My Pregnancy Journal - Due mid-to-end of May, 2000

July 4, 1999 - first day of a normal cycle, lasting 31 days.

August 5, 1999 - LMP - It was a normal period, lasting approximately 6 days.  Nothing out of the ordinary that I can remember. Had a negative PG test on August 4.

August 23, 1999 - I noticed that I had had to get up out of bed to go pee three nights in a row. Curious, as that is my first pregnancy symptom, but it is only 18 days into my cycle. Hmmm. Pregnancy is possible, but I won't have a + test for at least 2 weeks, since I have had negative tests until 5 days late for a period most of my pregnancies.

August 24 - Again, I had to get up to go pee during the night. Also, I noticed I needed to pee frequently during the day. (This is my only EARLY pregnancy symptom!!) Really wondering now, and even mentioned the situation to dh earlier in the day. Later on in the day, as I realized that I needed to pee yet again (!) and I had not been drinking anything more than usual, I decided to use one of the pregnancy test strips that I sell on my web site. I certainly did not expect to have a positive result, as I was only 19 days into my cycle, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to see what would happen. IT WAS POSITIVE!!!! I could not believe my eyes!! I was not really expecting it to turn positive. I was only 19 days into my cycle!!  

This is too weird, I thought. Maybe the test is wrong! So I did another test with a new sample. STILL POSITIVE!!! Hmmm... these test strips are really super-sensitive to detect hCG at only 19 days since LMP!! But then, as I thought more about this, I began to wonder if perhaps I was pregnant during my last period on August 5th. I have heard that some women do continue to have periods for 3 or 4 months into a pregnancy and wondered if perhaps I had (that has never happened to me before, but anything is possible). But from what I have been able to find, these "periods" are not the usual "period," but more like heavy spotting. (If someone reading this has more info about this phenomenon, please email me.) Later on, as I continued to think about what could be going on, I remembered reading somewhere that one reason pregnancy tests might have a positive result early is because the hCG level could be elevated. One reason that hCG levels could be elevated is that there are 2 or more babies!! (There are other reasons that hCG could be elevated, but I like the twin aspect the best!!) Several times over the last few months, I had prayed that God would bless us with twin girls since I had been anticipating a pregnancy for sometime.

When dh got home that evening, I handed him a note which read: "Congratulations on your Promotion!!! It has been recently decided that you will be receiving a promotion. You'll still be working in the same area, but with increased supervisory and quality-control duties. You are to be congratulated for being considered faithful and being singled out for this great honor. Your responsibilities will increase and so will your benefits. You can begin training for this new position immediately, but the job change will be considered official around the middle to end of May 2000. Your new job title will be...Father of Eight!!" He read it, then asked me if his promotion also included a raise! I laughed and said, "Yeah! A raise in the number of gray hairs on your head!"  Then we hugged and he said "Congratulations." Later on, he told me that he should start calling me "Ovary."  "Why", I asked?  "Because you get pregnant so easy, you might as well be a walking ovary!" he said.

August 25 -   After some thought, I wanted to get a blood test done to get a better idea of how far along I may be.  I called a local lab about having one done, but, just as I expected, they said I needed to have a doctor or midwife order the test. I called a couple of midwives in my area and they both told me that the blood test wouldn't be very good in this case, because the result is usually so wide-ranging that it is hard to pin-point a date anyway. They both recommended an ultrasound as the best method of figuring a more accurate due date. I told them I would not be having an u/s done (not for fear of exposure, but for cost, as we do not have insurance and will not be applying for any medical aid). So their next best advice was a bi-manual exam, which is a vaginal exam where the midwife puts one hand in as far as she can reach and lifts the uterus up, then feels from the outside with her other hand how big the uterus is. You can usually estimate, within a couple weeks, how far along a woman is by doing this kind of exam. Well, this is not for me, either. I have had 7 babies now and have acquired quite a considerable paunch in my lower abdominal area, so I know they would have a very hard time feeling my uterus through it anyway. So I have decided to just wait and see what happens. We have done our own prenatal care for the last 5 pregnancies, why should we do anything different now?? I am prepared to just go with the flow. If things look like I am further along, or if it appears to be multiple babies, we will decide what to do then (our plan is still UC). Otherwise, I will just go about like this a normal pregnancy and try to keep this journal updated at least once a month or so, until toward the end when I will write more often.  Okay?? God bless! 

September 2 -  As I approach the day I would have expected my period, I worry that it will come anyway. I have never had a miscarriage before. Don't want one now. This is one reason I hear people give for not announcing their pregnancy early. If you lose the baby, you don't have the added grief of being reminded with cards and emails if nobody even knew! I am not having any problems to make me feel this way, just general dread.

Anyway, the only thing close to morning sickness that I get is loss of appetite. I could be really looking forward to a particular thing for dinner, then after a few bites... blah. I don't want anymore. This is good, in that it helps me to lose all the extra pounds that I added between pregnancies! I also lose my taste for coffee. I know caffeine is not the best thing in the world for the baby, but I have enjoyed coffee through most of my pregnancies and have had no problems. I just don't drink as much (instead of 2 cups a day, I only drink 1 a day!). I am not addicted to coffee, that's for sure!

