Birth Story part 1

Salaams to everyone out there and thank you so much for all your kind words and dua for the birth of Jilbaby.

Here is the first part of my birth story.. which pretty much starts a week prior to the day my son was born.

Here goes...

***

H came up the day after this post. He arrived by 6 pm. I was already exhausted (yeah it was a Sunday but the last week of pregnancy totally drained me) and taking a shower. He knocked on the bathroom door and poked his head in. Said salaam and chit chatted for a minute, and then he ran downstairs to pray and then started to make dinner.


"Wow," I thought, "Things really are turning around."

My last week at school was very hard. I ended up going home early a few days because I was just too tired. Sleep was becoming my frenemy - some nights were good, most were bad.

But H was totally awesome. Very attentive and helpful. Optimistic for the future because he had some promising leads for work (he's trying to do his own thing).

My 38 week check up was Thursday May 1st. My doc checked my cervix and THERE WAS NO PROGRESS FROM THE WEEK BEFORE. I was totally bummed out because I had H come up in a hurry in fear that I'd go into labor without him. Allah is the best of planners, I knew this.. and I couldn't dictate when Jilbaby would come. Still I felt guilty as we walked out of the doctor's office with no new news. It felt like this pregnancy would never end. I could tell H was anxious and maybe even agitated. He left his work and came up here thinking I'd deliver any day. He gets no paid time off and actually risks losing his job for leaving work for a long period of time.

The next day, Friday May 2nd, I was feeling fine. Neither my back nor my front were sore. I had a spring in my step but a scowl on my face. This baby will never come out, I remarked to some coworkers.

"No Jilbabble, this is the calm before the storm!" Predicted one teacher.

I hoped she was right.

Jilbaby Has Left the Womb!

He's heeeeeeeeeere!

Alhamdulillah everything went well. I'll post my 'birth story' when I catch up with my life at home and get my rhythm back..

But here are the details:

Born early Saturday morning - May 3

Weight: 6 lbs 4 oz

Length: 18.5 in.

Healthy and really really loud..... :-)

I think I might rename my blog "How Jilbabble Lost Her Sleep"..

Fearing the Unknown

I finally decided to talk to H last night. I'd been avoiding him since Thursday evening. Just cause I was feeling sensitive and hurt by what he had said to me.

We talked about the l&d and H is scared to death.

First he asked me who was going to be there for the birth. I said I just wanted him. This scares him because he doesn't know what to expect. I encouraged him to look up things on the internet, and I tried to explain what he could expect. Plus he doesn't know what to do. I told what my expectations were:

- to be by my side
- massage me if needed
- help me move around if able
- say words of encouragement
- be a rock for me when i feel weak

He has been forewarned that I could be very grouchy and snappy. He is afraid he'll take it personally and get offended. The fact that he knows to expect this makes me think that this won't happen.

Then he said something that made me laugh.

"I want your mom to come so she can help me while I help you."

The coach needs his own coach.

Well, at least he admits it.

***
The rest of this post has been deleted from this blog, and therefore, my memory.

It Could Be Anytime!!

Made some major progress 'down there' and the dr said there is a possibility that I could go into labor anytime. It is hard to calculate because in the end, allahu alim. But the changes in the last week makes things look like baby is speeding his way out.

Last Week:

1 cm dilated
25% effaced
No softening of the c-vix

This week:

1.5 cm dilated
75% dilated
C-vix is verrry soft
Baby dropped and head in place!

I'm finally feeling some excitement now!

And lots of pressure in the area. Having Braxton Hicks contractions and some minor pains..

Now the question is whether or not to have H high-tail it over here?? Will Jilbabble make it another week?????

Clueless

Any Mom's out there have/had clueless husbands?

My H is extremely clueless about pregnancy, labor and delivery. He is not the type to read books and take classes. I read books but not so much into taking lamaze or anything like that. Anyway...

H has no idea what to expect with labor. I was talking with him the other night and I mentioned something about how labor can take a long time. He was shocked. He figured I'd feel some kind of pain and my water would break.. then we'd go to the hospital and I'd push a few times and then we'd be done.

I had to school him. And now he's all freaked out.

Tried to explain the whole mucus plug/water break/dilation/contractions. Not sure if it all registered. (English is his 2nd language.. but still..)

Now he is scared and doesn't want to be in the room. Too bad it's not an option.

Things I Need To Do Before Jilbaby Comes

Bored. I feel the sudden urge to make lists.. I can put on paper all the crap in my brain that is already internally stressing me out. Then, not only will it be stressing me out on the inside.. but I can visually see it. This will do one of two things - either motivate me to actually get them down NOW, or just stress me out some more, causing me to sit on the couch and resort to channel surfing.

Ahhh channel surfing.. the one sport that I am good at. Haven't done it in sooo long...

Anyway..

AT HOME

1 - Wash, sort, and put away all new baby clothes.
2 - Pick up crib mattress and place it in crib. Then put sheets on it.
3 - Pack for hospital.
4 - Shampoo carpet to get out those annoying and gross cat puke stains.
5 - Clean bedroom ~ go thru drawers, closet. Need to stop being a pack rat.

AT WORK

1 - Clean my workspace.
2 - Prepare my lessons for this week
3 - Prepare outline of lessons to be covered for the rest of the year for my sub.

Technically I see only 8 items on my list.. making my stress go down a little. Doesn't seem so bad right???

***

In a strange turn of events, H is trying to sell his car so he can by a four door suitable for a family.
***

The rest of this post has been deleted from this blog, and therefore, my memory. 12/27/08

Fat Baby

Last night I dreamt that I had my baby and he weighed 11 lbs.

Then I was mad the whole time because my parents kept putting him in jeans, when I was very specific about letting him be in comfy pajamas.

24 more days left..