After three very painful days, we’ve reached the end. No… no baby yet, but there will be one soon, one way or another. Chris has been having regular contractions for over three days now, but they’ve only managed to open the cervix a little bit. They haven’t really been the full-powered type of contractions needed to do the job. But, there is something going on that is causing Chris an incredible amount of pain, and it’s been going on since the contractions started. We’re not sure what it is, but all of the dangerous complications have been ruled out, and the baby is unaffected by it. It may be something simple like a folded and pinched bladder that will go away when the real delivery starts. We’ve been waiting for that to happen, but it hasn’t. Perhaps the pain has been severe enough to shut down that part of the system, or something. In any event, we’ve decided waiting it out isn’t an option anymore. We’ve begun an herbal treatment that will likely induce full labor in the next hour or two. In the event that that doesn’t work, we’ll be off to the hospital for, if nothing else, painkillers. So that’s where we stand. I’ll let you know if we go to the hospital. If we don’t, I’ll update you as I can. And to re-iterate… it hasn’t been a health issue up until now, only a pain issue. Both mother and child are physically doing well.

Nothing new to report. I expect there will be something to report tonight, though. We’ve been back at the birth center since late last night, playing the waiting game (obSimpsonsQuote: “Ah, the waiting game sucks. Let’s play ‘Hungry Hungry Hippos’!”). But the waiting is coming to an end, and something will happen soon.

We’ve entered day three of Baby Watch with not much to report. She’s still laboring but not dilating. It’s been a long drawn-out “first stage” for her. The nature of the contractions are slowly changing and moving toward the type that will open the door and let the baby out. We’re going home for a little while. We may return to the birthing center tonight, but the contractions will tell us when.

Labor is currently slow. Contractions are still coming, but they’ve been light most of the morning. They’re starting to pick up some, so we’re just relaxing at the birthing center.

We’ve reached midnight, and not much has changed. We’re both going to try and rest for a while. Somehow, she’s managing to sleep through some of the contractions…

Contractions continued throughout the night, but progress has been slow. She is definately in the “uncomfortable” stage.

Nothing new to report. Chris is still laboring away, though not all that intensly. We know that it’s not unusual for a completely unmedicated woman to slowly labor for several days, and since this is our first, we can’t predict really how far along we are. The baby is being constantly monitored, and he or she is doing wonderfully. We’re both hoping to get introduced soon.

We’ve settled in for what looks like a long night. Contractions are three or four minutes apart, locallized to the lower uterus. We can expect the rest of the muscle to get in on the act as the night goes on. Dilation has been slow, but can speed up quickly. The baby is doing wonderfully, as is Chris. She’s napping, three minutes at a time.

Yeah… I’m blogging from the birthing room. Labor contractions are coming fast and furious now. If you’re folowing along in real time, be sure to watch for photos over there on the right.

<a href="/cameraphone/archives/001679.html" title="Birthing Room "><img src="/images/legacy/weblog/cameraphone/images/200408152137/_t.jpg" alt="Birthing Room " width="120" height="146" class="pic" border="0" /></a>
(more inside)