The kids have wasted no time in telling the whole neighborhood that we are having another baby. The lady across the street is nice to me, but I have heard, through her grand daughter, that she thinks we have way too many kids already. I wonder what she said when she heard the most recent news? Another neighbor said she wishes us luck for another girl. Yeah!  I agree!  Make it two girls, please! LOL!

So, one sister not happy about my pregnancy, but you know what? I DON'T CARE!!! God sees us as fit enough to bless our home with another of His precious babies. Who am I to refuse it. I will love and cherish him/her all the days of their life. And lots more, too, if God blesses. Even if it means I never get to spend another day with my sister. With that kind of attitude, why would I want to spend any time with her, anyway? Enough rambling for today. I've got things to do. Bye.

September 7 - 33 days since LMP. No signs of my period, so I guess I can stop dreading. The other day, while cooking breakfast (fried potatoes and fried eggs), I had the biggest episode of loss of appetite I have ever had. I still didn't feel any nausea to speak of, but did not really want to finish cooking the food. After I served everybody, I left the room. It took several hours before I felt hungry, then I was ravenous!

At first I couldn't find anything that I wanted to eat. Then I spotted the "Lucky Charms" (well, actually, it was the store brand of that cereal), and I knew that was it! It definitely hit the spot. Not even an hour later, it was lunch-time, so I ate a tuna-fish sandwich, too. YUM! Lots of protein, something I should eat more of.

That night (or early the next morning- 3:30 am), I woke up feeling like I was starving to death! I never eat in the middle of the night, but I needed to do something to stop the pangs. I got up and put Kenny in the crib (we have been "helping" him learn to sleep in his crib over the last week or so), then went to the kitchen to see what I could have. Nothing looked appealing, so I just went back to bed. My stomach felt like it was eating itself!!

Then I remembered there was more cereal and I knew that was what I wanted, but now I did not want to get up again! So I laid there trying to sleep, but could not sleep because of the hunger. Finally, about 4:15, I heard Kenny beginning to stir in the kid's bedroom and I knew he would start crying any minute. I got him and proceeded to the kitchen where we both enjoyed a big bowl of cereal. I slept great after that. And when I prepared breakfast (fried potatoes and eggs again) in the morning, I did not lose my appetite. 

September 21 -  2 more days until I am 7 weeks. I feel great. No complaints, except for the constant need to pee and the fatigue that hits in late afternoon. I try to take a nap when I can, but that doesn't happen very often. I have been trying to be more faithful with my vitamin and herbal supplements. I need to get drinking the pregnancy tea, but have decided to buy the herbs in bulk and mix them myself. It is so much cheaper to do it this way, but there will be the initial expense to buy the herbs. I'm hoping that dh will hurry up and bill a company he has done a lot of web work for. They owe him a lot of money. And I hope that they pay right away. Then I will be able to place my order.

The kids and I spent a few hours at my sister R.'s house today. They purchased their own place several months ago and I had yet to go over and see it. She was very tolerant of having the kids around, but I could tell she had reached her limit by the time we left. We watched a really funny Tim Allen movie called "Jungle 2 Jungle."  We had never seen it before. The funniest thing about the movie was watching my kids laugh so hard at the various parts. They were practically rolling on the floor. We have chosen to not have a tv in our home, as we have proven to ourselves that we are couch potatoes when one is available. The only time we see a movie is if we go to someone elses house.

Kenny is back to our bed full-time. He just did not take to the crib like I had hoped. I'm not worried about it. I have plenty of time before the new baby comes to get him to sleep with one of his siblings. Maybe after he is weaned, he will no longer feel the need to sleep with momma. I have never tandem nursed (nursing a newborn and a toddler at the same time) and don't intend to this time either. We are in a queen-size bed and dh only just tolerates Kenny's presence, as long as he does not wake up with an arm in his face or an elbow in his back.

October 21 -   Today I am 11 weeks since LMP. I received an email last week from someone wondering if I was doing okay, because it had been some time since I last wrote. I am doing great!  The reason I have not written earlier is because we have had some computer problems, which are still not fully resolved, but at least I have access to the internet again.

Our computer is nearly 3 years old and has been giving dh fits for some time. It really needs to be replaced and we are praying God will meet this need soon. Last week, the day after I was 10 weeks, I found that my uterus had risen up out of my pelvis. I was very excited because, normally this is not supposed to happen until around 12 weeks.  

After mentioning this to the ladies on the UC Forum, I got an email from someone who is due around the same time as me, and who has also had several babies.  She said that the same thing has happened to her and that she doesn't think it is twins as much as she thinks it is just that the uterus has stretched out so many times already, it just naturally gets bigger faster. Hmmmm. Could be, but still, this is my 8th pregnancy.  It seems like this should have happened in at least my last pregnancy. If I am remembering right, I was not able to feel my uterus until around 13 weeks or so.  

