false alarm...

So I started having contractions about 1pm... well I think they started earlier but I was at work so it is very hard to keep track.

I left work at 12:45pm for my 1:30pm ultrasound to determine Cooper's size. On the way there my contractions really started to intensify, happening about every 4.5 minutes and lasting about 45 seconds. We did the ultrasound to determine Cooper weighs 7-7.5 pounds.

I had a follow-up and week 38 appointment with my nurse practitioner at 2:00pm and by then my contractions were about the same but seemed a lot more painful. They checked my cervix and there was no change, but due to my contractions they hooked up a monitor to see what was really going on.

After about an hour and a half, they gave me the choice to be admitted to the hospital where they would continue to monitor the contractions (and not let me eat anything!) or go home and wait it out.

We chose to go home and wait it out. We finished getting Cooper's nursery ready and every other hour, Rick would time my contractions.

By about 9pm, my contractions were about 2 minutes apart, lasting over a minute and it was very difficult to do anything during a contraction because of the pain. We monitored them for over an hour and decided this really might be it. I took a shower and ate a little something while Rick packed some last minute things and we called the doctor.

The doctor of course said to come in. So, Rick and I left our house thinking we would be returning with our brand new baby son.

We got settled in the hospital, started to get really nervous and very excited but after about 2 hours of monitoring, my contractions had gone from 2 minutes apart to 7, still no change in my cervix.

The doctor ordered an ambien to knock me out so I could get some sleep and they continued to monitor my contractions throughout the night. They said if I was truly in labor not even the ambien would keep me asleep but I slept through the night (first good nights sleep, I have had maybe the whole pregnancy.)

I woke up groggy and what I remember it to feel like, drunk. This groggy feeling turned into saddness when I realized this was a false alarm.

We got home from the hospital at about 10am and I went to be until 2pm. I am still having contractions but they aren't nearly as intense or regular as last night. So we are back to the waiting game.

I guess this just leaves us a little bit more time to get our home in order. Meanwhile, I will be drinking raspberry leaf tea (said to cause labor) because I am definitely ready to meet my little man.