I'm 41 weeks pregnant today. I have a scheduled induction tomorrow morning. When I made that appointment, I was pretty sure that I wouldn't go that late, as I wanted to start things naturally- just to know what it was like. (Torin was induced because I had gestational diabetes.) A week ago, I was really preparing for labor. I was resting a lot because I didn't want to go into labor tired. I was timing even the smallest contraction. Now, I've set the date out so far that I forget that I'm still pregnant- until I want to, say, get up or something.
I'm not the only one who feels that way either! Last week, Bubs was arranging elaborate schedules to ensure that I was never alone. Now I'm all alone (and enjoying it, actually- last time in a while, I suppose) while he's out at the park with Torin on his last day of being our only child.
Wishful thinking has pulled me into the ob triage room more than once. Both times, I called first and the nurses reluctantly but clearly told me that it was okay to come in.
The first time, I passed green mucus ball. My ob had stripped my membranes a couple of days earlier. I was shocked by how green it was. It was not greenish yellow, it was like avocado green--but toward the peel, not the seed. (That's pretty green!) Dr. Google said that it could be an infection, but uterine infections are very serious.
The nurse said it could be meconium, but I really doubted that because my water hadn't broken. Plus, it was rubbery, not dark and tarry. They looked at my amiotic fliud index- nope, not leaking at all.
They performed a speculum exam to look for anymore green rubbery mucus. The doc said "well this is sort of green" refering to something that was not green at all- beige with a little gray at best. The did a non stress test. She was perfectly healthy, not distressed at all. They took my urine- no infection. Despite this mystery, they callously sent me home. In truth, I just wanted to be in labor. Why couldn't they just help me along a little! I'm pretty sure they didn't believe me. (Medical school has not cured me of this sort of pouting.)
My sister found the best explanation for the color. One website suggested was that it was old blood- and it was like the color of a deep green bruise, so that's the story that I'm sticking to. However, if anyone else experiences this, take a picture!
The second time I went to ob triage hoping for labor, I was having contractions that were 4-5 minutes apart but not so strong that I had to vocalize- breathing through them was fine. It was this way for hours, so I called to come in, and after checking my cervix and doing a non stress test, they sent me home again. My reason for pouting this time was that my cervix didn't change until after I got the epidural last time (then it went from 2-10 in 15 miniutes). But really, those contractions, though regular, were not the gripping ones that take your smile away. They've continued but haven't gotten stronger since then.
Now I don't even mention my contractions unless I'm asked to get up in the middle of one. I'm resigned to this waiting, and resigned to not knowing what it feels like to go into labor naturally. I'm a bit sad about it, but after learning that my mom was 19, 3, 9, and 12 days late with her four children, I'll be glad to accept the induction and finally meet my little girl.
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4 comments:
Next time we need to send those docs a little present...a photo fo grass green mucus plug, enlarged to hang on their office wall. Urgh. How frustrating.
I am so proud that I was only three days late for Mamma Mia. I'm so prompt! And kind to our mother! Well, compared to you guys! Teehee!
Okay, you are obviously a medical student and fascinated by the physiological aspects of the birth process. But for me, a purely non-medical type, mucous plugs the color of avocados, big enough to hang on the wall, are somewhat icky and literally make me shudder. Please be merciful to me and the rest of the squemish out here :).
Sorry Curious(?)Smith!
I'm coming at it not so much from the perspective of a medical student but a frustrated pregnant woman who didn't know what was happening to her body! Imagine something happening to your body that no one has ever mentioned and you don't know if you (or your baby!) are okay! If your imagination fails you, it makes you feel vulnerable to say the least. It would have saved me a trip to the OB triage if I had read about this somewhere.
So, consider it taking one for the team. I hope you find the rest of my posts more merciful.
I get why you're sharing this information and if I ever decide to start my own brood, I'm happy that I have your experience to look to for help. I'll know that 'What to expect when you're expecting' might not have all of the answers and that even Dr. Google might come up short.
But, I just think that now, after the fact when everything is in order, you should be proud to say 'Man, you should have seen the mucus plug during my 2nd pregnancy. It scared the heck out of me, but the color was amazing!!!!"
Personally, I just like saying mucus plug. It's like snot rocket. Not something you necessarily want to get a good look at, but such a funny phrase.
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