Needless to say, I am anxiously awaiting some tell-tale kicks. Well, during the past few weeks that I was not able to write, I had many things come to my mind that I wanted to tell you, but now that I am actually here writing, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE! Bummer! Must not have been very important, right?

Oh, yeah! I was finally able to order the herbs that I wanted to make the pregnancy tea.  This tea is loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals that nourish both me and the baby. It also has lots of Red Raspberry Leaves, which is an herb that has been proven to strengthen the uterine and pelvic muscles and make for an easier and quicker labor and birth.  I drank these same herbs as a tea during my last pregnancy and it was my fastest, easiest birth.  I bought a large batch and am selling some, if you or anyone you know may be interested. Blessed Beginnings Herbal Tea for Pregnancy  You can buy a very similar tea called Traditional Medicinal's Pregnancy Tea at most health food stores, but it is so expensive! It costs over $4 an ounce! I am selling this tea for $8.50 a pound. Big difference in price, here! Well, this is all the time I have for now.  It is getting late and I need to get the kids to bed.  Until next time, then! -Oct 21

November 12 -  Well, I have received a few emails saying I need to update this, so here goes: I am now 15 weeks as of yesterday. I think that if I were having twins, I would have felt some movement by now. The earliest I have felt any of my babies move was 17 weeks. That was a date that I happened to write down, though (I may have felt movement earlier, but I can't recall off the top of my head.). And that baby was born at only 41½ weeks gestation! I have felt nothing yet, except for some bowel movement.

At first I would get my hopes up of it being a kick, but it soon became evident that it was not. A few weeks ago, I did "The Famous Bob & Tom Draino Test" and it said that I am having a girl. I will not get my hopes up TOO high, but it is nice to think about. I know that it can't be very accurate, but several ladies said that it was right for them! We shall see! I can now feel my uterus at my belly button. This is not supposed to happen until much later (usually around 20 weeks), so I still have the hope that I will have the baby closer to 40 weeks instead of my usual 42-43.

Kenny (my 16 month old) is now nearly completely weaned. He nurses only once or twice during the day (but even that will be cut out here within the next week or so). He was to the point of wanting to nurse the entire night through and my nipples were so sore! I finally have him starting the night out in his sister Sally's bed. Then he wakes up sometime around midnight-1 am and I bring him to bed with me. I give him a bottle so he will not be rooting on me. I will gradually work him into remaining in Sally's bed the entire night, but I have several months to work on that.

This is all I have time for right now. I will update when I feel definite movement. I guess there a lot of you reading this journal now. I get several emails a week from different ones. That's neat!! Just realize, though, that I am having limited computer time, so if I don't respond right away, I'm not just ignoring you! Thanks for your encouraging notes. I like to hear how my pregnancy is similar to yours. Love to all, ~ Charity

November 22 -  Okay! I only have a couple of minutes, so I'll write fast. I felt the baby move last Wednesday night! I'm so happy, because I usually get real worried as the weeks go by and I don't feel anything. This is earlier than I normally feel movement, but not much. It was the night before I was 16 weeks. I was lying in bed while dh was reading one of his computer magazines. While I was lying there, I was poking and prodding my belly, just to see if I could feel anything going on in there. Suddenly I felt 3 sharp pokes (kicks, really). I exclaimed to dh "I just felt it!" He said, "What?" He didn't even know what I was doing (he must have figured I was trying to go to sleep). "The baby! It kicked me!!" "Good!" then he went back to reading! I am really having my doubts as to any possibility of twins now. Even though this was a little early, I think I would be feeling lots more movement.  

This morning the baby was very active. Must have been doing somersaults in there, because I could feel it real good without even poking. We ordered a fetoscope to listen to the baby's heartbeat and are awaiting delivery. I can hardly wait to get it, because we have always used a stethoscope in the past and it is hard to find the heartbeat until late in the pregnancy. Well, I need to go get the kids some dinner.

Oh, yeah. There are a lot of you reading now, and someone asked if we home school. Yes, we are a homeschooling family. Until next time! ~ Charity

December 9 - Okay, I have a few minutes to update (there's not a whole lot happening, but I got several emails telling me I need to update more often!), so here goes: We got our fetoscope last week and have listened to the baby's heart several times. We didn't count or anything, just listened for for the fun of it. Dh got it out one evening and let the kids listen. They thought it was really neat!

The pregnancy is becoming more real to them all the time. I am showing more now and some of the kids have felt the baby kick. They liked that. My son, Nathan (4 years old), says I'm fat.  He's so funny. Abby (3) is not really interested in what's going on.  Kenny (17 mos) hasn't a clue (poor guy!). But Roy (11 on 30th of Dec.), Sally (9½), Jason (8), and Jonny (6½) talk about the coming baby all the time, especially now that it is more obvious that I am pregnant.

I have wanted my own doppler for several years, but could never afford to get one (they cost upwards of $500 brand new!). So I have been watching eBay and finally won a bid for one! YEAH! I don't have all the money right now, but the seller is allowing me to make several payments until it is paid for, then he will send it to me. I don't expect to use it often, but it will be nice to be able to find the heart tones quick if there is ever a need to.

