Arrival

Arlo Kenneth Grieshop arrived at 11:56 p.m. on December 5th, weighing 10 lbs. 10 oz. and measuring 22.5 inches after only 3 hours of labor.

In the end, I did need to take the castor oil to push myself into labor. Almost exactly 2 hours after drinking it, I started having very strong, very intense, contractions, 2 minutes apart. The labor progressed very quickly and only an hour after the midwife arrived, Arlo was born in our living room!

It was a fantastic labor and birth. For birth photos, please visit our family webpage, www.grieshop.5u.com , and click on the "photos" page link. Enjoy. A birth story will be soon to follow.

Not as Planned

Well, it is happening, just not as planned! It appears that my water broke around 3:30 a.m. and I didn't really figure it out until this morning...so at noon I called the midwife and she wanted us to "get labor started"!! So we went to Target and walked, I had contractions 3 minutes apart, then they stopped on the drive home, we walked some more around our neighborhood and it seems that may have done it! I have been having conractions 4-5 minutes apart for an hour or so. The plan is to go with this until baby comes OR until the contractions subside. If they subside we'll move on to castor oil induction.

It looks like we'll be having this baby within the next day (or two on the long end). Please send good thoughts...non-castor oil thoughts...my way!

December Baby

I know, the title is misleading...still no baby, but he'll be a December baby now! Last night we thought it was time...I had contractions 8 minutes apart for 3 hours. We called the midwife and the doula and I was mentally preparing myself for an all night labor...when around midnight the contractions faded.

I thought at least I'd get a "good" night's sleep (as good as you can get when you're this pregnant)...but I have a nasty head cold and so I didn't sleep much at all.

Sam is going to play at a friends house this afternoon for 3 hours and I am going to rest and meditate and talk to this little boy. Perhaps, after suggestion from a good friend, a deep meditative talk is all he needs to know it is okay to make his arrival. I am willing to try just about anything. Tonight is a full moon...I have the universe on my side now.

Though only 2 days overdue, I know what it is like to wait for an overdue baby and the thought of waiting another week is disheartening.

It Has To Happen Now!

Well, it has to happen now! My last pregnant and waiting cohort has had her baby! Yes, Kristy went into labor yesterday (the day after her due date) at 5 am and birthed a beautiful, 8 lb. 8 oz. baby boy, David, at 1:30 pm...only 8 1/2 hours of labor. She labored at home up until the last 2 hours and finshed off on all fours at the hospital. A perfect first birth and hospital birth!! Congratulations Kristy and Jeremy!! I am so happy (and extremely jealous).

I visited with the midwife tonight and it was a good visit. We had a long talk about the birth and what to expect in the next couple of weeks should I go way past due. That part wasn't fun to talk about, but was necessary.

I am still 70-80% effaced, 3-4 cm dilated and she stripped my membranes in hopes of moving things along...we'll see. I have certainly lost my energy in last two days and feel like we're close, but talking about the "past due plans" made me a little nervous. If by next Friday I have not had the baby, I will have a non-stress test at the hospital. I don't want to do that. Matt and I decided we'd try the castor oil on Wednesday if nothing has happened by then. I sure hope things happen by then....they have to, right??

Update

I got a phone call from a dear friend this morning wondering how I was doing. She said she'd checked my blog and saw nothing new and couldn't stop wondering about me. It was then I realized I would be feeling exactly the same way about any of my dear friends expecting a new baby any moment (and do feel about Kristy who is due today...I check her blog 2 times a day!). So I decided to give an update, though there isn't much to write.

I am still very pregnant and waiting. I had a second wind of energy yesterday and did a bunch of organizing, cleaning and general nesting type stuff. Sam was a big help and now I feel like I am looking for things to do during nap times...which isn't all bad! I completed Arlo's quilt this weekend and am making good headway on Matt's socks...but knitting doesn't always appeal to me. I even started making "waiting for baby" pot holders with left over quilt squares. The house looks great, very clean, organized...and I feel quite ready for this little guy.

I have been very "crampy" today and have been having some contractions, though nothing regular or even worth calling the midwives about. I tried checking myself yesterday as I don't see the midwives again until Thursday...but I couldn't really tell what was going on down there. It felt to me like I have dilated a bit more, but I can't be sure. It will be interesting to see what they say on Thursday...if I make it that long.

So there's the update. Lots of house projects, sewing, knitting and snow (we got 7" on Sunday). It is definitley winter here and so pretty!

No Babe Yet

No babe yet...and I am okay with that! It all still feels impending, but I have been finding some fun stuff to do around the house and I know that will end when baby arrives, so I am enjoying this time.

Sam and I did a little running around town today and I am all set up to knit Arlo a Christmas stocking, make some pillows for a friend and all the quilt squares are cut and ready to sew for Arlo's quilt. We also bought a couple Christmas wreaths and I did a little light yard work and outdoor decorating this morning with lots of help from Sam.

I am feeling pretty good! Sarah (doula, good friend, massage therapist, for those of you who don't know her name by now) came by on Wednesday and gave me another amazing massage allowing me to sleep the last two nights without hip pain!! She is amazing and I attribute most of my late pregnancy energy and flexibility to her! I went mushroom hunting for 2 hours on Wednesday afternoon and yesterday morning, Matt, Sam and I went for an hour-long walk!! It has been nice to get this "second" wind...I know it will not last!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

I will post when I go into labor (if there is time), so don't be wondering too much if there isn't much written about baby in the upcoming days....

Closer and Closer

We met with our midwife last night and she checked me again...this time 70-80% effaced and 2 cm dilated. I can tell we're getting very close. When I stand up I feel so much pressure from his head and sometimes I can't even walk it hurts so much! I remember feeling very different in the days before Sam arrived and this is similar. I checked my self on Sunday and lost part of my mucus plug in the process, but was very easily able to find my cervix all squooshy and ripe and tell that I was at 2 cm, so I wasn't too surprised at what the midwife had to say last night...very cool!

We're meeting with our doula tomorrow night for a last pow-wow about the birth and a massage! Send good birthing vibes my way.....