At Least Something’s Happening Now…
No, no baby yet. But progress. Yesterday and today I have been learning firsthand about contractions…. no, no, we call them “Loving Pressure Waves” (LPWs). You see, we’ve been working for quite some time on this hypno-method of birthing – really just an advanced relaxation technique – where you retrain the mind to see birthing as a wonderful, pleasant, delightful experience rather than the“kill-me-now-pain-from-hell-get-that-baby-out-i-am-never-having-sex-again-EVER” we all know and love. I am not entirely sure my subconscious mind is fully on board yet with this new “contractions are fun!” concept, so we have wisely arranged an epidural back-up plan. In either case, I figure I’m covered.
So yesterday, we instigated Baby Out 2007. We surveyed the experts (the midwife, the internet, our friends with lots of kids) as to the ways to naturally get contractions going, and we took focused action. For dinner, we followed the “eat spicy foods” recommendation and met up with the gang at our favorite Turkish haunt for some spicy doener (kind of like a gyro) and chitchat. Coincidentally, this is when the contractions started. Nothing too life threatening or fun-inhibiting, but enough to keep me very very very quiet for 30 seconds at a time, every 20 minutes. My eating mates were startled but interested to witness this phenomenon. Sally said that “as long as you can still talk, it’s ok”. So I guarded my doener and French fries and spat out a few tight-lipped words during those loving pressure waves to check that I was still “ok”, and dove back in to dinner.
By the time we got home, the LPWs were coming every 15 minutes. We popped in season one of Monk (that detective TV series) to pass the time. Then comes the enthusiastic LPWs: here is me, sitting on the edge of the sofa, head hanging down, gasping between breaths and gritted teeth “ BABE !!…… PAUSE THE DVD! LOOOOOVING……. PRESSURE….. WAAAAVE….. HERE……. SOOOOO LOOOOVING…. #$*@….. &*$#….. WRITE DOWN THE TIME….. @#*$ ….LOOOOOOVING!”
I eventually got tired of that and laid down. And BAM. No more LPWs. We found the magic switch… so off to bed for a decent night of relatively LPW-free rest.
Not surprisingly, I dreamt about being in the hospital getting ready to give birth. BUT NO, not just ANY dream. In MY dream, the birthing rooms had sleek black leather couches, low stylish coffee tables, and giant white fur rugs – very rock star – and the nurses were wearing evening gowns and full makeup/hair. My nurse (wearing a red, floor-length dress to complement her short blond locks) suggested I take a seat under the picture window and stack leopard-print cushions under my back. This of course made perfect sense at the time. I’m actually surprised I didn’t have my tiara in the dream.
Today, not so much action, but I’m drinking the fabled raspberry-leaf tea (tastes like twigs, in case you’ve never tried it) and took a long walk in nature. The closest thing we got to spontaneous birth is when the world’s biggest bumblebee attacked me.
Crossing our fingers that something interesting happens soon. I never was so good at waiting…
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The gang at our favorite doener joint (called Meram):
Yesterday, Soenke also proudly assembled the world’s most complicated stroller (what you see is only a portion of the many many components…):
May 21st, 2007 at 7:23 am
I can see you now walking into L&D with little Sophie in your arms saying but Doctor, I could still talk. :+)
Where’s the Pack n’ Play? Beter get that set, too.
May 21st, 2007 at 7:51 am
Oh dear, I’ve been checking the site every few hours now. This is very exciting! I loved the idea of birth as a delightful experience. Hopefully little princess is ready to meet the world soon…It seems that the world is definately ready to meet her already!
May 21st, 2007 at 8:40 am
ohh it’s almost time i can’t wait
May 21st, 2007 at 11:06 am
Pins. Needles. All of that. Sophie, we really would like to meet you. Give mama her uterus back!
You will be photo-blogging your entire labour live, right?
May 21st, 2007 at 7:45 pm
um OWWWWWWWW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s 2:36am here in Germany and the loving pressure waves are getting down to 10 minutes apart. With love like this, who needs hate?
Yeah Marnie I’m just about to set up the webcam here to document all this, bwaaaahahahahaha!
Here is labor in a nutshell: I’m bored. I’m DYING!! I’m bored. I’m DYING!! I’m bored. I’m DYING!! and so on… hour after hour….
I think we’ll go to the hospital soon. I want to be sure that epidural is ready for me…
May 21st, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Holy mother of labour! Can this be?
May 21st, 2007 at 9:24 pm
I think Sophie is about ready to make her entrance!!
Hope to have that phone call soon!!!!
Sally, if you are reading this…don’t forget to call us gals over here in the states!
I know..the call list is long!!!
May 21st, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Yes I hope to get my phone call as well….
I know here in the states the doctors from what i understand will usually not admit ya unless the contractions are at most 2 minutes apart….
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:42 am
Well, folks, Jennifer went to the hospital at around 3:30 a.m. our time. I am waiting for an update any time now.
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:18 am
I’m so excited I can’t wait
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:57 am
Ókay, the latest is that she’s at 6 and they are breaking her water. We want a baby!!!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Ohhhhh wow. This is so exciting! Where’s that webcam when we need it?!
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:31 pm
True to her princess character, Sophie Celine kept us all waiting. After a very long, hard day, Sophie Celine arrived at 11:24 p.m. Hamburg time via Caesarian section.
So far, this is what I was able to gather from Sönke:
4.2 kilos!!!! That’s 9.25 pounds!
53 cm (or maybe 56 cm, he said) long (anywhere from 20.86 to 22.05 inches)
38 cm - head circumference (48.9 inches) .
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Wowee. BIG girl!
Jennifer, hope you are resting comfortably. Can’t wait for baby pictures!
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Okay, obviously her head was not 48.9 inches. Sorry about that. That’s 14.9 inches.
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Yay!
Congratulations Jennifer and Sönke! Welcome Sophie!!
(Does that make her a Gemini or not so much??)
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I left this on Sally’s blog, too:
Welcome, Princess Sophie! And to Jeni and Sönke, Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum freudigen Ereignis!