There are over 66 people reading this journal. Most of you are interested in birth in general, while some of you know me personally and just want to keep tabs on my progress. I was told that I need to update more often, but I don't know what I would talk about if I did. I could just ramble about my thoughts and feeling, I guess, but I feel like that would be a waste of all of our time. "Just the facts, Ma'am!"  Plus, I don't always have much time to sit here and write. I have several book ideas I would someday like to start, but just the thought of the hours that would take really puts a damper on those ideas real quick.

Well, I should get to bed. Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention how Kenny is doing sleeping with his siblings! I have him totally out of my bed now. He has been starting the night with either Sally or Jason, then coming in to my bed later on in the night. But the last couple of nights, I just put him back in their bed and he would sleep for a little while longer before trying to come to me again. The first time it was 5 times I took him back, and last night only 3. So we'll see how tonight goes. As long as I never give in and let him stay, he'll eventually catch on that he is supposed to stay in the bed the whole night! Okay, now I think I am finished. Until next time, then! ~Charity

January 8 -   Tomorrow it will be a whole month since I last posted! Guess I better get busy! I am past the 22 week point. Baby moves quite a bit and the kids love to feel him kick. I have a hunch it's another boy, but hope I'm wrong! Sometimes he rolls over with his knee or elbow sticking out and I can feel the whole pointy lump move across my belly. It's usually pretty neat (when it doesn't hurt!).

He's had hiccups several times already, and I have begun to feel Braxton Hicks contractions more frequently. I am still waiting for my doppler and hope to have it by the end of next week. It will be fun to hear the heartbeat over a speaker rather than through ear pieces. Its so hard to locate sometimes, then when we do locate it, its so faint you have to really strain to hear it. Also, with a doppler we will be able to know whether there are two separate heartbeats in there. I am not expecting there to be two, but I will definitely check very carefully. I have heard of doctors and midwives missing twins even though checking with a doppler, so I will probably have to check several times before I am *really* sure. I'm pretty big, but haven't measured my fundal height for a couple months. My fundus is a good 4-5 inches above my umbilicus, though.

Dh likes to mention how there is someone between us again. And when he hugs me, he mentions something about the "bump". We will be taking my blood pressure reading within the next couple of weeks, so we can have a base-line reading to go by as we approach the end of this pregnancy. Then if I have any swelling, we can check to see how my BP is doing. I have never had a problem with high blood pressure, but realize there is a first time for everything!

We will record my fundal height, too, while we're at it. I need to be more faithful with my vitamin and herbal supplements. I always have this problem. Even though all the bottles are sitting in a neat little row on the counter top ("so I will see them and remember to take them every day"), I still manage to forget most of the time. I usually get better at remembering as I get closer to the end, when I suddenly realize that they can't give any benefit if they are not being used.

That's about all I have time for today. I will try to update a little more often as we approach the end. I'm over the halfway point!! Yeah! It's all downhill from here! I hope the time goes quickly, but then slows WWAAAYYY down when the baby arrives.

February 4 - TRYING NOT TO GET MY HOPES UP, BUT... we found a heartbeat in 2 different places. (I finally got my doppler earlier this week - what a long wait!) At first, when I pointed out to dh that I was picking up 2 heartbeats, he said I must be aiming it at the same spot, so it would be the same baby. Then he tried it and we found that it was NOT aiming at the same spot. He is trying to be VERY optimistic, saying that it was probably only the cord that was being picked up, as the second spot was not as crisp sounding as the one side (lower right) where we are sure the (one) baby is. I am just huge.

The other day when dh mentioned something about my belly being in the way, I told him to take a good look at my belly, then realize that I supposedly have over 3 months left to go. His eyes got big (he never pays much attention to my pregnancies until I announce "The baby is due in about 2 weeks" -then he starts to get real nervous and act real paternally) and he said, "Wow! You'll end up being out to here!" (hands about 2 feet in front of me). LOL!

I am 26 weeks yesterday and 32 cm. I have been consistently large for dates, showed early, felt movement early, tested positive early. I would really love to have twins, but it all seems so weird that it *might* be a possibility. A few months before I conceived, I prayed one of those selfish-type prayers that you really don't think God will answer, that He would bless me with twins. Hmmm... AND... I do have a way to find out for sure!! An acquaintance of ours used to work for a place not too far away (well, an hour and a half drive) where they manufacture ultrasound equipment. They offer *FREE* ultrasounds to pregnant women, so they can test the equipment to make sure it passes quality checks. I am hoping to do this. I called the place today to try to get an appointment, but they didn't return my call yet. My mom is so anxious to know, too, that she even said she will take me there and we can make a day of it.  We might as well check out the sex of the baby while we're looking, too. But I might have to keep that a secret so you'll all have something to look forward to.

The only MD I found that would do an ultrasound for me (with no obligation to continue care) wanted $300. AACKK!! Not!  I'd rather wait and be surprised! I figure getting the US will also let me know where the placenta is, since I could hear it low down near the cervix on my left side. It takes about a month to get an appointment with this place, so by then the placenta will have moved more toward where it will end up being at labor time.

