#433 - contraction timer

I used a contraction timer for Parker's (aka Baby #2) and I'm glad I did. It's fun to look back and see how it all played out, cause it's crazy how fast you can forget the details. Hope this isn't too personal to be sharing...

I started having constant contractions at 3:30am, every 20-30 minutes.
They weren't super painful (at first), but annoying, so Pepe whipped out his ipod to keep me distracted during my contractions.

9:5oam - started timing
3:17pm - 4:30pm - there is a break in my timing them because the midwife was checking me...I'm already 5-6 cm dialated
5:43pm (i think) - midwife checks me and I am 7cm, I get in the tub (maybe I got in the tub earlier than this, I don't really remember)...Pepe starts timing the contractions for me
6:13 & 6:32pm - contractions are further apart...these seem to be more painful...

Pepe started having me rate the pain (from 1-10):
6:24pm - 7
6:26 - 7
6:28 - 8
6:32 - 8.5
6:33 - 7
6:35 - 8.5
6:38 - 9
6:40 - 7
6:42 - 9.5
6:44 - 8

6:46, 6:48, 6:50 or 6:52pm - during one of these contractions my water breaks. (I think it was 6:46 or 6:48 because Pepe stopped rating my contractions.)

Then...I pretty much have one constant contraction (I would rate that pain at a 20 on a scale of 1-10) until Parker is born at 7:01pm.

click on this to see it larger

In total, I'm guessing I had about 132 contractions
(plus the really painful one that lasted for 7 minutes of pushing, I'm sure it was multiple contractions, but I felt like it was just a long one that might never end)
from 3:30am until 7:01pm.

The key to get through it (at least for me), was to take one contraction at a time and realize that each one was getting me closer to finally having the baby!

OK, that probably was way too much info...