A few things happened in the last month of my pregnancy that made me just want to get Avery the heck out of me! It was June (then July), and the prehistoric school building I work in in not air conditioned and has zero air flow, so I was HOT, swollen, sweaty, cranky. I knew the baby had "dropped" when I started kneeing myself in the belly every time I climbed stairs. There are photos of my baby shower on which a friend commented "Now we know how you got pregnant!", because I was wearing a dress and my legs were open - but I am not that kind of girl! - it was just that the baby had dropped and I COULDn't put my legs together! My due date came and went, and I tried everything I had heard of to get things going: spicy food, long walks, stair climbing, sex - ha! - just kidding: I was not lucky enough to have a husband who found the pregnant form beautiful (this did not bode well for our marriage either, but that is another tale and another blog (I have promised myself this one will not be an outlet to discuss my marital dissolution)); I begged and pleaded, said things like "I only need you at the end! You can just go look at porn and rush in for the last minute!", but to no avail :(
I had been holding on to the hope that I might even deliver early, because MY mother had, and because I found a little blood in my underwear ("bloody show"), and because I also found a few snot-like strings in there, too :s I know - disgusting. But at that point, it was exciting, because I thought it was the light at the end of the tunnel of pregnancy! But it wasn't...
I think it was the day before my due date, or maybe right on my due date that I woke up in the morning, went to the washroom, and found THIS in my panties!!!
Okay, that is an actual jellyfish. But the photos I found of ACTUAL mucous plugs were far more disgusting, and even I gagged just looking at them! I wouldn't do that to my unsuspecting and trusting followers, but if you didn't have the pleasure of seeing your own, and want to check it out, click here! You have been warned, though! But anyway, yes - I found the most horrifying sight! If you're afraid to click the link, I will try to describe it for you (if you're extra squeamish, though, just skip to the next paragraph). Think of the grossest booger you've ever seen - the soft, yellowish kind, but with some clear strands, and some darker, crunchier bits in there, too (ugh, I'm getting nauseous just typing this! :s)...then picture that booger about the size of your fist! Just this gross, gelatinous mass - cold, at that point, because I don't know when it actually exited my body, as I was sleeping.
I called my midwife right away: surely THIS must indicate impending labour! But, no...still no...all that meant was that my cervix was preparing for the big event (and I was 3cm dilated at that point), but I still had days to wait!
How horrified are you right now? Apparently lots of women never see their mucous plugs, as it doesn't come out until they're in active labour in the hospital already - did YOU? I'd love to hear about your own experiences, or just how I'm doing in the shock-value department ;)
P.S. There were several senior students who happened upon me researching photos of jellyfish on my prep, which led to a full-on discussion of pregnancy, labour, and mucous plugs - and I'm happy to report that future rates of teenage pregnancy may decline because of it! One 18 year old guy even said, "Oh man...I don't even want to go NEAR my girlfriend ever again!" :D
Now I would love to do a poll on whether or not sex does get labor started. My husband also wanted nothing to do with me or sex (claimed he did not want to hurt the baby) the last couple months and I also begged and tried to "use" him to get things going...Haha. Unfortunately I was a week late and had to get my water broken. A friend of mine was early. Her water broke not even 24 hours after the deed was done.
ReplyDeleteSo does it work or not???
Ha - yeah, they all think that's a genuine concern - because they're all SO BIG! :P I think a common misconception is that it's the sex that does it, whereas, it's really the combination of the female orgasm instigating contractions in the uterus, AND the prostaglandins in the semen applied to the cervix. Anyone?
ReplyDeleteWell believe it or not I have a hard time getting my partner to have sex with me on a regular day (We should start a club!!). But in my last month of pregnancy, he was bout it bout it. And when I say "bout it bout it" I mean a couple times a week maybe. We all know thats not enough. So I asked my midwife if I really needed him, and yes she said the same thing about the contractions from orgasm, but also the protaglandins from the semen being very important. So I probably had orgasms everyday for a month, still never went into labour, but after one particularly ....vigorous...session with my partner, I woke up the next morning and went in to labour! Sooooo my verdict is that it DOES help, but only if the baby is ready.
ReplyDeleteI'm wracking my brain - determined to figure out which Anonymous is whom... ;)
ReplyDeleteDo you read OMGMom's blog? I feel like you and her would love to commiserate. (theomgmom.com)
ReplyDeleteHer more recent stuff is pretty tame, but if you go back in the archives she keeps it all pretty real when it comes to labour/birth/post-birth. I think you'd enjoy.
Andrea - I had never heard of her before you mentioned her, but have now checked it out, and she's definitely pretty funny! :) We'd probably get along quite well. I've only read her latest few posts, so will have to go back further like you said, but still, I can commiserate with some of her recent frustrations! After I'm caught up to the present time, my blog will likely become more similar to hers, discussing some day-to-day issues, resolutions, and hopefully humour...but I really hope to make my posts more "conversation starters", followed by reader discussion/commiseration! :) Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteWell, with DD#1 my (awesome) hubby and I did the deed frequently, and I was still 5 days past due. Who knows though, I could have been a week late if we hadn't done it. ;) With #2 we also did it a few times in week prior to her birth because I wanted to avoid being induced. I still had to be induced. What I'm saying is I don't think it helped, and frankly wasn't that comfortable for me, either at that late stage of the game!
ReplyDelete