Finally, labor? Yep!

1/26/10
12:?? a.m.
Here I am, very little water pressure, no hot water, with very hard contractions every 2 minutes. Very frustrating! This will be the last time I fill the pool. I am using the cold, low pressure line to get water in and the electric hot water kettle to heat the pool. It is frustrating, but necessary. The contractions are so hard that all I can do is breathe through them. Much different than the past months, much different from the past weeks.

I used some water from the barrel. Hope it will not cause infection! I carried several buckets and water pitchers full of room-temp water from one bathroom to the other, through the kitchen, stopping every 2 minutes to stand and lean and breathe.
Soon I will be able to get in. It won't be as deep as I like, nor as warm, but it will provide some relief- all I can hope for.
Even as I think and type these words, I stop every so often to lean, breathe, and try to keep from screaming! I need that bath. Well, back to the hot water kettle...

6:13am
The past few hours have been very productive! I took a bath which felt like hours, but in reality was maybe 45 minutes. I slept between contractions which were about 3 minutes apart. I decided to get out since I did not want to drown. I then laid down beside my husband and passed out for the few minutes between each contraction- not very long I tell you. I woke a bit before 6am and used the restroom. I noticed some extra in the receptacle. I then checked dilation and was VERY surprised to find myself fully effaced and dilated to about 7cm! For the past weeks I have puttered so slooooowly, that to find myself gone from 4cm-ish to 7cm and fully effaced while "sleeping" took me by surprise.
I will update later, preferably after baby is born...

11:46am
Baby is not born yet. I took a much needed nap and I don't remember anything except a few hard contractions that woke me throughout. I woke after about 1.5 hours of restless sleep feeling a bit refreshed. Let's get this moving again. I think the water broke before I laid down for my nap, not sure, but anyway we are within hours of birth...