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@.twist.: thanks! I don't know how anyone sleeps through this, but I guess I should try. Oh, and I should never google 'bloody show bright red' because words like placental abruption come up.

@StbHisMrs: You are SO hardcore!!! Fingers crossed this is it for you!!!

@StrawberryBee: Good Luck! Keep up posted! Have you had more "red" color?

I just love how exciting this thread is every day now!!!

Any of you late August Mama's feel like time is flying? I feel like for weeks 20-32 time dragged on and on and on...now I feel like its flying. Now maybe its because I am terrified about delivery and motherhood - but holy crap I just want things to slow down a touch!

My mom was over last night and is convinced I am going to "go" soon. I told her I am not quite ready and that I'd like LO to stay put until 38 weeks...She was getting all sappy and like "this may be the last time I see you before you're in labor"...Geez mom!

@Mrs D: I wish! I feel like time has come to a stand still! Esp now that we now things are beginning to happen. I know it could still be a while until she is here but knowing just how close we are, time has pressed pause! I still have a bunch to do but my energy level is so low these past couple weeks it makes it hard! I also feel like I still have all the time in the world to get everything done when, in reality, I don't.

@.twist.: @delight: @Mrs D: @Grace: @skipper2010: okay, so I just got off the phone with my doctor because I'm concerned that it's still bright red every time I go to the bathroom, and they're sending me to L&D to get checked out. Will keep you updated!

@StrawberryBee: Good luck! And stop googling!

@StrawberryBee: Ack, so exciting!!

@Mrs D: I actually feel like time is slowing down, probably because I get bombarded with questions/comments every day about when the baby is coming. People tend to think I'm a lot farther along than I actually am. I know it's only fast forwarding a few weeks, but that means I get confused/surprised looks every time I go into work since people are like "What are you doing here?". Um.. I'm not due until the 30th, lol! Then they insist on knowing when my last day is. Um.. I don't have one, whenever the baby decides to arrive!

@Modern Daisy: I get that from work all the time. People shocked I am still there, my manager constantly thinking I am going into labor (nice guy, he really does care. He is so oblivious to how this whole baby making thing works!) And other co-workers trying to plan their vacation time around when I will be leaving, they just don't get that I don't know!

@delight: I know I will miss aspects of being pregnant. I will miss feeling her move and seeing my tummy grow/her grow. The anticipation of getting to meet her is also kinda fun! (To an extent. I mean, I get impatient!) And, not gonna lie, the way people try to take care of me and make allowances, not a bad gig. lol. I am also ready to be DONE. I look forward to being able to roll over in bed in one movement vs 8 and being able to bend over. Heck, going to the bathroom has become hard! Reaching around this belly isn't always easy when she decides to stick her butt up and in the way of the direction I am trying to move! lol. It's all worth it and the stories will be priceless.

@Mrs D: What is funny is that, up until that appt. Mr. Hedgie has been totally chill with "whenever she is ready, she will be here" and "time is flying by too fast!" and suddenly, now that he knows we are staring to dilate it has changed into "Why isn't she here yet? Go sit on the ball and bounce her out! I want my baby!" and "Gah, can time just start ticking by a little faster please? Honey, is my watch working? I swear it said 5:30 an hour ago." It is so cute!

I meant to ask you guys, for those who have begin dilating, did you every get sharp pains inside? I didn't start getting them until last week and we went back in to find out we were dilated and effaced. I am wondering if that is my cervix opening. They aren't bad, just, there. like little sharp but not really too painful sensations. I also feel a ton of sharp pressure sometimes in that area as a whole. Could it just be from the weight and pressure of her dropping?

@Mrs Hedgehog: For me, starting around 34 weeks, I had to walk slower and somewhat waddle because the pressure down there was intense. When I had my u/s, it was because DS's head was way down there so it's possible that your baby is dropping causing the increase in pressure! It just means the baby is getting ready to join you on the other side of things!

