Still Waiting...

Lynda here this time, and I fully agree with Rob: things do not always go as planned. This time yesterday, we were waiting on our obstetrician, Dr. K, to start the induction process. Inexplicably, my blood pressure began to fall into a safer range, and instead of starting the induction, Dr. K proposed that we stay another night in the hospital for observation. He knows how much I wanted to have an unmedicated labor, and wanted to give me a chance to return home and wait on Levi to come in his own time.

We waited overnight, and my readings were inconsistent; one reading would be super-elevated, and the next reading four hours later would be in a safer range. In the end, Dr. K told us that we could return home (with total bed rest) and wait for natural labor to start, but that he would induce in a week's time anyway. It seems that the only cure for pregnancy-related hypertension is delivery, and since Levi is full-term, we decided to induce today.

So, here we are. I started receiving medicine to stimulate labor at about 9:45, and my nurse said that so far, I'm responding nicely. I can report that early contractions, while noticeable, are not terribly uncomfortable. I am still smiling and laughing with Rob. We're watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 right now, and my nurse has explained that she'll know we're well underway when I stop smiling.

The doctor has explained that this will most likely be a 24-hour process from start to finish, so we're expecting to meet Levi tomorrow morning or afternoon. I am relieved that all 24 hours will not be hard labor. All the same, if you think of us over the next several hours, please pray that I will be able to cope with the labor pains and have the remaining labor without medication.

We are looking forward to meeting Levi tomorrow. We've wondered over the last few months what he'll look like and what it will be like to bring him home. Now that we're only hours from this new reality...well, I can't really say what my emotions are. This is an all-new situation for me, so I'm not sure how to describe these feelings. I'm hoping for a tiny, blonde carbon copy of Rob, but we'll be happy with our son, no matter what he looks like.

Stay tuned...

Lynda