Practice Labor!

Sunday was going along like normal, with hardly any Braxton Hicks contractions.  Josh and I went and watched the Seahawks game with our friends DJ and Kristina, and then came home to hang out for the evening.  Around 7:30 - 8 PM, I started getting some pretty strong achiness in my lower back, which then radiated around to cramping in my pelvis.  These were by far the strongest contractions I had ever felt.  I just figured my body was practicing for the real thing, and that I would have a few and they would go away.

Around 9 PM, we decided to try timing the contractions, to see if where they stood regarding frequency and duration.  I could tell one was coming by the pain in my back, and then my belly would get rock-hard.  It was sometimes tough to tell when one ended though, as the back pain never went away.

They started out around 10 minutes apart, and lasted about 30-45 seconds.  They then progressed to 6-7 minutes apart, and lasted for 1 min - 1 min 30 sec.  I could still walk and talk through them, but I couldn't hold still when I had one.  I would be lying in bed, one would start, and Josh would start applying counter-pressure to my low back.  The counter-pressure felt great, but I just couldn't lie still.  So, I would jump out of bed and start pacing the house, yelling at Josh when to stop the timer.  Around 10 PM, I decided to finish up the laundry I had going in the washer, and just generally clean up our bedroom and bathroom, in case this was really it.  I also threw a few things into my half-packed hospital bag, and Josh fished out the paperwork we had gotten from the hospital regarding when to come in, which entrance to use, etc.

We decided around 11 PM to call the hospital, and ask what they recommended we do.  The nurse was wonderfully helpful, and didn't make me feel dumb for thinking I was in labor when I probably wasn't.  She told me to drink as much water as I could tolerate in the next hour, and to wait until either I couldn't walk/talk through the contractions, or they were 2-4 min. apart.  So, that's what I did.  We went to lie down, and both tried to fall asleep.  And wouldn't you know it- the contractions slowed down.  By the time I fell asleep, they were 14+ min. apart and slowing down further.

Needless to say, that was our first "practice" labor experience!