-free this morning.
I’m lucky to have the midwife I have, because I think this kind of stop-start labor makes hospitals (and other midwives) nervous. Especially since my water has broken and I am at a higher risk for infection. I know this is the case, but I also know that my midwife has never encountered infection because of ruptured membranes in all her years of practice. If this continues however, I’ll start taking my temperature and pulse every four hours to watch for any signs of infection as a precaution.
As it is, I think that the slow pace is giving all of us here time to settle in and adjust (and boil the scissors for the umbilical cord). Yesterday we made pesto, cookies, and creamy green soup, so the fridge is well and stocked.
Which is not say that I’m not anxious for the labor to pick up. To that end, Chad and I went for another long stroll this morning (3 or so miles around Top of the World) pausing and timing my contractions as we went. we’ve been trying the pressure points we learned to stimulate labor too.
The weather is overcast and the breeze feels great. This feels a lot like my labor with Bella – if it continues similarly, the contractions will redouble tonight and the baby will come tomorrow morning. Perhaps while Bella is at school.