I stopped at the local pharmacy's blood pressure machine the other day and it registered my normal, healthy 106/70 reading. So far, everything is normal (well, except for being so BIG) and I am feeling great.  I'll write more when I know what's going to happen! 

February 18 - I am now 28 weeks as of yesterday. In my last update, I said I had found possibly 2 heartbeats with my doppler and that I was going to try to get an ultrasound so we could know what we are dealing with.

Well, I finally talked to the lady in charge of scheduling appointments for that ultrasound manufacturing company and found that they will not do one for me without what basically works out to be a "permission slip" from my doctor. Something to do with not wanting liability if they found anything wrong. They would want to be able to call my doctor to let him know there was a problem. So I called another place I learned about that does $75 ultrasounds, just so the mother can have pictures/video and find out the sex of the baby. But this place would not do one without a "permission slip", either. This really bothered me at first, but I have come to the point of accepting this as God shutting the door. If He wanted me to have an ultrasound, it wouldn't be so hard to get one. Maybe someone will rear-end me in the car and then I can go to the ER and have their insurance co. pay for me to see my baby? I'm not worried about it either way.

Dh was feeling my belly last week and there is a lot of space around the baby. I think if there were 2 babies, there wouldn't be a whole lot of room like that. Also, I am not really growing anymore, centimeter-wise. I am still 32 cm. at 28 weeks. I really think I just have a lot of water. Dh thinks I am a month further ahead than my dates indicate, as he says the baby is a pretty good size already, but I will not count on this too heavily. If I am, then I will get to hold my baby sooner than I originally thought. If I'm not, then dh will have a very long month waiting for me to pop.

March 14 -  In two days, I will be 32 weeks. YEAH!! Time is going fast now! There's not much happening. I'm still big, and feeling bulkier all the time. When the baby stretches, I get a foot all the way up on the outside of my rib cage. I feel lots of pressure against my cervix sometimes, too; almost like the feeling just before the membranes break. I just noticed this evening that my ankles are starting to swell a little. Its the end of the day, so that's not surprising. This always happens near the end of my pregnancies.

We'll be sure to keep tabs on my BP and if it is high, we will get some dip-sticks to watch for protein in the urine. I haven't measured my fundal height yet this week, but at 30 weeks it was 36 cm.  We are pretty sure I am going to have this baby "early."  It wouldn't really be early as far as the baby is concerned, but it would seem early to me. Particularly after always going late! If my guess is right, I should really be almost 36 weeks right now. So taking into account my tendency to go 43 weeks, I might be having this baby within the next month and a half! That would be wonderful!

I'm really trying not to get too hopeful about this, but I can't imagine going another 2½ months when I am as big as I am already! In a way, its kind of neat to not be real sure when this baby will decide to show up. It is a fantasy of mine to have this baby when I am alone. Not that I don't want to share this joyous moment with my hubby, but there's just something about being alone and nobody there to "take turns" holding the baby. Nobody to say, "Don't push yet! You don't want to tear!" That's always very annoying!

Dh is real paranoid about me hemorrhaging after the birth (this is my eigth baby, after all). He wants to be there, if only for the help he would be should I bleed too much. I can understand this. But still, with me not knowing for sure when to expect this baby, and seeing as my last labor went so fast that my mother and sisters did not get there in time to see the birth, dh might not be home when I go into labor! I could very well have that solo birth! I don't think I would intentionally not call him if he were away (he has a cell-phone), but he could be so far away that he wouldn't make it back in time! Could happen!

Anyway, I haven't given another thought to seeking an US. I am almost positive that there is only one baby. I will be just as surprised as everybody else if there turns out to be two babies. I'll go for now.

April 13 - Well, I have received several emails saying I need to update. I know, but it is so hard to find the time. It is 11:15 pm right now. I should be in bed, but I need to get this updated. I am 36 weeks today. I have not measured my fundal height this week, but last week it was 39 cm. I have been consistently measuring ahead and dh is convinced that I am off on my menstrual dates. I know I am not but do agree with him that I will probably have the baby by the end of this month.

I was so uncomfortable about a week and half ago that I was almost in tears at one point wishing this was over already. I always get a really bad pain in my left lower rib every pregnancy (I think I might have injured/fractured the rib in a bicycle accident I had when I was about 11 years old. If so, it was never discovered). I couldn't get comfortable in bed for several nights and almost went to sleep on the couch so I wouldn't disturb dh"s sleep.

Anyway, this pregnancy has been the worst yet. I cannot bend over very far without wincing in pain. I have given up even trying to tie the kids shoes (have that task to my older 3 kids). I have to get right down on the floor with Kenny to change his diaper so I won't have so far to bend over. But I am not as uncomfortable anymore, and I believe that to be because the baby has dropped down further. I still get a lot of pushing up against the ribs, but it is not constant like it was a couple weeks ago.

Several ladies at church have mentioned that it looks like the baby has dropped. I certainly feel like it has! I got the baby clothes out of the shed today and washed and organized them. It was so fun pulling each item out of the laundry basket and the kids exclaiming, "Ohhh! Look how tiny!" and "Did I wear that?" They are really getting excited now. Even Abby (3½) has been talking about it - "when the new baby comes, it will be this tiny!" (hands about 5 inches apart, LOL!).

