The Drop

I have to admit, the timing of this is making me giggle.  Just a few days before New Year's Eve and we've experienced our own "drop".  This is another term I had been pouring over the pregnancy books for.  What on Earth did it mean, when would it happen, and why did some women experience it and some not at all?  The wonders of the human body and of the entire pregnancy/birthing process never cease!

Honestly, I thought I was having an hour long contraction.  My doctor told us at our last visit that I would start experiencing practice contractions likely anytime.  Probably about two months ago, I had a Braxton Hicks contraction, which was a strange sensation, but it only lasted a few minutes. Yesterday, I was so uncomfortable for so long, I was about to leave work and call my doctor to see if I should come into the office.  It started with being unable to get comfortable in the break room.  That wasn't so hard to believe since it's not super unusual depending on the day.  Then lower back pain really started to kick in about twenty minutes after my lunch break was over.  I took two Tylenol and figured in another twenty minutes everything would be fine. Nope!

Starting to get concerned, I began texting some friends who have had a child within the last several months. I figured they would remember more details since their babes aren't too much older than ours.  My plan was that if the pain hadn't subsided by three o'clock (which would have made the whole ordeal about an hour and a half) and if the friends recommended I seek medical assistance, I would.  Why didn't I just call my doctor right away?  Because we've already been to the ER once with a false alarm, and I don't want to make it a habit, or pay the bills for unnecessary testing.  My texting buds got me through it all, and the pain finally went away at about twenty till three.

At the end of the work day, I found out that a coworker's daughter who is the same week along as me just experienced her baby drop, too.  We discussed all the symptoms - strong menstrual cramp type back pain, difficulty walking, discomfort sitting/standing/walking, increased appetite, much more frequent trips to the potty, and sharp stabbing pains in your cervix (it's shortening/flattening out to prepare for delivery).  All of what I had been beginning to feel over Christmas week, and the experience yesterday afternoon was the culmination of our baby girl dropping.  It is literally and figuratively easier to breathe!  What an interesting experience with such an exciting feeling left behind! Our sweet little love is coming soon and we can't wait to meet her!!