Separating the Membranes

From Ali: So I am 6 days past my due date and still haven't had a single contraction. I went in for an appointment with my OB at 11:40 and they hooked me up to a fetal monitor. according to the monitor I had 5 contractions in 20 minutes! The problem is that I was only mildly aware of one of them. I had no idea it was a contraction, for all I knew it was the baby pushing and creating pressure against my skin. Still it was comforting to know my body was actually doing something to get us closer to delivery! At that point I was 3 cm dilated and 80% efaced. Dr. Morcose asked if I wanted her to strip my membranes in order to induce labor. My Grandma Stark was present and said that every time they'd done that for her she had gone into labor within a few hours. Dr. Morcose said sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but she thought that because I was already so dilated and I was healthy she expected to see me that night. So we went for it. It was pretty uncomfortable but within an hour of leaving her office I was more aware of the slight tightening sensation that was apparently a mild contraction! :) Yay!

After the appointment Mom Duncan, Darci, Grandma Stark, and I went to Curves. (bragging moment! :) I did workouts 3 times a week up to the week he was born! this is the first time I've stuck to a long term workout schedule and I was incredibly proud of myself for doing it while I was pregnant! ..ok the bragging moment is over) Since the doctor seemed sure I could have the baby that night Chris went back to the office until 2 and worked the rest of his hours from home. At about 10:00 pm after hours of more frequent "tightenings" and still nothing I considered a real contraction. Chris came outside with me and we walked up and down my grandparent's incredibly steep driveway for a while. eventually we started running up and down the front steps in between trips up the driveway. I was SURE that I would wake up that night with contractions and we'd be going to the hospital to meet our son. As you know that was not the case!