I got my birth supplies ordered and delivered a couple weeks ago, so now we are ready! I have been taking my herbal supplements to prepare my body and build my blood supply. Dh is always worried about a post-partum hemhorrage, so I like to do everything I can to build my iron stores. I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil orally for a couple of weeks. I will begin inserting them vaginally starting tonight when I go to bed. It is supposed to soften the cervix in preparation for labor.

Who knows! Maybe my next update will be an announcement! I'm trying not to get my hopes too high, but I know with all the differences this pregnancy has had compared to my previous ones, I really think I am due soon.

April 27 -  Had the baby yesterday!

May 13 -   I haven't gotten the birth story done yet. I hope to get it finished by the end of next week. Keep checking back. I *will* get to it.

Aug 30 - Due to some major computer and various other un-related problems, I am unable to add the birth story at this time. I am fine, baby is GREAT and growing- 19 lbs. at 4 months now.  Sorry. I did want to get the story up in a timely manner, but circumstances have prevented this.

Feb 9th - Charles is now over 9 mos old. He weighs about 24 lbs and is still mostly breastfed. He is gradually getting more and more table foods and is crawling around, getting into anything and everything.

Castor Oil

I very reluctantly decided to take another dose of castor oil on Saturday afternoon. Both times I had a good contraction pattern going the previous week, it was the morning after taking a dose of castor oil. Only then it didn't do any dilation. I had, since then, been having lots of mucus discharge, was dilated to 3 cm., 60% effaced, and just sitting there, doing NOTHING!

I was 20 days late, which is the latest I've been and twice. I figured the castor oil wouldn't hurt, other than the getting it down part (disgusting), but if it did work, I would be holding my little one soon.

So, 2 p.m. I chug-a-lugged it down mixed with a home-made Orange Julius. I had not been having any contractions except for an occasional Braxton-Hicks (BH), maybe 1 every other hour. It had been like that for days. I was a little discouraged, because from what I had heard from others, drinking raspberry leaf tea was supposed to make you have more BH contractions. I had had more during other pregnancies. This was the first pregnancy that I drank the raspberry leaf tea.

We left for my mom and dad's house for a family get-together/bbq. about 3:30 p.m. I noticed a couple of contractions on the way, but they were nothing to write home about, so I attributed them to BH. I had several more over the next few hours. They felt like nothing more than BH, too, so I didn't get excited about them. I told my mom and sisters that I had taken castor oil again, and they were a little excited about maybe being the real thing this time. I was reluctant to get my hopes up.

It was only a week since the last castor oil attempt that had caused lots of contractions that eventually petered out. It had gotten me all excited for nothing. Around 6:30 p.m., I mentioned to my mom that the contractions were getting closer together now, but were still nothing as far as being strong or anything. I didn't even want to start timing them, for fear that I would just get excited for nothing again.

We left for home, which is only a 15 minute drive, about 7:30. I had several more contractions on the way home, but still nothing to get excited about, strength-wise. When we got home, I asked d to check me to see if the contractions were doing anything, or if I should just forget about having a baby that night.

Labor? Could It Really Be?

When he checked, he said that there might be a slight change in the effacement, but not much else. There was more watery mucus than there had been before, though. He decided to wait to check during a contraction, and when I had one just a couple minutes later, he said he could feel the difference in the cervix during a contraction. He said he believed I was for sure going this time.

Based on my previous labors, starting out from where I was right then, I figured I had at least a good 10 hours or more of labor ahead of me. I called my mom and two sisters who would be coming to the birth and told them not to get too excited yet. I said I was having regular contractions but it would probably take all night. I would have dh check me again in a few hours, then I would call them the let them know if there was any change. That was about 8 p.m.

Dh asked why I called them and I told him I wanted them to be prepared in case it was tonight. Then he told me that he wasn't really sure that it would be tonight, since there was so little change, and now my mom and sisters wouldn't be able to sleep very well because they would be waiting for me to call them.

Well, that put a damper on my mood real fast. First, he told me he was sure it would be this time, then he said he wasn't so sure. (It just goes to show how predictable labor really is, right?)

The contractions were continuing to come, but now I noticed a low ache in my back each time. I still was not timing them, but I could tell they were getting closer together. I had what felt like a little water dripping out, and when I checked my underwear, there was a wet spot. I had just gone potty not five minutes before, so I knew it wasn't pee. I figured if it was my water, it would gush pretty soon, since that is what happened in my 5th labor, my water broke early on. I had a leaking feeling, then a few minutes later, the water poured out . I walked around in the house, just puttering, actually, and they were still coming pretty constant. A little stronger each time.

I could feel them in my back, real low, but still not too bad. I had a few more feelings of dripping, with the wet spot getting bigger each time. I was waiting for a gush, but it never came. I knew this was real labor now, but thought I had a long time to go.

