MaternityShare

Birth Show July 5, 2008

I have not been posting to MaternityShare the last few days because I have been preoccupied. On Thursday afternoon I began spotting.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!

I was asked by the nurse mid-wife that was on call at the hospital to come in for observation and testing. It turns out that I had my “bloody show” or, “birth show”. In a nut shell that means that my cervix dilated more and as well as thinned more in preparation for birth. I could deliver now or in 5 weeks (that would be past my due date). We don’t know. Chances are sooner rather than later. But, we’ve heard that before, haven’t we. The spotting occurred because as the cervix thins and dilates capillaries break and bleed. Apparently it is all normal. About a month before one’s “due date” the body typically prepares for birth and, this is just one of those ways.

At the hospital they did a vaginal exam and found that I was nearly fully effaced (cervix is WAY thin) and that I am 2-3cm dilated. They monitored my contractions and the baby’s heart beat for about 2 and a half hours then did another vaginal exam in which they found that nothing had changed. They decided to let me go because even though I was having contractions I was not having labor patterned contractions (contractions that come at regular as well as close together intervals). Also, the fact that my cervix dilation did not change meant that the contractions were not affecting my cervix.

I was told to go home and relax.

I had more contractions today that made me wonder “is THIS it?” but they never got regular enough for long enough. So, its not show time yet.

There is so much I could blog about but I am getting very tired and need to sleep. Stay tuned for more good stuff from Mama and Baby Bird…