@Mrs Hedgehog: Ya, so I dont know if I am dilated or not but I have these pains too - I call them lightening in my vagina...super fun!

Quick update: baby's great and we're being sent home. Still 3 cm dilated; contractions I could feel stopped quite a few hours ago, but I was still getting then in the monitor.

@.twist.: @delight: @Mrs D: @Grace: @skipper2010: @redsmarties: @Mrs Hedgehog: @Alivoo01: @StbHisMrs:

Alrighty, here's the longer story! And full of TMI ;). So as I said I started having contractions last night. Still not sure if they were BH or not since (and I even made DH feel) I couldn't sense my tummy getting tight. The first time I woke up (around 2am) I went to the bathroom and the water in the toilet turned bright red. I was like, okay, no biggie, it's just the bloody show. Except I kept on wiping away fresh bright red every time after that when I got up to pee. The paperwork from my doctor said to call for an 'excessive' amount of bleeding. And most descriptions of bloody show were mucus with strands of red, not all red the way mine were. Contractions never really stabilized into a pattern, and eventually dissipated when I woke up around 9am.

So I called my doctor and they said it sounded like just a little bit more than what they would consider normal, and since the baby wasn't really moving at that point they suggested going to L&D just to be checked out. Cue panic. My DH is worried about having all the cameras charged and I'm worried about the half hour drive to the hospital and poking my belly to try and stimulate movement. Oh, and I drank chocolate milk, lemonade, and RRL tea to try and get her to move, and got nothing. Punky kid.

We get to L&D, get checked in, go to triage where I strip, put on a gown, and have monitors attached to me. First thing she comments on is that I must be anxious, because my pulse was high. Baby's heart beat comes through great (YAY). They decided to do a speculum exam (wheee! surprisingly didn't hurt, I guess everything's very loose down there now) and determined that the bleeding was coming from outside of my cervix, which is unusual but not unheard of. So I lay there for a while (SUPER uncomfortable, the bed made my back ache) while they checked everything out and monitored her/us for a while. I did have contractions again while I was there, and am having them now...maybe every half hour at this point? Unfortunately I think I'm in for back labor, since I can feel it wrap around to my spine. They did an U/S and confirmed head down, she was looking great.

Oh, and the sound of all the monitors beeping nearly drove me insane. So now we're just chilling out at home and waiting.

@Mrs D: they just swab the outside of your vagina and anus. Not sure why both but whatevs. Nothing goes inside you so it doesn't hurt. The cervical check hurt for me because she had to press down super hard on my stomach just to find the cervix because the many was sitting so high.

@StbHisMrs: That is quite frustrating!

@StrawberryBee: Glad everything is ok and I hope this is the start of labour!!

@delight: That would be totally awkward!! There isn't actually a worry there, right? I mean, aren't doctors not supposed to work on family members?

@Mrs D: The swab is the easiest thing ever. No speculum, they don't try to reach your cervix. Nothing like that. It's just a swab along the inner lips area (and your butt, but it happens so fast you won't notice).

@delight: Gah, that's too awkward. But you are right. I mean 1/18 isn't a guarantee by any means.

@Mrs D: so I finally made the chicken pot pies to freeze. I added some extra veggies and made extra crust, so we had one for dinner last night. DH loved it. I would add a little more salt and pepper and maybe some garlic to the filling next time for a little more flavor. But it was good.

@redsmarties: ya, they should really keep their mouths shut on making predictions bc I think it only makes it more stressful on us!!

So - appointment went well. All looks good with LO and I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. She said I may notice some spotting but I am noticing some stringy red stuff too - any chance the internal check could cause me to lose my plug?

Update: had back labor contractions all night at about 11 minutes apart. Timing grew to as much as half an hour though once dawn neared. It's all over the place again now. Wish this show would get on the road! Back labor sucks. I can only hope it's doing something. Still losing my plug.

I feel like I'm one step forward, two steps back. Every time I get a few that are five minutes or under apart I start thinking this is it, only to have the next one drag out to 12 or 18.