Drama King??

Well, I'm almost a week past due and this week has NOT been short on baby drama! Things were calm and uneventful until Tuesday. Around 2 pm that day I started having some contractions. They were mild and somewhat regular, but I figured it was just a little episode and they'd go away. They didn't! They continued all afternoon and into the evening. We put the kids to bed around 8 and I decided to go ahead and get the timer out and see how regular they were. They were coming about 10 minutes apart and they were lasting for about a minute and a half each. I did this for about 2 hours and then called Merrie around 10 to let her know that I had been having regular contractions for awhile. When I called she was at another birth and said that it didn't sound like active labor, but to call back when and if they got to be about 5 minutes apart and were lasting for only a minute each. I was a little discouraged by her analysis .... I was hoping she'd tell me it sounded like I was heading into active labor. Hoping that she was wrong, I tried to go to bed to get my rest. I was unable to fall asleep because the contractions persisted and I was uncomfortable. I got up around 1 and had a wine cooler and watched a little TV hoping to calm things down and tire myself out. I came back to bed around 3 and was up again at 3:30. The contractions were getting a bit stronger and seemed to be much worse when I was laying down. Joel got up with me that time and helped to time my contractions again. They were coming 5 minutes apart and were lasting about a minute each. Since I knew Merrie had been at a birth until late and since things on my end were manageable I decided not to call her right then. We went back to bed around 5 and I managed to sleep until about 7. When I woke up, the contractions were strong and right on top of each other. My first thought was, "I need to call Merrie NOW". I got up and came downstairs to get the timer. I wanted to be able to tell Merrie how far apart and how long so she could tell me I was in active labor!!!! I called her around 8 to tell her they were 5 minutes apart and a minute each and she said she was surprised they hadn't gone away, but it still didn't sound quite like active labor. She advised me to try to nap and call in about an hour. This news ticked me off!!!!!! I went back to bed feeling very sorry for myself and slept for 2 hours and when I woke up the contractions were completely gone. You can imagine the emotional breakdown that followed these events!!!! Luckily Joel was off that day and I was able to wallow in my bed while he took care of everything else. I was scheduled to see the chiropractor that day and Merrie that afternoon, so I figured I'd be able to talk one or both of them into putting me into labor.
The chiropractor was very sympathetic and did some very painful adjusting to try to start up my contractions again. After the chiropractor, I called Merrie to see when and where she wanted to meet and she informed me that she had been up for 3 nights in a row at difficult births and was too tired and asked if I wouldn't mind waiting until the next day for my appointment. I told her I was hoping she could help me go into labor and she said she really didn't want to do that because her whole team was over-tired and they needed a rest. I can appreciate that and I want a rested midwife at my birth, but this, once again, led to an emotional breakdown on my part. I had been looking forward to seeing her all day in hopes that she could help me and I felt very abandoned and disappointed!!!! My sweet Joel had made arrangements with my mom to take the kids so he could take me out to dinner in hopes of making me feel better and taking my mind off of things for a bit. So, we dropped the kids off and went on our date!
Nothing else happened for the rest of that night and I woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly and irritatingly good. I decided to go ahead and go to work for a few hours to keep myself busy and Joel stayed home to be with the kids.
That afternoon I went in to see Merrie and when she was feeling my belly to determine the baby's position she became very confused by what she was feeling. She couldn't get a clear indication on where he was at, but thought that he was probably still on the left. She put the doppler on my belly and we heard the heartbeat so we figured he was, in fact, on the left. She told me that she had a little bit of extra time and if I wanted her to do a quick ultrasound we could peek at the baby and see how he was doing in there. Of course, I agreed!! As soon as we started the ultrasound I could tell she was confused again by what she was seeing. I began to get worried at this point thinking the baby had two heads or was missing a limb or something! Eventually she came to realize that the baby was posterior!!! That's why she couldn't feel him well, and that's why she was so confused by what she was seeing in the ultrasound!! She told me that I could try to get in to see the chiropractor again because he could do an adjustment to turn the baby. So, I called right from her office and they squeezed me in an hour later. I have to say, I was amazed at what he does!!!!! I was expecting some awful, painful forcing of the baby and thought I'd be in agony for awhile. It turns out, he laid me on his table, put one hand on my tail bone and another hand above my pubic bone and just waited. He explained that the purpose of this was to make the baby claustrophobic. The baby raises his head and begins to turn and in no more than 25 minutes we have an anterior baby!!! It works 100% of the time!!!! It took us about 10 minutes and the baby was back in position on my left side with his back out toward my belly!! I couldn't believe it and it was totally painless!!!!! If any of you who read this are pregnant, GET YOURSELF A CHIROPRACTOR!!!! They are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, things are back on track and now we are just waiting. I haven't had any more regular contractions. Merrie predicts that the baby will come Saturday or Sunday. More disappointing news as that means I have to wait another 2 days or so, but she doesn't see a reason to push me along since the baby is doing well and since I'm not having any irritating contractions. I'm hoping my next post is to announce the birth of this little boy!!