Getting Things Started!

Yes, two posts in one day...but it's because things are really starting to get exciting!

We stuck to the tentative plan.  But in that plan, I don't think I mentioned that my doctor had said something about getting me started with gel to soften the cervix on Wednesday evening. I guess part of me was thinking that they would insert the gel and send me home.  Well...good thing we packed our bags and brought them along in the car when we went to the appointment this afternoon.  Because at our appointment (which ended around 5:00 pm), my doctor said that we might as well just come back at 7:30 pm to get things started with the gel.

So here we are...at the hospital...after the first round of the gel.  They had me hooked up to the monitors and an IV for the first two hours or so, but have since taken me off to let me rest.  But that's where the problem lies.  It's kind of hard to rest when I'm having contractions about four minutes apart.  It's now 1:00 am, and I wish that I could sleep, but just as I start dozing off, I'll have another contraction.  My husband (who is blissfully asleep on the little pull-out couch/bed) downloaded a contraction-tracker app for his ipod, so at least I've been able to play around with that.

I have to admit that although I was initially a tiny bit disappointed that I would be induced, it turns out that I'm actually kind of liking it this way...so far.  Sure, it might have been nice to be laboring at home where I could eat as much as I wanted and done my own thing, but I feel like being induced has taken some of the stress and confusion out of the process.  I was able to check in calmly and chat with the nurses in normal conversation before things got started.  I'm sure that I would have been just fine had I been laboring at home and then making a quick dash to the hospital, but this is the way it worked out...so I'll take it and I'll adjust.   

The nurse is going to come and check me again around 1:45 am, and we'll know more at that point.  I would imagine that once things really get going that I won't be able to update here anymore until after our Baby Girl arrives.  So please--if you're reading this in the middle of the night or early in the morning on the East Coast--please just keep us in your prayers.  We'll be sure to post pictures and an announcement once she arrives!

Update:  It's now just a little after 7:00 am, and the nurse is happy with my contraction cycle.  They have me on the first level of Pitocin, and we're waiting for my doctor to get here to check things out.  The over-night Resident said that I am 3 cm dilated, with a "big bulging bag of waters" that she did not want to break without my doctor's permission, but she's pretty sure that things will go fast, once my water does break.  Apparently our Baby Girl's head is really low.

Today's blessing is just all of the love and support and prayers and best wishes that we have received from so many friends and family.  Though neither my husband nor I have posted it on our facebook yet, both sets of soon-to-be-grandparents have, and it's amazing to see all of the supporting comments pouring in from everywhere.  So many people are so excited for us, and it's amazing to know that we're being held up in prayer by so many people.