A Waiting Game

About 9 p.m. I went downstairs to where dh was using the computer in his office and told him that my water might be leaking and I wanted him to check me at about 9:30. But I had forgotten about the hour-long radio program we always listen to at 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Since I didn't want to miss any of the program, I put off the check until 10. I continued to have low back-ache type contractions throughout the hour, but still not too bad, with more leaking.

When we sent the kids to bed, I told them that if the baby came tonight, we would wake them up so they could watch the birth. Dh checked me shortly after 10 p.m. He said I had not dilated much, but I was definitely effacing more, and when he pulled out there was a lot of watery mucus. I was excited to be in real labor, finally, but dreaded the hours to come.

Dh started setting up the birth tub, but he said I shouldn't call anyone yet, because I still had a long time to go. I said I wanted to at least call my mom, because I had told her I would let her know if there had been any change before she went to bed. I called her house, but the phone was busy. "Wouldn't you know it, she's on the internet," I thought.

I waited a while and tried again. Still busy. "Come on, Mom. You're expecting a call from me. Get off the internet." I waited a little while more, the contractions were getting stronger each time. I tried to call again about 10:30. Still busy. "MOM!" I called my sister, A., who would be riding over with mom when the time came, and I told her that I was definitely in labor, but I couldn't get hold of mom to tell her. I told her I thought I still had several hours to go, if not all night. She said that she would keep trying to call mom and have her call me when she gets hold of her.

I turned my attention to getting the video camera set up. I noticed that the time was wrong and started messing with the buttons, trying to reset it. I had a pretty strong contraction, way low in the back that I almost had to moan with to keep on top of it. “Wow,” I thought, “I don't have to moan with contractions until late in labor.”

I continued fussing with the camera. The next contraction took my breath away. [I forgot to mention, since about 6 p.m., the castor oil was having its effects on my system, and I had to visit the toilet about every ½ hr.] I found the camera's instruction booklet and grabbed it on the run to the toilet. As I was sitting there, reading the instructions for setting the time, I have another very strong contraction that I really have to moan through.

Dh, who had been in the kitchen setting up the tub, came in to take a look-see. When he saw me on the toilet, he said, “You better not have my kid in the toilet.” When I was done, I fixed the time on the video camera, 11 p.m., but not before having several more very strong contractions that required some breathing through.

Notifying Birth Attendees

I had tried to call my mom a few more times, but the phone was still busy. I told dh, frustratedly, "I can't get hold of mom. She's on the internet. She knows I was going to call."

Dh asked why I didn't email her since she gets her email almost instantly. It was about 11:10 p.m. when I went downstairs to dh's office (and our only computer at the time) to email mom. I had several more good contractions that I had to breathe hard and moan through. They were real intense in my back area, but dh was not with me to put counter-pressure on my back. I got the email program running, but didn't have to type anything because (thank goodness we have 2 lines) our phone rang. It was mom, "What's up? A. said you want me to call." (It turned out it was my dad on the internet, and mom had gone to bed. Since A. didn't have internet, she called my other sister, R., who was planning to come to the birth, too, and asked her to email mom to tell her to call me. WHEW!! What a hassle!)

Oh, I was so glad to hear her voice. I said, "I'm in labor!" She asked how far along, and I started to tell her that at 10 p.m. I wasn't very far, but now I'm not too sure, but I had another very strong contraction and had to put the phone down so I could grip the arms on the chair that I was sitting in. My mom could hear me moaning pretty loud. When it was over, I picked up the phone and she said she would be over by midnight. I asked her if she would pick up S., a teenage girl I had invited to see the birth. She said she would, but I needed to call S. to let her know that they were coming and when. Before we got off the phone, I had another very strong contraction.

I called S. and talked to her mom. Another contraction. They were very close now, but I still wasn't timing them. Probably about 3 minutes apart and lasting a minute or more. I called R., to let her know everyone was on their way, but I could not talk long because a contraction was coming. She called my mom, "What's going on? Charity's not telling me much." Mom told her I was in labor and couldn't carry on a conversation right then. They decided that R. would pick up S., so she wouldn't have to drive alone.

After I was done calling everybody, I decided to make a quick post to my Unassisted Childbirth Forum to let anyone know who might check, that I was definitely in labor. If you go read the post, it is at  11:19 p.m. and it is titled "It worked!" In it, I said that I was in labor and hoped to be holding my baby by morning. Little did I know how soon it really would be. When I finished the post, I got up to go back up stairs, where dh had remained the whole time.

I didn't get far before another strong contraction gripped me. I had to stop and moan. I thought dh would hear me and come help me, but he didn't. When it was over, I started up the stairs, but ½ way up, another one. I had to kneel on the stairs and moan through it. When it was over, I finished climbing the stairs, but as I got to the kitchen, another one. “Oh, man,” I thought, “these are pretty strong.” I didn't dare hope that I was very far along. I was wondering how I was going to make it several more hours if it was this bad already. I got to dh, who was lying down on the sofa, looking at a book, and told him he needed to check me again, because it seemed like it was going pretty fast.

Major Progress

It was about 11:25. I told him everyone was on their way and they should be here around midnight. As we went in to the bedroom, another good contraction hits. I lunged for the edge of the bed to kneel next to it and insisted that dh give me some good back counter pressure. Oh, it felt so much better when he did that. When it was over, I took my underwear off and started to climb on the bed when another contraction hits "I hate this," I said to dh, "YOU did this to me!" He laughed and said, "Yeah, that's what you say every time."

When he checked me, he was in there only a few seconds when he said, "Oh yeah. You're at least 5 cm, maybe more, but at least 5." I felt some relief at that point, because with my last baby, I went from 5 cm. to baby in an hour. That was in the birth tub. The tub was only half filled right then, so dh scrambled up to put more water in it. I said to him as he was leaving the room, "Well, we’ve got about an hour." He said, "You got maybe 15-20 minutes max." “Yeah, right,” I thought, “I’ve never gone that fast.” I suddenly felt effects of the castor oil doing its work again, and told dh, "I need to poop." "Don't have my baby in the toilet," he reminded me.

As I was sitting there, I got another real strong contraction that I felt a slight pushing urge with it. "No," I thought, "It can't be time yet." As I finished wiping, another one, with a stronger urge, this time. I grunt with it, "UUHHGGG!!!." Dh came in to check on me, and I groaned "Bear down!!" "No!” Dh exclaimed, “Don't bear down yet, its too soon!" I finished in the bathroom, and called out to him, "Don't forget to wake the kids, at least the older 3, when the time is near. I told them they could watch." Dh came out of the bedroom with the video camera, trying to get it set up. "Okay," he said.

It's Time!

He looked down and saw a head. I didn't realize that the head was even out yet. I heard him say, "Oh, Charity! Down on all fours!" I complied. He got behind me to hold the head so the baby wouldn't just plop out on the floor. I felt another contraction and pushed and that was when I realized the head was already out. I reached through my legs and felt this wonderful, warm, wet, fuzzy ball. “My baby is almost here,” I thought.

Dh suddenly remembered the kids. "Sally! Sally, if you're awake, come here!" They had only been in bed a little over an hour and a half, so I was hoping they were awake. "Roy! Hey, Roy, come see the baby be born!" I heard a noise from Sally's room and thought she was coming, but instead it was Abby, our 20 month old. We were in the hallway, not 4 feet from her bedroom door. She just stood there and watched the rest of the birth transpire.

I wanted the baby out, so I began to push, but dh said, " No, don't push." (He is always concerned that the birth happen slowly so I won’t tear. This is not a concern of mine, since I birthed a 10½ lb. boy with no tears.) I said, "I asked you not to say that this time." So he gave in and as the next contraction came, I pushed with all my strength. Out slid my wonderful little baby. The blood and fluids spilled out all over the carpet. Dh had to rush to get a towel for me to sit on, so I wouldn't make the floor any worse than I already had.

Abby was staring wide-eyed. I didn’t know what she was thinking, so I pointed to the baby and said, "Look! Mommy's baby came out." We had been talking about mommy's baby coming out for weeks, so she understood that much. She would put her mouth on my belly and say, "Come out, Baby!" I pointed to it and said, "Mommy's baby came out!" I asked dh what it was, as he had flipped the baby over onto its belly to help the fluids drain. "Its a boy!" He said it, like, "Of course, what did you expect?!" I was slightly disappointed, but that didn't last long.

I scooped him up and held him for the first time. "Oh, baby, I've been waiting so long to hold you!" Abby came over close to take a look-see. The baby started crying as soon as it was born, even before I could flip over. He had a good strong cry and pinked up immediately. I asked dh for the time, but since we didn't look immediately at the time of birth, he guessed that 2 minutes had gone by and that the time of birth would have been 11:42 p.m. July 11, 1998.

Dh got an absorbent pad from our birth kit and laid it out on the floor in the living room for me to sit on, as the towel and floor where we were was totally drenched with fluids. As I was sitting there, I nursed the baby. We were waiting for my mom, sisters and friend to arrive, as well as the placenta. It was almost like a race to see which got here first.

It wasn't even 10 minutes after the birth when the placenta slid out. It came with no problems, but the membranes were still adhering somewhere. We left it alone for a few minutes and then did some uterine massage until it, too, let go and came out.

You Missed It!

At 11:55, we heard the first car pull up. I was sitting in straight view of the front door, holding the baby. I couldn't wait to see the expressions on their faces when they realized they missed the whole thing. It was my mom and A., A.had been to 3 of my home births already, so knows how long I usually take to labor.

Everyone had brought their breakfasts, figuring they would still be there in the morning. We weighed him. He weighed 8 lb. 12 oz. just one oz. less than Abby. It was 12:40am when everyone went back home. He was an hour old already. Since I didn't want to waste the water that was in the birth tub, I climbed in with the baby and cleaned up a little.

I would estimate his gestation (using the clinical gestation guide) to be about 41 weeks. He had vernix in his creases, but most of the rest was washed off. He had a little dry skin, too. But otherwise looked to be right on time. So I am going to plan that my next baby won't show up until 43 weeks, and I won't get my hopes up about having an earlier birth.